African American Heritage Celebration will Celebrate Community on Saturday, Feb. 16 

{sidebar id=3} The Wakulla County Christian Coalition's third annual African American Heritage Parade and Celebration will be Saturday, February 16, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Hudson Park in Crawfordville.  Festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. with a parade on US 319.  Vintage cars, motorcycles, step teams and horses will be part of the many organizations who will have parade entries in this year's event.  Funds raised at the event are used to provide scholarships for graduating seniors of the Wakulla County school system.

This year's festival theme is "Celebrating Community" and organizers are featuring the life and legacy of Amos Hargrett (1833-1905) of the Hyde Park Community.  According to page 95 of Florida's Black Public Officials, 1867 - 1924 (Canter Brown, Jr., The University of Alabama Press 1998), Amos Hargrett was Wakulla County delegate to  the 1885 constitutional convention, St Marks Postmaster, Commissioner of Pilotage at St Marks and a Wakulla County Commissioner.  He was also one of the founders of Thessalonia Missionary Baptist Church in Hyde Park.  Wakulla County Commissioner George Green is the great-great-grandson of Amos Hargrett, and several hundred more descendants are still in the area.  Many of them will be participating in this weekend's celebration.

Former State Representative and now State Senator James Hargrett of Tampa is this year's Parade Grand Marshal, and will also be the keynote speaker at this year's banquet fundraiser being held in conjunction with the festival on Friday evening, February 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center.  Senator Hargrett is the grandson of Amos Hargrett (1833-1905) of the Hyde Park Community.  He was born in West Tampa and received his Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College and his MBA from Atlanta University.  In 1965 he served in the United States Army Reserve and completed his service in 1971.  In 1982, Hargrett was elected to represent the 63rd District in the Florida House of Representatives where he served for five terms.  In 1992, he was elected to the State Senate serving the Tampa Bay area where he served for two terms.  A businessman, Hargrett is Chairman and President of Bay Area Concessions, Inc.  He is actively involved in community and civic organizations including the University of Tampa Board of Trustees, NAACP, Ybor City Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Housing Authority, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation-and many more.  Hargrett has received numerous awards throughout his career including Outstanding Young Man of America, Florida Voter League's Leadership Award, Martin Luther King Memorial Award, and Florida Association of DUI Programs Legislator of the Year.  Hargrett is married to Beryln and has two children, Crystal and James III.

In addition to the parade, activities will continue at the park until 2:00 p.m. including gospel singing, praise dancers, food booths, health information, voter registration, and educational information booths.  Local musician Trafton Harvey is scheduled to entertain as well.

While a fun-filled day is expected, the dissemination of educational, historically significant Black History and healthful information is a primary reason for the activity.  There are still opporrtunities to participate.  Call Malenie Bruce at 926-7506 if you are interested in having a booth at the festival. Call Bossie Hawkins at 656-2578 if you are interested in participating in the parade.  You can also e-mail Bossie Hawkins or Malenie Bruce at:  bossieh@earthlink.net or  melaniehawkins@earthlink.net .

If you would like to attend the banquet fundraiser at the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center on Friday evening, February 15th, please call Malenie Bruce or Bossie Hawkins at the numbers given above.  Tickets are $30 each.  The banquet will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Hope to see you at Hudson Park on the 16th!

Click here for an article and photo gallery from last year's celebration.  

This information originally published on February 11, 2008.

Written by :

mkwestmark

 

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