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Banquet To Kick Off Celebration

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: February 11, 2009

PLANT CITY - A two-day celebration of Black History Month, including a parade, gospel music and more, kicks off Friday with a banquet.

Sharon Moody, chairwoman of the sixth annual Plant City Black Heritage Festival and Parade, said the festivities will help mark the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the election of President Barack Obama.

"President Barack Obama is the beginning of the fulfillment of the dream of Dr. King," she said. "We, the people, are coming together as a community to make a commitment to help our president bring change to our community and our country for generations to come."

Activities are planned for Friday and Saturday, mostly at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1601 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The celebration starts with the Heritage Banquet at 6 p.m. Friday at the recreation center. The keynote speaker is H. Frazier Brockington. He and his wife, Dorothy Lewis, are the pastors of the New Directions Family Worship Center of Candler.

"Dr. Brockington is highly acclaimed in matters of spiritual strength and deliverance," Moody said. "He has a long list of degrees, accomplishments, appointments, writings, certificates and community activities."

Brockington was pastor of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Plant City from 1986 to 1990, and has been a chaplain with the Ocala Police Department since 2003.

He works with his wife in the Brockington Group to provide services, counseling and psychotherapy to group homes, businesses, families and individuals. He is a teacher, expositor, lecturer, motivational speaker, writer, publisher and consultant.

Brockington is expected to use his unique style in discussing community, family and interpersonal relations.

During the banquet, awards will be presented, including:

•Eleanor West, a 97-year-old Sunday school teacher at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and longtime piano teacher, will be presented the 2009 Heritage Award.

•Anna Reitz, a volunteer in several community service organizations and local charity groups, will be named the winner of the Humanitarian Award.

•Jim McDaniel will be cited as the Outstanding Citizen Award winner for his work as the city's community development director and his service to various civic organizations.

•The Plant City Kiwanis Club will receive a Community Service Award in recognition of its work last year to benefit more than 3,000 children.

•A Cornerstone Award will be presented to Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. The church and congregation always lend "a helping hand to aid the general community," Moody said. "They offer space for meetings and often donate to many community events."

•Lily Mae Jackson, 100, will receive a lifetime achievement award. "Miss Jackson is still active at Mount Moriah," Moody said. "She is very dedicated to the church, was a choir member for many decades, and attends church faithfully with a number of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

The celebration continues on Saturday. Vendors will open at 9 a.m. at the recreation center, and the parade will form at 1 p.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Wheeler Street. The 50 to 60 units expected in the parade will head east on the boulevard to the recreation center.

The parade features 17-year-old Bernard "B.K." Jackson, a saxophone player who has built a strong reputation in music ministry. Jackson has been dazzling audiences with his musical skills since he was 10 and has won numerous awards, including the 2008 Capital Jazz Fest Competition. Jackson has opened shows for renowned artists including Tony Bennett and B.B. King.

"Jackson is considered one of the best young saxophonists out there," said Steve Wilson, a board member and organizer of the festival and parade.

Jackson will appear in the parade and perform a one-hour concert at the recreation center, Wilson said.

The young musician attends Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa, where he is a senior and a member of the Jazz Ensemble. He is also a member of the Ruth Eckerd Hall Conservatory Jazz Combo, Ruth Eckerd Hall Big Band, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Men of Tomorrow and the National Honor Society.

Entries in the parade will also include city officials and celebrities, fire and police departments, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, civic organizations, school bands and floats.

Following the parade, festivities will continue at the recreation center until about 8 p.m., organizing officials said. Activities will include a battle of the bands and a performance of African dance by Sharon Hallback Lee's I Can Dance group.

Other Saturday activities include a performance by the Polk County Tiger Cheerleaders and a gospel sing featuring The Greater New Hope Praise Team, Jesus Chosen Ones, G-86, Lady-Z, Daddies Baby, Samuel Roland and others. A 15-year-old portrait artist, Devin Hamilton, will exhibit his works during the banquet and as part of the festival on Friday and Saturday.

For information, call Moody at (813) 453-7134.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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