Repaying Our Ancestors Respectfully
310 East 38th Street, Suite 227
P. O. Box 581712 Minneapolis, MN 55458-1712
Phone: (612) 243-3467 or (612) 822-2688
Email: theroarfoundation@yahoo.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Patricia M. Thompson
The ROAR Foundation, Inc.
Phone: (612) 243-2467 or (612) 822-2688
Mississippi: (662) 846-6814
Fax: (662) 843-6863
Email: theroarfoundation@yahoo.com.
FANNIE LOU HAMER LIGHT STILL SHINES:
HAMER FLAME-KEEPERS CELEBRATES CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND 85TH BIRTHDAY
Fannie Lou Hamer Flame-Keepers from around the nation (16 states) will convene in Ruleville, Mississippi at The Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Park on Saturday, October 5th, 2002 at 12:00 noon to commemorate Fannie Lou Hamer and Civil Rights Movement Veterans from around the nation.
Family Day Festivities will be at Amzie Moore's Park in Cleveland, MS from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and the Civil Rights Reunion Ball will be at 9:00 p.m. in Cleveland at The Haynes Building. On October 6th (Mrs. Hamer's 85th Birthday) Mzuri (New York) will perform her one-woman show in Cleveland, Mississippi at 3:00 p.m. bringing the spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer to life again.
Fannie Lou Hamer was best known for her compelling testimonial before the 1964 credentials committee about the Winona, Mississippi jailhouse beating she and others encountered in their plight to register to vote. "I question America", exclaimed Mrs. Hamer. "Is This The Land of The Free and Home of The Brave when we are harassed everyday just because we want to register to vote?
International Acclaimed Storyteller Awele Makeba, Seku "Chico" Neblitt and his African Drums, Charles Neblitt/The Freedom Singers, Civil Rights Veterans Owen Brooks, Dr. L.C. Dorsey and Nomusa Xaba, Mississippi State Senator Willie Simmons, Mari Lankford as Hershee` the Clown, Rev. Ronald V. Myers, M.D./National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, Vergie Hamer Faulkner (Fannie Lou's daughter), and Mzuri along with many others will gather in Cleveland/Ruleville Mississippi on October 5th and 6th to continue shining the light on Fannie Lou Hamer's legacy.
Pat Holt, Former Book Review Editor of San Francisco Chronicle, says Awele creates bridges that reconnect audiences to their national souls as she entertains and ignites in the way of a young Maya Angelou. Awele has performed in The USA, Canada, Australia, Russia, Taiwan and France. She is featured in a National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign sponsored by The White Office of National Drug Control Policy and The Ad Council. For more on Awele try www.awele.com.
Reverend Ronald V. Myers, Sr. M.D. is an Ordained Baptist Minister, Commissioned Medical Missionary and Accomplished Jazz Musician. The Myers Foundation Christian Family Health Centers are located in Tchula, Belzoni, Greenville and Yazoo City, Mississippi. The New York Times once said, "There aren't many doctors like Ronald Myers, a Jazz playing Baptist preaching Family Practitioner whose dream has always been to practice medicine in the kind of place other doctors wouldn't even stop for gas. Myers' wife, Sylvia Holmes-Myers co-founded the clinics. Rev. Myers is also founder of National Juneteenth Observance Foundation. Try www.njog.org for more information.
Chico "Seku" Neblitt uses his Residencies, Performances, Workshops, etcetera to encourage, convince and persuade participants to want to know more about positive contributions that African people have made to Humanity. Chico and his brother, Charles Neblitt, are members of the original Freedom Singers. Try www.seku.com.
Civil Rights Veterans Dr. L. C. Dorsery, Owen Brooks and Nomusa Xaba are Hamer Flame-Keepers 365 days a year. They travel throughout the country telling the story of 'the great movement', their courage to be part of it and how it affects us today.
Mari Lankford as Hershee` the Clown from Minneapolis, MN will entertain the kids. Hershee` is celebrating her Ten Year Anniversary of being in Business. There will be free food for the kids. The ROAR Foundation, Inc. (Minnesota/Mississippi), Products and Supplies Company (Mississippi), The ISIS Center (Minnesota) Bolivar County Head Start (Mississippi), Mississippi State Senator Willie Simmons and some local businesses and citizens are sponsoring the two-day events.
A 3` x 4` feet oil painting of Walter Payton is being auctioned to help support ROAR. Repaying Our Ancestors Respectfully is a non-profit organization based in Minnesota. ROAR was founded in 1994 with emphasis on Gang Prevention/Intervention Programs. ROAR successfully snuffed out one gang and slowed the progress of another. However, just like other organizations who work with 'high risk' kids, ROAR lost some children to the streets, death and jail. ROAR re-organized in 2002 with more programs.
Our supporters/well wishers are Dr. Maya Angelou, Lester Collins- Executive Director of Council on Black Minnesotans, Products & Supplies Company and many others. For More on ROAR, please contact Patricia M. Thompson.
Copyright © 2002
Last Modified: September 20, 2002.
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(Labor donated)