Birmingham celebrated Martin Luther King with style at The Studio Theatre in the Library of Birmingham.
A whole host of up and coming talent performed for the full house, which included singers, rappers, actors, dance troops and inspirational speakers.
There was also an all important talk on the petition to have Black History placed on the Primary School Curriculum.
The main thing for me was when I saw especially children of various races dancing and performing together on one stage, some 50 years ago that would never had happened in Birmingham Alabama or indeed one could argue in Smethwick either.
It was refreshing to see Children getting involved as it is important to know the darkness that existed in society and the journey so far towards equality for all, whilst clinging to the fact that we are all human irrespective of our individual outer appearances.
This year is fifty years since the march from Selma to Montgomery, which was riddled with violence from those that rejected change and wanted to continual oppression of African Americans.
However, the same year following this march President Lyndon Johnson signed the ‘Bill of Rights’ giving all Americans irrespective of who they were the right to vote.
The purpose I see from an annual event of this nature is to:
Understand the issues that many faced.
Celebrate past achievements.
Build upon the legacy.
Inspire others to continue the journey.
Never give up.
Be proud of who you are.
Stand up for your rights.
Work together in Unity by consolidating those things that we have in common.
Just as King marched and there were people there from all races, this was reflected in some of the performances.
We do have some very talented people in our City and it is for them that we must ensure that we level the playing in order for them to have a bright and unified future.
Desmond Jaddoo
18th January 2015
A whole host of up and coming talent performed for the full house, which included singers, rappers, actors, dance troops and inspirational speakers.
There was also an all important talk on the petition to have Black History placed on the Primary School Curriculum.
The main thing for me was when I saw especially children of various races dancing and performing together on one stage, some 50 years ago that would never had happened in Birmingham Alabama or indeed one could argue in Smethwick either.
It was refreshing to see Children getting involved as it is important to know the darkness that existed in society and the journey so far towards equality for all, whilst clinging to the fact that we are all human irrespective of our individual outer appearances.
This year is fifty years since the march from Selma to Montgomery, which was riddled with violence from those that rejected change and wanted to continual oppression of African Americans.
However, the same year following this march President Lyndon Johnson signed the ‘Bill of Rights’ giving all Americans irrespective of who they were the right to vote.
The purpose I see from an annual event of this nature is to:
Understand the issues that many faced.
Celebrate past achievements.
Build upon the legacy.
Inspire others to continue the journey.
Never give up.
Be proud of who you are.
Stand up for your rights.
Work together in Unity by consolidating those things that we have in common.
Just as King marched and there were people there from all races, this was reflected in some of the performances.
We do have some very talented people in our City and it is for them that we must ensure that we level the playing in order for them to have a bright and unified future.
Desmond Jaddoo
18th January 2015