Charles Shaw, director of the Texas College Choir, speaks at the celebration. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The Texas African American Museum celebrated its fourth annual Black History Month event on Saturday evening at the Holiday Inn, bringing together community leaders and guests to honor the contributions of African Americans throughout history.

“It’s important to keep our legacy, our history alive… by doing events like this,” said Stanley Cofer, president of the Empowerment Community Development Corporation (ECDC).

The ECDC, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization based in East Texas, supports a variety of initiatives, including education, arts, tourism, veteran services, scholarships, youth mentorship, historical preservation, and the development of small and minority-owned businesses. The Texas African American Museum is one of the key programs operated under the ECDC, helping to preserve and share the rich history of African Americans in the region.

“Black history is American history and American history is Black history, and we wouldn’t have one without the other,” Cofer said. “America wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for the contribution of Black individuals.”

The event also acted as a fundraiser for the Texas African American Museum, helping to support its mission of preserving and sharing the history of African Americans in East Texas. The funds raised will go toward keeping this important resource available for the community and its future generations.

“Every ethnicity has a month, so it’s good to take all the time to honor those and celebrate the past contributions that have been made in this nation and the world by Blacks and African Americans,” Cofer said.

Carter G. Woodson is credited as the Father of Black History Month, which initially began as Negro History Week in February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, according to the Library of Congress.

“There’s always some kind of misunderstanding about how Black History Month began, as some people have misconstrued that it was meant to slight Blacks by giving them the shortest month of the year, but that’s not true,” Cofer said. “It’s a fact that many don’t know, and I think we need to emphasize that two important figures were instrumental in the establishment of where we are in America today. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves, and Douglass was an abolitionist. It’s very important to recognize their roles.”

The celebration highlighted the importance of Black History Month in honoring the past while inspiring future progress.

“There’s good, there’s bad, and there’s ugly in the history of America, but if you put the whole story together, it becomes a beautiful story,” Cofer said. “I’m so excited to be in America and be part of making the dream of Dr. (Martin Luther) King a reality, that we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content and character of who we are.”

The keynote speaker was Henry Pace, who made history as Henderson’s first elected Black mayor in November.

Joining Pace as distinguished guests at the event were serial entrepreneur Tracy J. Petty-Tilley; Dr. Rodney Lamar Atkins, pastor of Houston Temple COGIC and Victory Temple COGIC; Alexia Price-Curry, owner of Alexia Curry Music; the East Texas Chapter of The Links, Incorporated; Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Rose City Chapter; and others.

Tyler resident Tatiana Jones attended the event as a vendor, helping her daughter sell Girl Scout cookies. However, she was still moved by the significance of the celebration.

“To me, this event means unity, love, peace, and just having everybody together under one roof, celebrating fellowship… it means a lot,” she said. “I’m really glad they did this for everybody. It’s just a way to get out, be together, and I’m glad we can do that and be at peace. It shows growth.”

For Jones, Black History Month is not only about recognizing the contributions of Black individuals throughout history but also about reminding people of unity.

“We can be united because God loves us all… He doesn’t see color,” she said. “If we can think like that and get everybody together, the world will be a better place. There wouldn’t be any fighting or violence, and we can all just live peacefully until it’s our time. That’s what I want for the world.”