GALLERY: Durham Committee 82nd Founders’ Anniversary Highlights
Durham, NC – Check out highlights of The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People’s (DCABP) 82nd Founders’ Anniversary with Rep. Maxine Waters as keynote speaker of the commemorative Banquet. The event was held on Saturday, August 26th at the Durham Convention Center.
The Founders’ Day Banquet was a special time to honor two Durham citizens that have made a difference in their fields. Dr. Howard Fitts, Jr., a retired health education professor, was honored by NC State Rep. Mickey Michaux. Dr. Lorenzo A. Lynch, a retired pastor of White Rock Baptist Church, was honored by his daughter, the first African American female Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, and his son, Rev. Leonza Lynch, also a pastor. In attendance will be notables from local city, county and state government along with other leaders in the Durham community.
“Our community rarely takes the time to come together to reflect on the progress of the Black community as whole nor to talk about the challenges we still face,” states Omar Beasley, DCABP Chairman. “This weekend of activities allows us to attract new viewpoints and fresh voices to the conversation around the challenges we need to overcome, and to honor members of our community who have distinguished themselves through their service. Overall we hope these events inspire members of our community and encourage us all to become active in the DCABP’s mission to improve the civic, cultural, economic, educational, health, housing, political, legal, youth, and religious and human affairs of our community.”
For 82 years, the DCABP has been serving as the voice and the key provider of information for Durham’s black citizens. Created by a group of men out of the desire to focus on voter registration and the endorsement of candidates favorable to and supportive of the black community, the DCABP adopted a creed pledging to work on initiatives important to the black community, including education, civic involvement, housing and the promotion of good health.
The DCABP solidified its place in the fabric of activism and involvement by being instrumental in the election of Rencher Harris as the first black Durham City Councilman in 1953 and the first black Durham City Board of Education member in 1958. The Committee was a chief player in the Civil Rights Movement in Durham, organizing sit-ins and other public protests throughout the city and calling for meetings and actions to heal race relations. Through school desegregation, merchant boycotts and the election of the first black mayor of Durham in 1989, the DCABP remains at the forefront of tackling issues important to the black community.
This annual banquet raises funds to support programming and civic activities presented by the DCABP for the betterment of Durham’s black community. It is the mission of the Committee to inform, inspire and support all of the black community in their advancement towards growth and success through its programs on education, voting, health, housing, racial justice, family issues and more.
Click on photo to enlarge. (PHOTOS: Renaldo Jackson)