Kingsport Black History Month Community Unity Gatherings

Community Unity Gatherings for Black History Month

The Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department is hosting two community unity gatherings this month in honor of Black History Month.

The gatherings will be held at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex (301 Louis Street) on the following dates:

• February 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. – The speakers will be Pastor Doug Tweed and Rev. Myrna Casey. The 4HIM men’s gospel choir will be performing.
• February 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – The event will feature youth trivia and bingo.

Both gatherings are free and open to the public.

Doug Tweed, an attorney by trade, served as a pastor for Methodist churches from 1994 until 2009. At that time, Doug and his wife Christie turned their full attention to Friends of the King Ministries, with their ministry site (the Resting Place), opening in 2010 in downtown Kingsport. Rev. Myrna Casey is the senior pastor at Bethel AME Zion Church of Kingsport.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. This year’s theme is “African Americans and the Arts” which explores the influence African Americans have had on the arts, literature, film and music.

For more information about Black History Month, please visit www.blackhistorymonth.gov.

About Kingsport Parks and Recreation

Kingsport Parks and Recreation is improving quality of life by offering essential services and recreation opportunities for the community of the City of Kingsport. They provide facilities, programs and recreational experiences that are available to residents and visitors. Kingsport Parks and Recreation makes sure community members have places to play, get fit and stay healthy, as well as opportunities to foster new relationships and forge a connection with nature. For more information, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

About the City of Kingsport

Founded in 1917, the City of Kingsport (pop. 55,400) is located on the Tennessee-Virginia border at the crossroads of I-81 and I-26 near the geographic center of the eastern United States. The city is widely known as a planned community, designed by renowned city planner John Nolen and wrapping around the foot of Bays Mountain – a 3,750-acre park, nature preserve, planetarium and observatory. Kingsport is recognized as an International Safe Community by the National Safety Council, a Healthier Tennessee community, and won the 2009 Harvard Innovations in American Government Award for its higher education initiatives. While many city names are duplicated throughout the U.S., there’s only one Kingsport – a fact that invokes community pride, known locally as the “Kingsport Spirit.” For more information, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov.