The City of Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department, along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and East Biloxi Community Collaborative, will host the annual Black History Month Program on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.
The free affair, taking place at the Dr. Frank Gruich Sr. Community Center at 591 Howard Ave., is themed “Black Education Past, Present & Future.” Bishop James Black of Faith Tabernacle of Praise, Carolyn Ramsey of Our Mother of Sorrows, Dr. Vera Robinson, principal of Gorenflo Elementary School and Dr. Janice Johnson, assistant superintendent of Biloxi Public Schools will each speak on the history as well as discuss the current status and future of education for children of color.
Other activities include poster presentations by the NAACP Youth Group, educational booths, including such universities as Alcon State, Mississippi Valley, and Jackson State and dinner provided by the City of Biloxi.
The Black History Month Program is held annually in February and includes diverse festivities through the celebration of the history and contributions of African Americans to the American life.
See the program flyer
See other Parks and Recreation hosted events
Major paving underway in east, west Biloxi
A half-million dollars worth of paving began this morning in the infrastructure zone in east Biloxi while at the same time city and county crews are laying enough new concrete in the Bent Oak subdivision to cover five football fields.
Oscar Renda Contracting Project Manager John Cowart, in a new two-minute progress video update taped this week, says the paving work will continue for another two to three weeks while crews continue to move forward on other infrastructure work.
Meantime, in west Biloxi, in the Bent Oaks subdivision, which is at the north end of Jim Money Road, city and county crews are removing about 500 yards of aging and damaged concrete and pouring new concrete in its place. The work is expected to continue for another two to three weeks.
See the Oscar Renda video of progress
See a gallery of photos from Bent Oaks
News and notes
City Council: The Biloxi City Council voted unanimously to move forward on a number of key issues Tuesday: to ask the state Legislature for approval on Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s initiative to lure a couple of high-tech businesses to Biloxi and for a Legislative green light on an aspect of the ultra high-speed internet proposal. Also getting affirmative votes was a measure to hire architect Walter “Buzzy” Bolton to move forward on design of a pier for Ship Island Excursions on Point Cadet. To see photos from the council’s 4 p.m. meeting, click here. To see photos from the 6 p.m. gathering, click here.
Parade deadline: Friday is the deadline for Biloxi Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade applications. Applications should be submitted to the Biloxi Visitors Center on Beach Boulvard. The parade, open to children ages 12 and younger, takes place on Saturday, Feb. 18. To see the application and parade route, click here.