The Equity Council Corp., a West Winter Park nonprofit and community advocacy group, has secured the official rights from the 400 Years African American History Commission Act to pay tribute to the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first captives to Jamestown, Virginia, in an ongoing effort to bring awareness to the miseducation of the American public regarding people of African descent in our in history in America. In honor of our written and historical legacy in American history, both known and unknown, we will have a day of meditation, praise, entertainment, and education about the history of 1619 and a reflective snapshot of our progress as people of African descent in America.

For over 400 hundred years, people of African descent in America have overcome countless destructive efforts against our people. Public memory has largely chosen to exclude people of African descent from America’s original narrative. The celebration of 1619 is meant to remind everyone that African descent people are here, and we account for ourselves!

The 1619 Project is an ongoing initiative from the H.R.1242 Bill, The 400 Years African American History Commission Act, and The New York Times Magazine that began in 2017 and commemorated in August 2019 to mark 400 years of African Americans in America. From the arrival of the first African captives to Jamestown, Virginia to the college campus, business, and boardrooms across America, we excel and revel in our freedom! We are here! Celebrate the beginning of our written narrative in American history that took place on the shores of Jamestown, Virginia, on August 19th, 1619, with a group of 20-30 enslaved people of African descent originally from the Kingdom of Ndongo in modern Angola. Our ancestors who against all odds survived the horrendous acts of slavery, prevail in the preservation of spirit to live on through their DNA to start a nation. A nation of trailblazers who have changed and will continue to change America for the better! On Saturday, February 13th, 2021 we will kick off our two-day Black History Month Celebration in Shady Park in the Historic African-American Neighborhood of Hannibal Square in Winter Park, FL founded in freedom in 1881; 262 years after the arrival of the first captives from Africa in Jamestown, Virginia. Day 1 of 1619 Fest! Orlando will take place at 1050 W Morse Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32789 on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Feel free to join us from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m. for the historic inaugural Rebel Run 5K that will assist in sponsoring Gold Medalist, Ms. Moushaumi Robinson journey to Tokyo for The 2021 Summer Olympics! Thank you to the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Foundation for sponsoring a portion of the tickets! Also, join us to celebrate Hannibal Square’s first anniversary of the community’s very own economic empowerment engine for businesses owned and operated by people of color, The SOKO Marketplace, happening all weekend long. We will begin day two at 721 West New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789 from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Join us for food, fun, and our panel discussion Revolutions and Revolts: 400 years of Rebellion beginning at 1:00 p.m. For information about our festival's schedule of events please see our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/1619festorlando/ or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1619FestOrlando for a list of ongoing festival activities. This festival is FREE to the public, for some events a ticket is required. You can purchase tickets through this Eventbrite page. Vendor opportunities are available. Please go to https://forms.gle/7LezcvoKDNtr3eiH9 for more information or contact equitycouncilcorp@gmail.com.

Special thanks to our event sponsors:

The Equity Council Corp.

The SOKO Marketplace

The Winter Park Community Center / The City of Winter Park

The Hannibal Square Heritage Center

CultureBorn

The 400 Years African American History Commission

Bridging The Color Divide

Coalition For Acess and Representation

99Plants

Move.Dance.Live LLC

Orlando Regional REALTOR® Foundation