Community cleanup and Black History program set for Saturday – El Dorado News-Times

Today at 12:46 a.m.
by Tia Lyons

A community cleanup and the fourth annual Black History Month Showcase are set for Feb. 22 and the community is invited to participate in a day of service, entertainment and other activities to celebrate the history, heritage, culture and contributions of Black Americans.
The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. until noon in Mattocks Park, which is located in the area of Detroit Avenue and Sharp Street.
Doors for the showcase will open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
The events are presented by the Justice League, a community-service organization that is dedicated to engaging in collaborative efforts to organize activities and events to help address and educate local residents about issues in the community and encourage them to get involved.
El Dorado City Council Member Willie McGhee, a member of the Justice League, said the community cleanup will honor late City Council Member Tony Henry, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 58.
Henry served alongside McGhee as a representative of Ward 3, which includes Mattocks Park.
McGhee said lunch will be served following the cleanup.
He particularly encouraged local youth who need to perform community service to participate, noting that the Justice League has partnered with the El Dorado School District to offer activities for which students may earn community-service credits.
Students within the district must complete 40 community-service hours to be eligible for high-school graduation.
“We can validate them, so we invite students, church groups sports teams, anybody children who need to can get community service hours,” McGhee said.
Later, activities will be moved to the municipal auditorium for the Black History Month Showcase.
Special guest will be gospel music recording artist Keenon Coleman of Keenon Coleman Ministries in Little Rock.
Coleman performed at the 2024 BHMS.
McGhee said local resident Jimmy Howard will also recite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
Justice League member Shamekia Morgan said the event will also feature the New Olive Branch Baptist Church choir, spoken word presentations and performances by local dance teams.
She said the day will also include a surprise, explaining that a local resident will be honored for service to the community.
Morgan remained tight-lipped about the announcement.
“We’re not saying who it is until the show,” she said.
Free T-shirts and door prizes, including gift cards. will be given away to the audience during the showcase, said Morgan.
She said educational booths and vendors will also be on site selling food, clothes, jewelry and other items.
“Some vendors will be giving away free items, like health information,” Morgan said.
She thanked sponsors for helping to present the showcase, allowing organizers to offer free admission for attendees.
Morgan shared another bit of information about the event, saying that planning will begin early to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the BHMS in 2026.
“We would like to keep this going. We want to celebrate it really big next year and we want to make it bigger by adding more vendors and more activities,” Morgan said.
“I’m excited about it and we want everybody come,” she added.
McGhee made similar statements.
“This concert, the main thing is this is Black History Month and Black history is American History. It’s for everybody, not just for Blacks but whites, Hispanics, Asians, everybody,” he said. “We’re stronger together.”
Morgan said space is still available for vendors, adding that the deadline to register is noon Friday.
There is no fee to set up as a vendor.
For more information, call McGhee at 870-314-1441 or Morgan at 870-918-0640.

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