Springdale community celebrates Black History Month

A few of the family photos on display at the Black History Program at Bailey’s Community Center.

Residents of the historically black community of Springdale in Bailey’s Crossroads celebrated their heritage at a Black History Month program at Bailey’s Community Center Feb. 22.

The program honored the history and life of the community with music, skits, prayer, poetry, a children’s parade, and family photos. Children demonstrated sports and games of times past, as well as the community’s current basketball and baseball teams.

Sharon Kirkland, president of the Social Riders Club (left), and Marion Haley, president of the Crossroads Riders, a motorcycle club. The Social Riders carry out community service projects and collect items for homeless shelters, food banks, and children.

Mistresses of Ceremony Cheryl Sheppard and Hattie Turner organized the program around the theme “Continuing the Legacy.”

Rev. Matthew Pearson of the 100-year-old Warner Baptist Church, delivered the opening prayer, and community activist David Sheppard told the crowd, “we want our young people to see where they came from.”

Displays featured some of the popular occupations of residents, such as carpenters, builders, concrete finishers, beauticians, tile setters, auto mechanics, and truckers.

Part of a display celebrating the Bailey’s Crossroads athletes.

Janette Lewis brought some books from her extensive collection of African-American biographies and histories. Another display honored Elizabeth Hall, a long-time community activist and welcoming presence at the  Bailey’s Community Center, who died in December. County agencies, healthcare organizations, and other organizations offered information about their resources, too.

The skits illustrated the impact of discrimination and the importance of exercising African American’s and women’s long-fought right to vote.

Mason Supervisor Penny Gross told the group she is trying to get a historic marker installed in the community. The Fairfax County History Commission is conducting the research, and Gross said she hopes the marker could be in place in time for next year’s Black History Month program.