Metro Weekly

Letter from DC Black Pride Board of Directors

Black Pride 2010

May 26, 2010

Greetings DC Black Pride Attendees:

The DC Black Pride Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2010 DC Black Pride: 20 Years Later the Legacy Lives.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of DC Black Pride – the first Black Pride event in the United States. In 1991 Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland and Ernest Hopkins founded Black Lesbian & Gay Pride Day, Inc (DC Black Pride) with 800 hundred people attending the first event. Since then, tens of thousands of people have flocked to Washington DC over the Memorial Day weekend to enjoy both social and cultural events.

Indeed, the founders of DC Black Pride had no way of knowing that their small event would start a movement – a ”Black Pride Movement” with over forty Black Pride events taking place from February to November in four countries with over 400,000 attendees each year. In addition, the International Federation of Black Prides Inc., the only international Black LGBT organization, was founded at DC Black Pride eleven years ago.

This year’s Black Pride promises to be the best yet! The Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony will be on Friday, May 28 in the Hamilton Ballroom at the Hamilton Crown Plaza Hotel. This year’s awardees will be Jeffrey Richardson, the late Charlotte Smallwood and the DC City Council. In addition, DC Black Pride 2010 will feature our Hospitality Suite, Poetry Slam, Writer’s Forum, Workshops, and Church Service all at the host hotel. Our highly acclaimed Fashion Show will be at the Sphinx Club, located 1315 K Street, NW around the corner from the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel on Saturday, May 29 starting at 10 p.m. The DC Black Pride Health & Wellness Festival will return to the Walter Washington Convention Center on Sunday May 30 from 1 to 7 p.m., featuring national recording artist J. Holiday, Beat Ya Feet Kings and Shi-Queeta-Lee.

The DC Black Pride Board and Volunteers hope you enjoy this year’s edition of DC Black Pride and we are appreciative of your continued support. Have a great time and play safe!

Sincerely

The DC Black Pride Board of Directors

Patricia R. Corbett
Jimma Elliott-Stevens
Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr.
Jhahbriel C. Moore, Sr.

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