Black History Month Gala Culminates Month-long Celebration

Bloomington, Ind.– The City of Bloomington invites the community to attend the 19th Annual Black History Month Gala, which will take place on Saturday, February 25, beginning at 6 p.m. The ticketed public event will be held at Woolery Mill (2250 W. Sunstone Dr., Bloomington, IN). Tickets are available in advance through the Buskirk-Chumley Box Office, online at bctboxoffice.org, or by phone at 812-323-3020.  

The gala offers an opportunity to acknowledge, honor, and celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans who have devoted their time, talents, and resources to make a difference in the Bloomington community and beyond. The 2023 Black History Month celebration theme is “Black Innovation." This month we are honoring, celebrating, and exploring Black inventors, creators, and change agents and how their contributions, from the traffic light to the cell phone, have changed our lives. 

Most people have heard about famous inventions like the light bulb, the cotton gin, and the ironing board, but countless other, often overlooked inventions make our daily lives easier. Acknowledging and celebrating Black Innovation is a way to acknowledge and celebrate the creators of many inventions, large and small. 

Hosted by Sachet Watson and James Sanders, this year's event will include a silent auction, and a ceremony to recognize the 2023 Black History Month Living Legend award recipients, Dr. Charlie and Jeanetta Nelms. In addition, the event salutes the four young residents being recognized as the 2023 Outstanding Black Leaders of Tomorrow by the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Black Males. This year's recipients are Andrew McKenzie, Tatiana Wheeler, D'Andre Black, and Sydney Crossley. 

DJ Shawn D will provide music for the evening that will be sure to keep attendees dancing and singing. Bids for the silent auction may be placed starting at 6 p.m. until the end of the Gala program. Proceeds from the Black History Month Gala Silent Auction will support future programs to educate the community about the contributions of African Americans. 

The deadline to purchase gala tickets is February 24. For a complete listing of Black History Month events in the community and virtual program Zoom links, visit bloomington.in.gov/bhm.

For questions or additional information about the City of Bloomington Black History Month celebration, contact City of Bloomington Safe and Civil City Director Shatoyia Moss at mosss@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3430.