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Black Family Pledge by Maya Angelou

May 16, 2010 in Family, Spiritual

BLACK FAMILY PLEDGE

By Dr. Maya Angelou

Because we have forgotten our ancestors our children no longer give us honor.Because we have lost the path our ancestors cleared, kneeling in perilous undergrowth, our children cannot find their way.

Because we have banished the God of our ancestors, our children can not pray.

Because the long wails of our ancestors have faded beyond our hearing, our children cannot hear us crying.

Because we have abandoned our wisdom of mothering and fathering, our befuddled children give birth to children they neither want nor understand.

Because we have forgotten how to love, the adversary is within our gates, and holds us up to the mirror of the world, shouting, Regard the loveless.

Therefore, we pledge to bind ourselves again to one another;
To embrace our lowliest,
To keep company with our loneliest,
To educate our illiterate,
To feed our starving,
To clothe our ragged,
To do all good things, knowing that we are more than keepers of our brothers and sisters. We are our brothers and sisters.

In honor of those who toiled and implored God with golden tongues, and in gratitude to the same God who brought us out of hopeless desolation,

We make this pledge.

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HISTORICALLY, the Traditional Black Family Reunion

May 16, 2010 in Family, Spiritual

HISTORICALLY, the traditional Black family reunion has excelled at keeping the roots and branches of the family tree grounded and connected–and now more reunion planners are turning this annual celebration into an all-out family festival.

Almost gone are the days of wearing matching T-shirts and meeting at the local park at a last minute’s notice. Today’s family reunion organizations plan the annual event up to two years in advance.

Almost gone are the days of asking Uncle Joe to lend you a few bucks; today, many family reunion organizations have scholarships and emergency funds set aside for family members.

Almost gone are the days of listening to the rumors of war vets and even celebrities you could possibly be related to. Today’s family reunion organizations have designated various genealogy committees to research your family’s roots.

And almost gone are the days of allowing the children to run wild, while the adults impatiently wait for the traditional “entertainment”–aka their turn to dance down the impromptu “Soul Train” line, or to play their hand at the card table. Today’s family reunion organizations have activity itineraries for the young and the young at heart. Some have upped the ante quite a bit as families all across the country accentuate the annual reunion’s tangy barbeque, rhythmic beats and down-home banter with professional catering, live bands, troupe performances and even family reunion themes.

Noted genealogist Donna Beasley says many families are really going above and beyond to plan this year’s activities because, for many, the family reunion is considered the annual vacation.

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Midwest Black Family Reunion Event

May 16, 2010 in Family, Spiritual

Black Family Reunion History


Started in 1986 by NCNW as 3 day cultural event to celebrate the Black family
The 22nd Annual Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration will be held August 20th through the 22nd, 2010 at Sawyer Point. This outdoor event continues to grow and is now one of Cincinnati’s largest family-focused events drawing over 100,000 patrons. The Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration was inaugurated in August 1989 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is held annually the 3rd weekend of August at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove. Through the generous support of our sponsors we are able to offer the event to the public at no charge. The event has grown form the early days of 1989 to over 100,000 people of all ages on hand each year to enjoy the three days of activities.
History
Conceived in 1986 by Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President Emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, the Black Family Reunion Celebration is a 3-day cultural weekend event which brings consumers, corporations, communities and government agencies together to focus on the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black Family.

Now twenty-two years old, the BRFC is held in major cities across he nation and attracts more than 2 million visitors anually.  These Celebrations uplift and uphold the Black family, serving as a rallying point for government agencies, community-based organization and families of all compositions to work together in a fun-filled environment while generating solutions to the issues affecting African-American families.

Through an enlightening agenda which include workshops, issue forums, health screenings, entertainment, exhibits and more, the BFRC has become the nation’s largest and most significant family movement – attracting an audience of 900,000 in Los Angeles, 500,000 in Washington, DC, 200,000 in Cincinnati and more across the nation.  In fact, the BFRC has impacted nearly 18 million consumers since its inception in 1986.

The National Council of Negro Women is dedicated to ensuring that the historic values of the Black family are showcased and reinforced through responsive and innovative community service programs, such as BFRC.

The Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration was inaugurated in August 1989 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  It is held annually the 3rd weekend of August at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove.

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