Commonwealth Agencies Join to Celebrate Black History Month

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Commonwealth agencies today celebrated Black History Month with music, dance and reflections on history.

The theme of this year's event recognized the sacrifices of nearly 200,000 African Americans who fought during the Civil War. Millicent Sparks, portraying Harriet Tubman, and Joyce Bailey, portraying Elizabeth Keckley, a confidant of Mary Todd Lincoln, dramatized the theme.

The event, held at the Forum Auditorium in Harrisburg, also featured singer Diane Wilson-Bedford, youth steppers and other performers.  

Approximately 200 local students from SciTech High and Saint Stephen's Episcopal School, as well as numerous state employees, attended the midday event.

"This is the 21st Annual Multi-Agency Black History Month Celebration and I am thrilled that we could again come together to educate our community regarding the critical role of African Americans in the Civil War and throughout our history," said Cheryl Walker Davis, coordinator of the Multi-Agency Black History Month Committee and director of the Office of Special Assistants for the Public Utility Commission.  

The Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission co-sponsored today's event, along with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and the departments of State, Banking, General Services, Aging, Revenue, and Community and Economic Development.  

To learn more about these agencies, visit www.pa.gov.

Media contacts: Leslie Amoros and Kevin Murphy, 717-783-1621 or 717-319-7932 (cell)

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

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