National Council of Negro Women Celebrates 19th Annual
Black Family Reunion
Celebration Inspires Strength and Unity in the Black Community

(AADNEWSWIRE)WASHINGTON - An estimated 500,000 attendees of all backgrounds and ethnicities came together to participate in the 19th annual Black Family Reunion celebration on the national mall over the weekend. September 11th and 12th featured two days of entertainment, health screenings, information pavilions, workshops and various ethnic food vendors in some 15 pavilions, showcasing prominent experts, celebrities and performing artists. The free cultural event was hosted by the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).

Created in 1986 by Dorothy Height Ph.D., NCNW chair and president emerita, in response to negative publicity about the black family, the Black Family Reunion seeks to unify and engage the community on issues impacting the black family, including education, economic development, health and employment. Each year families gather to celebrate the strengths and to reaffirm the values of the Black community.

The theme of this year's celebration was entitled "When Families Unite." This theme was particularly important as the celebration was held on the anniversary of 9/11/01.

"This weekend celebrates the power that we have as a community that works together," said Dr. Height. "When families unite-not just Black families but families of all ethnicities and backgrounds-we can come together to identify and solve the issues that influence each and every one of our communities."

The celebration commenced with a prayer ceremony led by keynote speaker, Bishop T.D. Jakes. The ceremony included entertainment from various local gospel choirs as well as solo artists.

One of the new pavilions this year was the Voter Registration pavilion, which enabled thousands of people to register to vote in the 2004 elections. Additional themed pavilions for this year included the Workforce 2004 pavilion which featured career workshops and a human resource center; the Children's Pavilion which included story reading and animation instruction; the Health Pavilion which offered free blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings; the Roots and Rhythm Pavilion which featured belly dancing and a fashion show; and the Women's Health and Day Spa Pavilion which featured beauty makeover presentations.

Each day of the celebration concluded with a free concert. Saturday's concert featured R&B artists Monica and the Lissen Band, and soul jazz artists Floetry. Sunday's gospel concert featured Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir, and the gospel group RIZEN. Other celebrity guests in attendance throughout the weekend were gospel-recording artist Yolanda Adams, Judge Mablean Ephraim of "Divorce Court," and WNBA Mystics players Alana Beard, Keisha Brown and Muriel Page.

The 2004 Black Family Reunion was free to the public with the help of corporate sponsors including Whirlpool Corporation, Fannie Mae and Coca Cola among others. "The Black Family Reunion Celebration comes together each year through a unified effort of supporters to promote family values and instill a sense of pride in our communities, said NCNW Executive Director Cheryl Cooper. "We'd like to thank our corporate sponsors and volunteers for helping to make this year's celebration a success."

About the National Council of Negro Women
Founded in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune, NCNW is a voluntary non-profit [501(c)(3)] membership organization with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African American women, their families and their communities. NCNW fulfills this mission through research, advocacy, national and community based services and programs in the United States and Africa. With its 38 national affiliate organizations and its more than 200 community based sections, NCNW has an outreach to nearly 4 million women, all contributing to the peaceful solutions to problems of human welfare and rights.

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