News Flash

NEWS RELEASE
Marketing & Communications
Jan. 30, 2020

The city is observing Black History Month in February with the annual Showcase of Song, the Public Safety Black History Month Celebration, special programs in city recreation centers, social media posts about historically significant African-American locations in Winston-Salem, and encore presentations of WSTV productions relating to local African-American history.

The Human Relations Commission is sponsoring the 8th annual "Showcase of Song: An African-American Cultural Celebration," Saturday, Feb. 8, at 12:30 p.m. in the Carver High School auditorium, 3545 Carver School Road, Winston-Salem. The event will include secular and non-secular musical performances that illustrate the link between the African culture and modern-day African-American culture. The Showcase of Song is free and open to the public.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, the Police and Fire departments will honor select retirees, and Recreation and Parks will recognize the winners of its Black History Month literary and visual arts contests, during the Public Safety Black History Month Celebration. The celebration will be held at 3 p.m. at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, 4129 Northampton Drive, Winston-Salem. The public is invited.

Planning and Development Services will feature two historically significant African-American locations in Winston-Salem each week during Black History Month with posts on the city’s Facebook page (City of Winston-Salem, NC – Government). Subjects will include the Depot Street neighborhood, the Fourteenth Street School and the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

WSTV Digital Media (Spectrum Channel 13 and AT&T Uverse Channel 99) will feature encore presentations of its productions relating to local African-American history in two-hour blocks at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during February. Highlights include "Laying the Foundation" on Tuesdays, "Reynoldstown" on Thursdays and "Engine Four" on Saturdays. 

Several recreation centers are sponsoring special Black History Month programs:

• The William R. Anderson Recreation Center, 2450 Reynolds Park Road, will include a special Black history presentation “Celebrating Our Past and Honoring Our Future” every Saturday during February as part of its basketball program.
• Brown & Douglas Recreation Center, 4725 Indiana Ave., will have readings from books about Black history on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• The Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center, 501 Reynolds Blvd., will have an interactive “wax museum” on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m. Children in the after school program will dress up as significant figures in Black history and tell about that person’s achievements. 

For more information call CityLink 311.