The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

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July 19, 2011

Muhammad: Black Family Day 'a day for everyone'

Editor W. Terry Smith

TARBORO — Remonia "Remi" Muhammad is surprised over the recent Letters to the Editor condemning the Black Family Day Event she is organizing.

In June, Tarboro Town Common voted 7-1 to cosponsor Black Family Day Event on the Town Common. The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3.

"The Black Family Day Event Committee did not ask for any financial support from the town," Muhammad said Monday. "We're well-equipped to make sure this is a success.

"We are not asking for any more than what the town does for any other event.'

said Muhammad, the wife of Town Councilman Melvin Muhammad.

Muhammad said the committee is asking for eight picnic tables, one large tent, bleachers, trash cans, four port-a-johns and a stage.

The request is similar to what the town provides for The Happening on the Common in May, which is a $4,200 expense.

Muhammad said she had a vision to have a Black Family Day Event in Tarboro last year. While the event may be new to Tarboro, it is celebrated across the nation, she said.

"I want it to be about family whether black or Chinese or Indian," she said. "A day of celebration. A day for the community to come out and celebrate and share in our African culture. Learn about family whether we are white or Latino."

Muhammad, who was did not seem to care for the culture in Tarboro when she first moved here from Chicago in August 2008, said the leters published in the newspaper hurt her deeply.

"When you try to do something that everyone can participate in with no evil intent, it's a very uncomfortable feeling," she said. "We should celebrate diversity and the contributions made to the town by black people.

"If people remove the emotion from the term 'black,' get past it, maybe we could learn something about each other's culture."

Muhammad said she had white people to help the day of the event. She met with Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council Executive Director Buddy Hooks and "asked him for advice since he had had successful Happenings on the Common."

She said she has been overwhelmed with phone calls from vendors, either food or  those wanting to display and sell arts  and crafts.

"We will have every kind of food," Muhammad said.

"This is bringing people into the town, helping Tarboro grow economically.

The events will include information on breast cancer, nutrition and health, HIV testing, financial information – and music of all kinds, including African dance and drumming, jazz, rhythm and blues,reggae, an hour of gospel, neo-soul.

"No drugs. No alcohol. No violence. No cussing. Only a good time," reads a flyer for the event. "All families welcome."

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