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Eutaw, AL – Ms. Miriam Leftwich, on behalf of the Greene County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., presented a donation to Dr. Marcia Pugh, Chief Executive Officer, for equipment and supplies. Greene County Health System appreciates and welcomes all community support. Pictured center: Dr. Marcia Pugh and Miriam Leftwich. |
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Back row left to right: Vera Rice, Ashley Polk, Lakisha Gill, and Marquita Walton. Photo Credit: Andrea Woods |
Preparing for the 49th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival
By Carol Prejean Zippert
Just four months before the annual community celebration of the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, scheduled for August 24 -25, 2024 on the Thomas Gilmore Courthouse Square in Eutaw, and phone calls, texts, emails, and other contacts are pouring in with the perennial question: We’re having the Festival this year, right? The inquiries are more a declaration than a question. So, yes community, we are preparing for the 49th Black Belt Folk Roots Festival.
The festival was organized in 1975 to pay tribute to those persons recognized as bearers of the folkway, traditions and culture of the West Alabama Region, exemplified through their creations in craft, music, dance, storytelling and foodways. Recently, in observance of National Small Business Week, Representative Terri Sewell toured small businesses in her 7th Congressional District, stopping for lunch at Travis Chicago Style, a locally owned food truck in Birmingham known for their Polish Sausage and Bear Burgers. Travis Holmes is a regular at the annual festival. During the two-day festival activities, the line of folk eager for his delicacies is unending, continuing long after the day’s programs are closed down.
Many of the festival’s founding elders, the bearers of the culture, have transitioned, signaling a greater need to preserve the stories of struggle, perseverance and the joy shared in How we made it over. Saturday’s Ole Timey Blues recounts hardship and pain. Sunday’s Ole Timey Gospel lifts the spirit in the joy of faith and hope. The grateful music is accented by the colorful crafts that adorn the grounds as well.
There are fewer quilts, baskets and other traditional crafts of the earlier years, but the young folk come with their own brand of “handmade.” They bring a variety of handcrafted jewelry and other adornments; home made soaps in exotic scents but with useful purposes. They bring art works depicting their views of the world, or just living in a day. They offer decorative items to cheer a body and a home. But the young crafters come and claim the festival in their own ways.
Belt Folk Roots Festival will again feature the Kid’s Tent with hands-on art workshops. The Kid’s Tent is a special adventure for children at the festival. They don’t have to do “grown folk stuff.” They have their own piece of the celebration. Various art supplies are provided for the children to work at their own creations, which they can keep. The Kid’s Tent also offers pottery making, face painting and games.
There are costs in producing the festival and we are grateful for the contributors who value the festival, including the Alabama Tourism Department, Alabama Power Foundation, Black Belt Community Foundation, grants from Legislators, other non-profits and local merchants. We appreciate the support of local and county government.
This festival in unique in that there is no admission charge, simply because it is a community celebration. It would be like charging your family a fee to come home for Thanksgiving. The festival brings people together because they need and desire to be together.
So, yes community, we are preparing for the 49th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival.
On Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 1:30 PM, on the old Greene County Courthouse lawn the Mayor and City Council of Eutaw, Alabama, held ‘Tony Rice Day’ to commemorate one year since the tragic death of Rice, a city worker, who died while repairing a sewage pipe in Branch Heights.
At the ceremony, one of his city worker colleagues said, “Tony was a wonderful person. He always had a cheerful, smiling, and friendly disposition to everyone. He was a great role model for the other city employees.”
Mayor Latasha Johnson proclaimed the day as ‘Tony Rice Day’ in Eutaw. She praised Rice for his dedication and loyalty to the city. “He was one of our best employees. He knew everyone in the city and was kind to everyone he worked with. He would wash his truck so often to keep it clean and looking good that I was worried that he would wash the paint off the truck.” Mayor Johnson gave his wife, Mrs. Decharo Rice, a plaque from the city.
Mrs. Rice thanked the city and his fellow employees for helping her to recover from the loss of her husband. She said, “I am still a broken person from this tragedy, but I am working to celebrate this day for him and you in love, joy and peace.”
At the end of the ceremony, which featured singing solos from some of the staff and friends, the audience released blue and white balloons to honor Rice. The City of Eutaw provided a box lunch for all who attended.