Black Expo's Summer Celebration showcases unity

Jul. 27—ANDERSON — The neighborhood around Jackson Park came alive Saturday with the sounds of music, children playing and neighbors conversing during the Anderson Black Expo's Summer Celebration.

The annual festival, organizers said, serves as a reminder of the positive aspects of Anderson's Black community.

An estimated 300 people attended the festival early Saturday afternoon, with numbers expected to increase later in the evening, officials said.

"It's all about unity," said Byvonda Hendrix, interim president of the Anderson Chapter of Indiana Black Expo. "It's about coming together, everybody having a good time."

The Black Expo's Summer Celebration took place less than a week after shootings during a block party in a nearby neighborhood. Authorities promised an increased security presence after the incident in which eight people were injured.

"We knew we had to increase the (police) presence," said Norman Rayford, assistant chief of operations for the Anderson Police Department. "Technically, we already planned on doing that in the first place."

Rather than traditional policing, Rayford said he and others were focused on enjoying the festival while keeping a close watch.

"It's really a community policing effort," he said. "We're developing relationships, we're eating food with everyone, we're laughing, talking. It's not the policing aspect, it's the community relationship aspect."

Rayford, an Anderson native, has attended the annual festival for 49 years. He believes it is a celebration of Anderson's Black community. He described it as a family reunion of sorts for the city's Black population.

The festival featured people such as James Dixon, who served as the grand marshal for a parade that served as the centerpiece of Saturday's activities.

Hendrix said the grand marshal is an individual who stands out through community service.

Dixon recently received a gold President's Volunteer Service Award, given to volunteers who impact their communities.

Dixon, an amputee, served fellow amputees by motivating them to face challenges head-on.

The festival hosted other standout individuals, including Jalen Haralson, who represented his hometown and the United States in the 2024 FIBA U-17 World Cup in Turkey, where the U.S. team won all seven of its games.

"We played really good teams but our talent stood out," he said. "We were very connected...it was a great group of guys."

Haralson signed autographs and talked with locals during the parade. He was joined by a number family members and friends wearing shirts with his name.

Haralson will be a senior at La Lumiere, a private school in LaPorte, during the 2024-2025 academic year but has already received offers from 26 colleges. He recently narrowed his choices down to a list of nine, including Duke, Indiana and Purdue.

Chantel, Haralson's mother, hopes his life choices will inspire others to pursue their dreams.

She said his example and events like Black Expo shine a positive light on the local community, especially the Black community.

"I think it's good for people even outside the (local) community to come in and see all of the positive here," Chantel said.

"We have family here from out of town," she added. "Today, we have friends that have shown up to support Jalen in the parade. They constantly tell me, 'Wow, this is just a beautiful community.'"

Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at [email protected] or 765-648-4254.