Quincy comes together over its African-American heritage

by Kelly Wilson

September 9, 2007 | Quincy Herald Whig | Quincy, Illinois

Annice Mallory stood gazing at a display of essays written by local schoolchildren Saturday afternoon and smiled as she read the messages of diversity and unity.

"That's right," she said emphatically after reading one child's statement.

Mallory was among a large group of people who attended the first Quincy Cultural Festival on Saturday. The event, held on Maine Street between Seventh and Eighth streets, spilled over into the MLK Plaza and parking area by City Hall.

People enjoyed entertainment, food and other vendors outdoors, and a heritage exhibit inside the City Hall Council Chambers. The exhibit highlighted the contributions made by Quincy blacks at the local, state and national level.

"It's important to educate the community," Mallory said. "The black population of Quincy is quite small, but they have contributed. We have a strong heritage, and a lot of times we forget that."

The Quincy Cultural Festival Committee began as part of the study circles effort held last fall and early last spring. The study circles were organized by the city's Human Rights Commission as a way to bring understanding of various cultures in Quincy.

Since then, many members of the community have been planning and preparing for the festival — titled "Celebrating Quincy's African-American Heritage."

"I went to the fall (study circle), and it was a life-changing event," said Todd Shackelford, co-chairman of the Cultural Festival. "It helped me understand what a lot of minorities go through in their daily lives. Since last fall, we have been very aggressive in organizing this.

"We wanted to show the entire community through this festival that African-Americans have had successes, accomplishments and contributions to not only our community, but to our state and our nation."

John Green and Delmer Flournoy traveled from Springfield for the festival.

"It's unity in the community," said Green, who grew up in Quincy. "It's bringing people from all backgrounds and races together. To come back home to see this, it's great. Quincy is waking up a little bit."

Flournoy, a native of Chicago, was impressed with the community's talent and its hospitality.

"People are friendly," he said.

The Rev. Orville Jones, pastor of First Baptist Church in Quincy, said the Cultural Festival was "a real big step" for Quincy, "and a step in the right direction."

Jones says it's crucial that Quincy residents live in harmony.

"Don't let our differences divide us, but use them as mechanisms to bring us together," he said. "Quincy's made some great strides in having these study circles, to look at our differences, to confront them and to find ways to come together."

Jones stood near the main stage listening to Robert Davis, a 29th Regiment re-enactor. He enjoyed that and other entertainment during the six-hour festival.

But most of all, he enjoyed seeing signs of unity, of the community's blacks and whites coming together to talk, to socialize, to celebrate and to learn from one another.

"It's one great leap for Quincy, Illinois," he said.

Sponsors of the Cultural Festival were the Historic Quincy Business District, Blessing Health Systems, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the city of Quincy, WGEM and The Quincy Herald-Whig.

It was funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, the city of Quincy, and the business and individual members of the Quincy Society of Fine Arts.

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Learn more: Diversity  | Racial Equity