Cleveland’s African American community is almost as old as the city itself. George Peake, the first African American settler in Cleveland, arrived in 1809. Cleveland’s strong stance on anti-slavery made the city a desirable destination for the free and an important stop on the “Underground Railroad.” Today, the African American community makes up Cleveland Plus's largest ethnic group. More than 366,000 African Americans reside here and contribute to a region rich in diversity.
Link here for the African American Calendar of events (March - June).
Link here for the 2008 Soul of Cleveland Plus Guide.
Link here for the 2008 Cleveland Plus Multicultural Guide.
Link here for a list of the City of Cleveland's Martin Luther King, Jr. 40th Anniversary Commemorative Events.
29th Annual Tri-C Jazz Fest Cleveland April 17 - 27, 2008 216.987.4400 www.tricpresents.com The annual celebration focuses this year on A Tribute to American Classics. Performers include Natalie Cole, John Pizzarelli, Nneena Freelon and Braun and Elliot.
Women Cookin' for the Arts May 16, 5:30 - 9pm Cuyahoga Community College - Eastern Campus 4250 Richmond Rd Highland Hills, OH 44122 www.sankofafineartplus.org
The Friends of Sankofa Fine Art Plus present its 3rd Annual Women Cookin' for the Arts fundraising event. Women Cookin' for the Arts is the "preview party" to Northeast Ohio's largest arts and cultural event, The Cleveland Fine Art Expo, also held at Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus (Saturday & Sunday). Women Cookin' for the Arts features prominent women from Northeast Ohio who love to cook for a worthy cause. This year's event will also feature celebrity chef, Nikki Shaw, a finalist from season three of the Food Network's "Next Food Network Star." Come join Nikki and othe prominent woman as they prepare their favorite recipes and demonstrate their culinary skills! Tickets are $45.00 individual and $100.00 corporate.
Cleveland Fine Art Expo May 17 - 18 @ Cuyahoga Community College - Eastern Campus 4250 Richmond Rd Highland Hills, OH 44122 www.ClevelandFineArtExpo.com
The Cleveland Fine Art Expo is Northeast Ohio's largest arts and cultural event featuring ethnic art and artists from across the country. More than 60 exhibitors, including artists, galleries, and craftspeople have participated in this event. Annie Lee, a nationally renowned contemporary African American artist, is the featured artist. In celebration of this 9th Annual Cleveland Fine Art Expo, Ms. Lee created a commemorative limited edition lithograph that will be unveiled and sold at the event. The Cleveland Fine Art Expo is free and open to the public and will also feature an guest authors, poets, music and dance.
African American Heritage Trail 216.515.1189 A guided tour of Cleveland’s history that includes “Station Hope,” part of the Underground Railroad, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached during the civil rights era and the field where the Cleveland Buckeyes won the Negro League World Series in 1945.
Karamu House 216.795.7070 www.karamu.com The nation’s second oldest African American playhouse and the first multicultural performing arts and community center, Karamu House started the careers of Langston Hughes, Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee. Karamu House features August Wilson and Ted Lange plays, Black Nativity,a gospel version of the Christmas story and other family performances. Tickets are on sale now for the adaptation of the popular Disney movie, Holes.
League Park The Hough Neighborhood, Cleveland Original home of the Cleveland Indians, this once glorious ballpark is where the Cleveland Buckeyes won the Negro League World Series in 1945. Outfielders Sam “The Jet” Jethroe and Willie Grace led the team to a sweep of the series against the Washington Homestead Grays, securing the Buckeyes’ place in baseball history. Cleveland plans to pump $5 million into renovating League Park, the historic ballpark where Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run. The entire renovation is estimated at $8.5 million, with the rest raised through private donations. The design includes seating for 2,500 and a patio for picnics. Youth baseball leagues and high school teams can use it as a home field. (PD, 06/09/07)
Baseball Heritage Museum Historical Colonial Marketplace, 530 Euclid Ave. 216.978.5068 www.baseballheritagemuseum.org Experience, the stories, photographs, letters, programs, uniforms and other game used treasured memorabilia that helped shape the history of America’s greatest pastime.
Carl & Louis Stokes: From the Projects to Politics Western Reserve Historical Society Through July 31 www.wrhs.org Discover the story of Cleveland's own Stokes brothers and gain insight into their worlds--from their own boyhood heroes to the Civil Rights movement to politics and the legacies they helped create.
A Louis Stokes Museum opened Sept. 13, 2007 in the housing project where Louis and Carl Stokes were raised by their widowed mother (Outhwaite Homes). Louis Stokes served 15 terms in Congress before retiring 8 years ago. His brother, Carl, became the first black mayor of a major American city when he was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1967. Their museum, designed by Cleveland artist Hector Vega and built by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority includes plaques, family memorabilia, etc. The museum will be open Wednesdays + Fridays, 10-2pm (4302 Quincy Avenue). To schedule private viewings, call 216.348.5000 x2196.
Jesse Owens Statue @ Fort Huntington Park West 3rd Street & Lakeside Avenue (Downtown) A bronze statue of Jesse Owens, who set the 1936 Berlin Olympics on fire becoming the first athlete to earn four gold medals. Owens offthe- field achievements were even bigger, as he and Joe Louis reduced the barriers of racism at home and abroad.
Oberlin Heritage Center 73 1/2 South Professor Street P.O. Box 455, Oberlin, OH 44074 440.774.1700 www.oberlinheritage.org Start your Oberlin visit here by touring three historic buildings and enjoying stories of our community’s powerful, nationally significant history, and visiting the museum store.
Gospel Brunch @ The House of Blues Every Sunday 216.523.2583 www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/cleveland The award-winning Gospel Brunch is a one-of-a-kind live music show and dining experience. Guests enjoy a delicious all-you-can-eat southern style buffet that features breakfast favorites plus a host of southern specialties. Every week different gospel groups from around the region perform live on stage. The music is uplifting and energetic and guaranteed to get the crowd on their feet!
Heritage Park at Progressive Field Progressive Field, 2401 Ontario Street 216.420.4200 www.clevelandindians.com Heritage Park is a new feature located in the centerfield area of Progressive Field. It is open before, during and after home games and features a two-tiered monument park honoring members of the Indians Hall of Fame; a tribute to 38 memorable moments in the team’s history and a salute to 100 Indians. The top tier honors members of the team’s hall of fame who are also enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Gospel Brunch @ The House of Blues
