"AFRAM/EXPO '76 IS Baltimore's Bicentennial salute to the Black contribution to America...The primary goal of the exposition is to inform the public of the history and achievement of Black people, with special emphasis on Maryland."
The AFRAM festival was first preceded by other festivals as Norman E. Ross, founder of the Cultural Arts Program and Chairman of AFRAM Expo, stated in 1988 program for AFRAM Expo. He also mentioned that these two festival's merged to become one. The Soul Festival and the Cultural Arts Program's Bicentennial Mini-Festivals both merged under the guidance, and sponsorship of the Urban Services Agency. The name "AFRAM"was borrowed from a conference on Afro-American Heritage by Franklin Showell's group, the Commission on Negro History and Culture as mentioned in the 1996 AFRAM Expo program. The two words "Afro-American" merged and coined the festivals creative name, "AFRAM". Norman later stated in the program, that it "immediately identifies with Baltimore rather than the Afro-American Festival which could be any city". The AFRAM began as a ethnic festival such as many, which was held at the Bicentennial Celebrations in Baltimore in 1976.
It offered many of opportunities for various ethnic groups to share their cultural backgrounds through music, poetry, art, food, and crafts. For many years the AFRAM festival honors some aspect of American life that African Americans strived to contribute to significantly. This included themes each year the festival had such as: A Celebration of Things Past, A Salute to Black Genius, A Salute to the Black Family, A Salute to Black Genius, A Salute of Black Youth, A Salute in Black Leadership, Artistry, Invention, A Salute to Black Athlete, AFRAM Salutes Black Business, A Salute to Black Family, A Salute to Black Woman, Blacks in Education, A Salute to Civil Rights Leaders, and AFRAM Salutes Blacks in Medicine. There was a variety of known artists from Baltimore area and from outside who performed such as: Frankie and the Spindles, Southern Baptist Choir, are Methodist Church, Baltimore Dance Theater, Mother Scott and Children-Smithsonian Blues, Billy Taylor, Herb Scott, Lou Rawls and many others.
The festival started as a small plaza festival but then quickly became one of the largest African American Festivals in the United States. Although serious planning underwent the first AFRAM Festival and it was intended to be a space of the contributions of African Americans who helped the development of America. Churches were invited to hold services and Gospel groups as well as quartets preformed there. Various jazz groups were showcased such as Billy Taylor, Art Blakey, Gil Scott Heron, and Choppin, among others. There were also many local performers and artists like: Frankie and the Spindles, Baltimore Dance Theater, Afro-American Fashion Show, among many others. AFRAM also provided aid directly for the black community through awarding college scholarships.
There is no solidified home for the the festival as it was moved eight times in the course of forty three years. First in Charles Center and Hopkins Plaza, then Rash Field, Festival Hall, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Mondawmin Mall, Pimlico Mall, back to Camden Yards, and now located in Druid Hill Park. A Baltimore Sun Article titled, "AFRAM parades into its 19th year of festivities, stated that "when AFRAM started, it was something the African-American community was not used to, but today I think they see AFRAM as something they can point to and be proud of creating, to say it is something they own," said Mr. Norman E. Ross in 1995.
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