PBS television host Tavis Smiley held his annual State of the Black Union  in Virginia this year. The event drew 36 of America's top thinkers including New Millenium Studio founders Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid, Richmond Mayor Doug Wilder, Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson as participants, as well as 10,000 attendees and a television audience of millions. The event aired live on C-Span and was rebroadcast on TV One.

This year's address delved into the African-American imprint on America during the past 400 years and outlined a plan for action during the next 400.

The State of the Black Union highlighted the importance of African culture in the Jamestown story and the growth of our nation.

Jamestown - 400 years in Retrospect: A Cross-Cultural Look at the First Settlement
When:    Friday, February 9, 2007
Where:  The College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa Theater
                            

Panelists
Ira Berlin Professor of History University of Maryland   Ernesto Cortes, Jr. Southwest Regional Director Industrial Areas Foundation   Rex Ellis Vice President, Historic Area Colonial Williamsburg Foundation   Eddie Glaude Associate Professor of Religion Princeton University   Farah Jasmine Griffin Professor of English and Comparative Literature Columbia University	Darlene Clark Hine Professor of African American Studies and History Northwestern University   Cassandra Newby-Alexander Associate Professor, History Norfolk State University   Cornel West Class of 1943 University Professor Princeton University   Karenne Wood Virginia Council on Indians Moderator Raymond Brown

Encore presentation of the State of the Black Union 2007

Date: Wednesday, August 29th 2007 - Thursday, August 30th 2007

STATE OF THE BLACK UNION 2007: presented by Wells Fargo
Jamestown — America’s 400th Anniversary:
The African American Imprint on America
Jamestown 2007 presenting sponsor Norfolk Southern

State of the Black Union Panelists

8:00 a.m. (EST) Rep. Keith Ellison Eddie Glaude Judge Glenda Hatchett Cathy Hughes Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. Daphne Maxwell Reid Tim Reid Stephanie Robinson Malika Saada Saar Rev. Al Sharpton L. Douglas Wilder Moderator Michel Martin

1:00 p.m. (EST) Lerone Bennett, Jr. Angela Glover Blackwell Chuck D Marian Wright Edelman Bruce Gordon Julia Hare Wade Henderson Mae Jemison Charles Ogletree Sonia Sanchez Rep. Bobby Scott Omar Wasow Cornel West Moderator Tavis Smiley

Virginia Black Expo
A Cultural and Commerce Exposition

When:  August 23-25, 2007
Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, Virginia

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Thursday, August, 23, 2007 Hampton Roads Committee of 200 + Men and Virginia Black Expo Golf Tournament at The Hampton Golf Course located at 320 Butler Farm Road in Hampton, VA.  (Call Bruce Williams at (757) 456-0222 or email abwamarketing@yahoo.com for additional information.) Saturday, August 25, 2007  (Conv Ctr. lower level)       9:00 am -  Registration     10:00 am -  Seminar starts     11:00 am -  Black Expo doors open     11:00 am -  Health Fair opens     11:00 am -  Cultural Pavilion opens     11:15 am -  Local entertainment stage opens                      (located in Ballroom A)  2 – 3:00 pm    Lou Gossett, Jr. Keynote speech  2 – 4:00 pm    LL Cool J  3 – 4:00 pm    Lou Gossett, Jr. book signing  5 – 6:30 pm    Yolanda Adams African American Family Reunion (Conv Ctr. upper level)   9 -5:00pm       Genealogy Workshop Computer Access 9 -4:00pm       Kidz Zone 9 -5:00pm       Gospel Extravaganza 11 -1:00pm     Black Expo Workshops 11 am & 2 pm  African American Heritage Tour 4:00pm          G.P. Phenix High School Legacy Reception 5 pm-11:00pm  Ft. Monroe Summer Concert SEMINARS 10:00 am-11:00 am Resources Available to Start Your Own Business Presented by Debra Farley with the SBDC — Room 106 (sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company) 10:30 am – 11:30 am "Implementing Affordable HealthCare Solutions" — Room 101 (sponsored by Optima Health) 11:00 am -12 noon Becoming a State Farm Agent Presented by Carey Raines — Room 106 (sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company) 12 noon - 1:00 pm The Basics of Doing Business Globally -Panel Discussion — Room 107 (sponsored by Wachovia) 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Bovanti Cosmetics — Room 106 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Straight talk with Black owned companies from London (UK) — Room 107 (sponsored by Wachovia) 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Young Entrepreneurs - "Making A Difference" — Room 101

Academy Award Winning Actor Lou Gossett, Jr Grammy Award Winning Gospel Artist  Yolanda Adams Multi-Award Winning Recording Artist Actor and Author LL Cool J

African Imprint Day at Jamestown Settlement


In partnership with Jamestown 2007 and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the Virginia African American Forum  held a family-fun day highlighting the African American Imprint on America.

African Imprint Day was an opportunity to bring family and friends to Jamestown Settlement, to explore the new galleries and the three original cultures, Virginia Indian, European and Africans who first coverged there in the 17th century. 

Highlights of the event included a presentation of $1,000 scholarship checks to each of Virginia's Historically Black Colleges and Universities, African lore and storytelling by Dylan Pritchett and Shelia Arnold, a workshop on African American genealogy, children art activities, dance by Suwabi African Ballet and music by the Virginia Mass Choir, Gator Allmond and the Spice of Life Band, Bit and Pieces Band and the Legacy of Weyanoke.

Later in the evening Dr. Joseph C. Miller, University of Virginia history professor and African Studies Association president, presented a lecture entitled “Journeys Through Time:  African and African American Lives in Virginia.

Download African Imprint Day Poster




Historically Black Colleges and Universities -African American Imprint on America

Complementing the national theme, African American Imprint on America,  Virginia’s six historically black colleges and universities will each hosted symposia related to the “imprint” theme. Symposia themes included religion, politics, education, history, culture, music and arts.  The symposia and papers from the Political Imprint, " Voices from within the Veil" held at Norfolk State University will be incorporated into the International Democracy Conference to be held in September 2007.

Religious Imprint - Virginia Union University Footprints of Faith: Tears, Testimony, and Triumph - November 13-16, 2006
Business  Imprint - Metropolitan Business League February 9-10, 2007
Political Imprint - Norfolk State University America's 400th Anniversary: Voices From Within the Veil -  February 22-23, 2007 Download Voices From Within the Veil Brochure
Art and Humanities Imprint - Hampton University Honoring Heritage: African American and American Indian Art - February 16 - July 28, 2007
Education  Imprint - Saint Paul College Education - March 7-11, 2007