Photograph provided by Tiffany Luckey
During the 1963 March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. There was only one woman standing on the platform behind King, and that woman was Dr. Dorothy Height—founder of the National Black Family Reunion.
Height, often referred to as the godmother of the Civil Rights Movement, was an esteemed activist who engaged in crucial work fighting for racial equality in the United States. From advising American presidents to leading the National Council of Negro Women, the importance of Height’s work cannot be overstated.
After years of planning, Height organized the very first Black Family Reunion (BFR) in 1989. Cincinnati, being both an accessible gathering point in the Midwest and a hub for Black culture, was chosen as the inaugural city for the event.
In the years following, the reunion spread to major cities across the country, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Baltimore. Cincinnati has proudly hosted a yearly BFR since its creation, this year being the 36th celebration.
The BFR is a four-day event with myriad offerings made for and created by Cincinnati’s Black community. Between the parade, food, music, guest speakers, and booths set up around Sawyer Point, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
“We wanted to make sure anybody from the family would have an area that they could go to in the park,” says Tracey Artis, executive director of Cincinnati’s BFR.
Artis, who became executive director in 2013, has been an influential activist in Cincinnati for many years. Recently, she was honored at the Black Music Walk of Fame for her contributions to gospel music, but her list of honors and awards for her work is extensive.
“This experience has been a wonderful, impactful, and fulfilling one, because we get to plan this event and see everything come to fruition,” Artis says. She attributes much of her passion for activism to her mother, Mayor Susan Upton Farley. Farley was the first Black female mayor of Woodlawn. The BFR plenary sessions take place at the Woodlawn Community Center, which happens to be located on Susan Upton-Farley Way.
“So much of who I am came from her, so it’s hard for me to talk about myself without talking about her,” says Artis, who wrote a book about her mother’s life and legacy called Susan’s Story. Copies of the book are handed out to kids at the BFR youth pavilion.
Photograph provided by Tiffany Luckey
A peek at the list of activities offered at the BFR shows that planning this event is no small task. Along with the youth pavilion, there are areas in the park dedicated to health, cooking, seniors, nonprofit work, retail, sports, and more. The BFR all-profession job fair connects attendees with work opportunities in the tri-state area. An array of special guests will be featured at this year’s event, including journalist Roland Martin, Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long, and the world-renowned Leo High School Boys’ Choir.
In the past, other notable names have also made appearances at Cincinnati’s BFR, including New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam—who is also one of the Exonerated Five from the 1989 Central Park jogger case.
Festivities will kick off with the annual parade in Avondale, led by award-winning visual artist Annie Ruth. Between parade attendees and participants, an average of 3,000 people gather on the streets of Avondale to celebrate Black culture and achievement. No matter how much the event grows, Artis says she is committed to keeping things centered in Avondale, a predominantly Black community.
Total attendance ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 across all four days. A survey of attendees last year showed that visitors came from at least 22 different states.
“This is a profound example of when our city is at its best, when we recognize the power of our diversity and the power of community-building,” says Mayor Aftab Pureval in a letter of gratitude to the BFR organizers.
For Artis, the most important component of ensuring BFR happens every year is sponsorship. In order to host the very first BFR 36 years ago, Height had to use some of her many Cincinnati-based connections to source sponsors willing to help bring her vision to life. Those initial sponsors included P&G executive Ross Love and prominent Cincinnati businesswoman Janet Reid. Today, the event has over 35 commercial sponsors including TriHealth, Nissan, and Coca-Cola.
Artis and her team, several of which are members of her family, hope to continue growing the BFR legacy for years to come.
“Our mission is simply to strengthen the family,” Artis says, “we hope that when people leave the park, they have more knowledge and more options. That’s why me and my team are so passionate about it.”
Artis hopes for a day where she can pass the BFR torch onto her own two children. It truly is a family affair.
The 36th Annual Black Family Reunion will take place August 15–18 at Sawyer Point. Admission is free. Visit myblackfamilyreunion.org for more information
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