Kelly Miller Smith Towers (KMST) residents and staff and board members joined together for an amazing and educational Black History Month Program on Wednesday, February 23. The theme for this year’s event was ‘Still We Rise’ as suggested by resident and event committee person Frankie Caldwell with a spinoff of noted poet May Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise.’ She thought by changing the ‘I’ to ‘we,’ the theme would set the tone for a positive and fruitful event, and she was absolutely right. The participation was heartfelt and supported. Mrs. Laura Seay, Ms. Linda Hill, Ms. Korda Henry, Ms. Simone Hardison, and Ms. Diane Bradley were also on the committee or lent their time to help make it the successful venture that it was.
The program began with an ‘introduction,’ ‘prayer,’ and ‘welcome,’ and was followed by a presentation by Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry, whose sub topic was ‘My Walk with Nashville Segregation to Integration.’ Then noted pianist, songstress and lyricist Lady Marie Corder Chapman performed two initial musical selections.
Bishop Calvin C. Barlow, Jr. of Second Missionary Baptist Church in South Nashville chose the topic ‘A Walk Down Memory Lane.’ The Tower’s District #2 Councilman De Costa Hastings spoke on ‘Rising’ as a people. Eight-year-old and second grader at Museum Arts Magnet School, Nyema Bhagrat, eloquently performed an inspirational dance.
Mrs. Frankie Caldwell presented her reading of the Maya Angelou poem ‘Still We Rise.’ Then ‘Lift Every Voice’ was a sing-along led by Lady Corder Chapman. The Sawyers Ministries then presented a skit titled ‘Bucket of Sin.’ The group is comprised of Min. Avis Sawyers; Carmen Sawyers; Avis Sawyer, Jr.; William Hill; and Dan Lemmings.
Dr. Katherine Y. Brown’s Leadership Academy and her beautiful student, Jospehine Onyeme, supported the Black History Month program as well. Refreshments were prepared and served courtesy of Mrs. Barbara Garcia and the Second Missionary Baptist Church.
The residents found the program to be quite enjoyable and the food tasty. The tributes and building decorations were captivating and educational.
It was a worthy program for some of Nashville’s finest people.
