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BLACK CHURCHES CELEBRATE THE INAUGURATION OF THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT: Religious leaders host a gala in honor of Barack Obama’s swearing in.
The African American Church Inaugural Ball will be held on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 6 pm at the Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, DC.
The event is shaping up to be a star-studded affair with representation from the religious, business, arts and entertainment communities. The collective membership of African American Churches, and others, is invited to gather to honor the 44th President-Elect, Barack Obama, and the great history and strength of the African American church and its community.
The Ball’s theme, “We Have Come This Far By Faith,” will be upheld as 25 extraordinary leaders are honored with the “Keepers of the Flame” Award. The recipients are individuals who have an unshakable commitment to our future and an undeniable place in the African American book of history.
Confirmed honorees include: Bishop John Hurst Adams, Ms. Donna Brazile, Mr. Robert J. Brown, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Dr. Marian Wright Edelman, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Mr. Earl Graves, Sr., Rev. Dr. William H. Gray, III, Bishop Barbara Harris, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, The Honorable Alexis Herman, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Hooks, Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Mr. Marc Morial, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Gardner Taylor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, Sr.
Ms. Jessye Norman will pay vocal tribute to the honorees. Other artists/groups confirmed to perform at this time include: Ms. Regina Belle (singing God is Good), Ms. Shari Addison (Gospel Best), Ms. Jackie Farris (the writer of Psalm 121 – My Help Cometh from the Lord) and Grace Baptist Church Choir of Mount Vernon, New York, with more to be announced.
“We must honor this time in our great history, struggles and strength as well as make a commitment to the future of our community,” said Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, II, Inaugural Ball Chair and pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon, NY.
The Executive Producer is Pernessa Seele, who also serves as the Founder/CEO of the gala’s fundraising beneficiary, The Balm in Gilead. The Balm in Gilead is an organization that provides health education and service delivery systems within African and African American faith communities to address HIV/AIDS and other health concerns which disproportionately affect Black people.
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