The Birmingham Times
Kim Harper was in downtown Birmingham on Saturday, three days after the national celebration of Juneteenth, and said she was happy to see African culture observed throughout the year.
“We don’t just think about our history in February, and so to bring all this together at this time I think is a great thing,” she said.
Harper was talking about the African Heritage Festival at the Birmingham Museum of Art which attracted more than 1,000 people of all backgrounds for an afternoon of drum making classes, traditional African food samples, storytelling, fabric exploration and a panel discussion about the evolution of Black hair.
The auditorium inside the BMA was packed for a performance by Sahi On Ko Djony, which means “The time is now.”
“We try and celebrate our culture, the richness of our music, dance and the creativity of the arts that we contribute to this country and all over the world,” drummer Barry Johnson, founder of the group.
Ronique Carter another drummer with Sahi On Ko Djony said he other members look to educate as well as entertain.
“This is American history,” he said. “We’re here in America … It’s important that we don’t forget where we’ve come, and then also, when you know where you come, you know where you’re at, and then you can project, then know where you’re going.”
Sponsors included Medical Properties Trust and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
WVTM-13 contributed to this post.
