On Sunday afternoon February 19 at the Community Center, a room filled with Greenbelt patrons of the arts and their guests danced, clapped and listened raptly as poetry, drumming and jazz filled the air. Each part of the program was so beautifully presented that no one part commanded the spotlight and all parts were enjoyable and educational.
Dr. Lois Rosado, co-chair of the Greenbelt Black History and Culture Committee, started the program by giving a traditional tribute to the water and earth known as the Libation Ceremony. Next, in the spirit of resilience and resistance that has characterized the Black experience since leaving Africa and becoming enslaved in the New World of the Americas, Zoraida Rosado Baur led a song by James Weldon Johnson.
CHEARS Earth Squad
The CHEARS Earth Squad and youth of Springhill Lake Recreation Center joined in a welcome dance with Nana Malaya backed by the Hands On Drums group with Kweku Owusu from Ghana, a master drum builder, teacher and performer.
Mayor Emmett Jordan then welcomed all attendees to enjoy the arts of the afternoon. Delegate Nicole Williams, speaking for herself and State Senator Alonzo Washington who could not attend, emphasized the spirit of survival that is important for her work representing Greenbelt. Francis Stedman, a poet born on the island of St. Lucia, read his poetry. Stedman’s poetry is informed by a knowledge of political systems which create social divisions and suffering.
Capoeira Angola
Next came Mestre Santemu and his Capoeira Angola group. An African-established martial art form, Capoeira Angola was used to secure maroon societies in Brazil during enslavement. Santemu is one of the only African Americans (Afro-USA) to be recognized as a mestre of Capoeira Angola. The display of “fighting” with an acrobatic flair looked similar to a “push hands” display of Tai Chi in parts, building strength and cunning in a martial art.
Sainey Cessay
Prince George’s County Youth Poet Laureate Sainey Cessay follows in the tradition of Lucille Clifton, poet laureate of Maryland. A resident of Columbia, Clifton was a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and was the second woman and the first African American to serve as poet laureate of Maryland. Cessay also has created a life of poetry for herself. She is the Words Beats and Life 2020 Grand Slam Champion. She has performed for audiences at the Kennedy Center and is a Kennedy Center Youth Council member. After reading some of Clifton’s poetry, she recited some of her own most recent work, touching on the themes of water, hair and African American resistance.
Chris Haley
Chris Haley read poetry from his new book. Haley is director of both the Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland at the Maryland State Archives Research Department and the Utopia Film Festival in Greenbelt. He engaged the audience in a joke pretending he had just entered the room unawares.
To close out the performance, Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s quartet played a mellow set of three jazz pieces. Greenbelt enjoyed an afternoon of exciting and various celebrations of Black resilience, determination and joy.