MDBAA presents ‘At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality’

Monrovia-Duarte Black Alumni Association (MDBAA), the non-profit organization who took pleasure in hosting several events during the month of February to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. This combined with the 50 year anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington D.C., the National theme for 2013 was “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Quality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington D.C.”
MDBAA collaborated with Monrovia’s KGEM to include Black History Month programs throughout the month of February. They hosted an elementary school art exhibit at the Duarte Historical Museum on Saturday, February 2. On Saturday February 9, a “Celebrate Black History in Film” during the Family Movie Night and Food Truck Event was held at Julian Fisher Park.
“At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality” soul food luncheon and program was held on Sunday February 24, 2013 at the Monrovia United Methodist Church. The MDBAA’s Black History month chairperson, Joannie Gholar Yuille stated that the program included the MDBAA’s Black History month children’s choir which highlighted the civil rights movement and the March on Washington. Mrs. Gloria Zuurveen, of the Pace News online newspaper, shared stories from her mother and aunt who both participated in the March on Washington. It then moved into the Black Renaissance era with the music of Duke Ellington’s “A Train” in the background, the poetry for the period was recited by local high school students. The program ended with actors presenting the comments of Fredrick Douglass, Captain Robert Shaw and finally President Abraham Lincoln.

-Photo by Jennifer Boone

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