Though February is more popular for being the Black History Month and for African Heritage, September has been living up to its tag as the African Heritage Month since Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the proclamation on September 1.
County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks also made a proclamation on September 4 which calls for more attention on where residents can celebrate.
While the FESTAC2024 ended in Kenya on the same day and the soulful Tems performances at The Anthem in DC the same night, there are other events and places DMV area residents can celebrate the African Heritage Month without breaking the bank or leaving home.
The African Affairs Advisory Group (AAAG) has lined up a list of events for this cause. While the District of Columbia made its proclamation, the Ethiopian Day 2024 held in Montgomery County where the group is based.
Also, residents can easily commute to the East County Regional Services Center on September 6 by 4pm for a Proclamation Ceremony and on the 17th at the City Council for the same thing.
On the 21st, the PanaFest 2024 will be holding at the Silver Spring Veteran’s Plaza and attendants can start coming in from 12 pm
The last event in the AAAG lineup is the AAAGHeritage Celebration from 6:30 pm at the Silver Spring Civic Center
In the spirit of the upcoming elections and African immigrant influence, the Nigerian Center also has a Voter Education workshop coming on September 18 at the Martin Luther King Jr, located at 901 G St NW, Washington, DC.
Aside from attending events, you can visit places renowned for African heritage in the DMV area.
With the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, we know you can’t get it wrong with understanding yoir American roots from the lems of an African American
The museum has stunning architecture with four floors of exhibits and thousands of artifacts, It’s in the landmark of our second suggestion—the National Mall. The landmark has other popular attractions to keep you engaged.
The National Mall has been the site of vital African American history, including the March on Washington led by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 and the first Million Man March in 1995. You can also admire the spot where King delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech during the aforementioned March, as the spot can be found etched onto the Lincoln Memorial steps
The National Mall has played a crucial role in African American history, hosting landmark events like the 1963 March on Washington and the 1995 Million Man March. At the Lincoln Memorial, visitors can find the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” which is one the most important contributions of the descendants of Africans to America.
This is line with the way Mayor Muriel Bowser put it in DC’s proclamation of September as African Heritage Month that “African Heritage Month celebrates the contributions of African immigrants and their descendants to the cultural, economic, and social fabric of our city…”
