HISTORY
THE FESTIVAL
Festivities at the Annual Black Heritage Day Festival during 1994-1998 included African and African American crafts and foods, youth entertainment, the men's basketball Tournament, and music. Additional activities include face painting, clowns, stilt walkers, the women's volleyball tournament, and performances by various entertainers.
ORGANIZATIONS
The Festival has had several community information organizations participate such as: Allentown Health Bureau, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, NAACP Youth Council, Partnership Health Plan, Lehigh Valley Sickle Cell Support Group, March of Dimes, and Ameri Health Partnership.
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
The men's basketball tournament has even attracted players from the Northeastern Region's top Semiprofessionals and Professionals. The tournament has been a 12-16 team single elimination and included teams from Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Harrisburg, Norristown and Philadelphia, as well as New York, New Jersey and Maryland.
SPONSORS
Black Heritage Day has many sponsors during these years to thank for supporting the festival including:
Air Products & Chemicals Inc., Summit Bank, First Union Bank, Kraft, Keystone Savings Bank, Sacred Heart Hospital, Pennsylvania Power & Light, Obsidian, Johnson Jordan Beer, We Care Services, Jay A. Scherline, The Prudential AARP Operations, Gilboy Ford, Minority Network of PA, Anheuser-Busch, Watson Graphics, Jesse Johnson-Funeral Home Inc., Durant Enterprises INC., Leroy Johnson Office Maintenance, NAACP of Allentown, Lorenzo W. Crowe, Jr., Prior Coated Metals Inc., and the Allentown Chamber of Commerce.
