The Tippecanoe County Black Heritage Committee—in partnership with Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, Lafayette’s Second Baptist Church, and the West Lafayette Library—will host a Tippecanoe County Cultural Heritage Celebration Weekend, a celebration of Tippecanoe County’s vibrant Black community, September 27-28 in Lafayette.

The community is invited to join the Cultural Heritage Celebration Weekend, including a chance to participate in an Oral History Harvest.

On Saturday, September 27, this year’s inaugural event features a community Meet-n-Greet Reunion and Oral History Harvest from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., with food and light refreshments available. On Sunday, September 28, the cultural heritage celebration will conclude from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. with food samples from around the world. All events will take place at Second Baptist Church in Lafayette.

As the community celebrates Lafayette’s bicentennial this year and Tippecanoe County’s next year, the event offers an opportunity to recognize contributions of Tippecanoe County’s African American community.

The Meet-n-Greet Reunion and Oral History Harvest on Saturday will offer participants a chance to gather, reminisce, and record experiences for the Indiana Landmarks Black Oral History Collection, which will be archived at the Indiana State Library repository. During the oral history portion of the event, interviewers will record up to 30 minutes of both audio and video of your Tippecanoe community memories:

• What was it like growing up Lafayette?
• How old were you when Al’s Bar-B-Que shut down?
• What street or neighborhood did you grow up in?
• Who did you play with?
• And other questions

The Tippecanoe County Black Heritage Committee is a cultural heritage preservation group dedicated to preserving both tangible and intangible aspects of culture, including oral traditions, historical sites, artifacts, and knowledge passed down through generations. This event is supported by Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, which promotes preservation of historically Black sites and the personal narratives from Indiana’s Black voices.

Event Details:

What: Cultural Heritage Celebration Weekend

Who: Presented by the Tippecanoe County Black Heritage Committee in partnership with Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program and the West Lafayette Library

When: September 27th and 28th

Where: Second Baptist Church of Lafayette, 2925 S. 18th St., Lafayette, IN 47909.

Time: Saturday, 12-3 p.m. EDT; Sunday, 12-2 p.m. EDT

Admission: Free

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1116512890308642

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Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Barry McKinney, Chairman/Community Liaison Coordinator, Tippecanoe County Black Heritage Committee, 765-491-5060, barrymck2015@gmail.com

Eunice Trotter, Director, Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, 317-639-4534, etrotter@indianalandmarks.org