Aiming to provide a reprised version of the original Harambe 360º’s Black Arts Festival in 1975, the Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) has partnered with Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation to put on the Fredericksburg Black Arts Festival for the public to celebrate African American culture.
The Black Arts Festival’s historical ties to Fredericksburg date back to the 1960s when Clarence Todd founded an experimental theater organization for area youth. While it was known originally as Shades of Gray, Harambe 360º officially became a chartered, non-profit corporation in November 1973.
The name Harambe comes from a Swahili word, which means, “Let us pull together,” signifying unity.
“The Black Arts Festival was founded by the local black community as a fundraiser, and it is an event that has been held on and off in Fredericksburg for the last 49 years,” said Fredericksburg Area Museum’s events and operations manager Clarissa Sanders. “It was something that our community really supported and needed so we wanted to make sure to bring it back with the help of legacy members such as Juno Todd, the grandson of Clarence Todd.”
Todd and other legacy members served on an advisory committee that helped to develop this year’s festival.
According to Dr. Gaila Sims, the curator of African American History and special projects for the Fredericksburg Area Museum, the Black Arts Festival is one of Harambe 360º’s most enduring contributions.
“It holds incredibly long-lasting and fond memories for so many people in our community,” Sims said during a lunch seminar on The Black Arts Festival hosted by the Central Rappahannock Regional Library. “These artists are able to raise their profiles and connect with one another and their community, which is so important.”
This is the second iteration of the reprised Black Arts Festival. Last year’s festival, held at Market Square, attracted more than a thousand people. This year, the Festival will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Riverfront Park as well as Market Square at the FAM from 12-7 p.m.
“The festival will feature contextual arts, dance and live music performances from artists around the Fredericksburg area and beyond,” Sanders said. “Artists will be displaying and selling a wide variety of art in Market Square along with vendors and non-profits.”
The Black Arts Festival is free to attend and will have various forms of art from artists including Cori Blanch, Alex Harvell, Carlos Moore, Xpress Band, and more for the attendees to see at the Fredericksburg Area Museum, located at 907 Princess Anne Street, as well as Riverfront Park, located at 701 Sophia Street.
More information about the event can be located here.
