By Ivy Carter, MBA
The African American Museum’s 35th Anniversary Celebration Gala is set for Saturday, May 1 at the Sheraton Hotel, 400 N. Olive St. in downtown Dallas. The fabulous gala and silent auction serves as a fundraiser to maintain and expand the museum and its offerings to education through significant programs, workshops, lectures and other educational services that will facilitate awareness and understanding of African American history and culture. The Museum’s Gala has become a celebratory benchmark of glamour, class and culture in its delivery of fine dining, and top celebrity talent. Past talent includes The Whisper’s, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bill Cosby, Morris Day and the Time, Isaac Hayes and The Four Tops. This year, Chaka Khan will continue the tradition in helping us to commemorate and elevate this year’s audience to higher heights of musical entertainment.
“We have 35 years of purpose at the African American Museum and now we have a purpose to raise money for our community outreach programs, the day-to-day operations and just the overall museum needs,” say Annette Jackson Watkins, one of the gala chairpersons, “and since its inception, the museum’s six week summer camp has benefited more than 50,000 disadvantaged youth from the immediate area of South and West Dallas. We are excited to have Chaka Khan as our headliner.”
The gala’s 35th Anniversary will also feature an unforgettable evening under the stars with legendary, sultry songstress Chaka Khan. From the moment Chaka came on the music scene, as a member of the sophist funk band Rufus, one of the first multi-racial pop/rock/soul bands, it was apparent that someone of vocal significance was emerging. Chaka was a new breed of singer — self-taught and she bluntly ignored tradition. When it wasn’t fashionable for singers to record their own background vocals, Khan made her own fashion statement and arranged her own — laying down one track while assembling another — contending with herself endlessly until all of her trade name vocals were flawlessly matched.
“This is a major fundraiser for the African American Museum,” says Dr. Harry Robinson who continues to bring the rich heritage of African-American arts and culture to countless individuals throughout North Texas. “We will have a live and silent auction for all people to be included who attend the gala which include trips to Costa Rica, sport memorabilia and more.”
The African American Museum is a source of pride, a meeting place and a cultural institution which supports the community and is vital to the continued success of one of the most cherished institutions in the Southwest. The Museum is a forum which is not exclusive but rather inclusive to all who want to experience the rich history of African Americans.
“I ask you to join us on May 1, as we celebrate our past accomplishments and look forward to joining with the next generation of leaders dedicated to the mission of the African American Museum, ” said Annette Watkins, the 35th Museum Gala Chair.
The African American Museum is located in historic Fair Park, Dallas, Texas. It is the only museum in the southwestern region of the United States devoted to the preservation and display of African American artistic, cultural and historical materials.
Individual tickets start at $100. Various sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact JoAnn Brown 214.565.9026 ext. 313; or via email at jbrown@aamdallas.org.
