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COVINGTON, Ga. – Every February, individuals from world wide kind collectively to look at Black Historical past Month. Newton County is not any completely different.
Hundreds of individuals from all walks of life banded collectively to have fun the third annual Black Historical past Month parade.
The parade started at Legion Discipline and marched to the downtown Sq. space the place a number of teams of patrons congregated in celebration.
The occasion was organized by the Newton County Historic Committee on Black Heritage Preservation along side the town of Covington and Newton County.
As a precursor to the parade, patrons heard music from the Washington Road Group Middle’s kids’s choir in addition to the MLK Group Choir.
Moments earlier than the parade, Terri James took the stage to guide everybody into the occasion.
“Take pleasure in your self. It’s a wonderful day, it’s a little bit chilly however we’re nonetheless gonna have a great time in Jesus’ title,” James mentioned.
The parade then kicked off with grand marshal Evan Oglesby. Oglesby – a Toccoa native – was a former skilled soccer participant who performed 5 years within the Nationwide Soccer League with the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.
Serving as honorary grand marshal was superintendent of Newton County Faculty System (NCSS), Dr. Duke Bradley III.
Bradley shared that it was his first time collaborating in Newton County’s Black Historical past Month’s proceedings, however mentioned that the occasion summed up what Newton County is all about.
“It was a wonderful coming collectively of our group,” Bradley mentioned. “I actually didn’t know what to anticipate, however what stood out was that everyone in our group participated…This can be a loving group and one which I’m proud to be part of.”
The parade contained illustration from numerous completely different organizations, together with the Central GA East Black Chamber, East Metro 4 Social Justice, United States Veterans, the Newton County NAACP, the east suburban Atlanta Chapter Jack and Jill of America, the Georgia High 10 membership and the Common Grand Lodge of Georgia A.A.R.
Moreover, members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and Omega Psi Phi fraternity have been in attendance for the parade.
Offering illustration from political places of work and candidacies embrace: Alana Sanders, John Bryant, Willie Arthur Smith, Kimberly Griggs, Avis Williams, David Scott, Gabriel White, Brent Bennett, Tiijon DaCosta and Stephanie Finnie.
Various youth organizations have been represented, too. These embrace Clements Center Faculty, the Queen’s G.E.M.S. program, the Bomb Squad journey softball group and MBS karate, simply to call a couple of.
Main into the parade, the town of Covington held further Black Historical past Month occasions.
From Feb. 12-15, the town of Covington held a Black Historical past Month artwork exhibit, with its “ultimate evening of artwork” going down on Feb. 16. Following the ultimate evening of artwork, the town hosted its meals truck Friday with numerous Black-owned companies promoting meals and drinks. A film evening that includes the film “Black Panther” was proven at Legion Discipline proper after the meals truck Friday.
Group improvement director for the town of Covington, Ken Malcom, mentioned that each one of those occasions, paired with the rising crowd year-by-year for the parade present that group engagement is vital.
“The gang is constructing from what we had final yr and folks gathered right here to observe it and we wish to proceed to see that,” Malcom mentioned.
Malcom mentioned he hopes the occasion will likely be “greater and higher” subsequent yr and that his group will proceed to work with the numerous companions concerned with the occasion.
The town of Covington plans to proceed to make the occasion greater and higher for subsequent yr.
“Because of the dedication of the organizers, the town of Covington continues to see progress and participation for this annual occasion,” per an announcement from the town of Covington. “Our downtown appears ahead to internet hosting the parade once more subsequent yr.”
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