By Evan Cook

evan.cook@jessaminejournal.com

Dancing, drumming, singing and food will highlight the Jessamine County Black History Month Celebration.

The Jessamine County Public Library, in association with the C.A.R.E. Group of Jessamine County, will host a celebration of African-American heritage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10.

“Fun, food and fellowship,” were the three words Anna Kenion, coordinator of the celebration, said were most used to describe this celebration of black history.

“There’s power when we work together,” Kenion said.

She assures that the entire event will be both fun and exciting.

The celebration will begin with refreshments and food provided by the Jessamine County Judge-Executive’s Office, which is sponsoring the event.

Community resource tables and presentations by local organizations will be set up to browse. Displays will be run by organizations such as Camp Nelson Historical Society, the first colored school of Rosenwald-Dunbar, and universities and colleges coming to represent Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

There will also be African-American historical artifacts on display in glass cases for everyone to view.

The Imani Dance and Drum Company will be preforming at 1 p.m. They will be performing native African dances under the direction of Harlina Churn-Diallo. The dances are interactive and engaging for everyone. Those who attend will also be given the chance to play African drums and instruments.

The Ron Spriggs Exhibit of the Tuskegee Airmen will be featured at 2 p.m. Along with their traveling exhibit, Spriggs, executive director and co-founder of the exhibit, will speak on the history of these colored airmen, described as “gladiators of the sky”.

“And people can come and go as they see fit,” Kenion said. “That’s why I didn’t want to name it as a program, but a celebration, because that’s what we’re doing.”