Columbus City Council Black History Month Celebration and Poindexter Awards Ceremony

Columbus City Council’s Annual Black History Month Celebration and Poindexter Award Ceremony returns! Aligning with this year’s theme, “African Americans and the Arts”, the event will be held at the Historic Lincoln Theatre on February 16, 2024, at 10 am. As we celebrate the contributions of Black local artists, the event will be full of musical and dance performances and a panel discussion on the past, present, and future of Black art. 

During the ceremony, Councilmembers will honor the 2024 James Preston Poindexter Award recipients, named after Reverend James Preston Poindexter, the first Black member of Columbus City Council. Kerry Charles of NBC4 will emcee the event festivities and host the awards ceremony. This event is free and open to the public. It will also be live-streamed on NBC4i.com, as well as Columbus City Council’s Facebook page and the City of Columbus YouTube page.

Suzan Bradford  Suzan Bradford is the President of the Thiossane Institute and Artistic Director of the Thiossane Institute West African Dance Company. Co-founded with her husband, the company provides authentic performances and instruction to people of all ages. Suzan has also been the Executive Director of the historic Lincoln Theatre since its reopening in 2009. During her tenure, she has created and grown multiple programs that serve as career-launching incubators for up-and-coming Columbus artists.

Richard “Duarte” Brown  Richard “Duarte” Brown, known as Duarte, is the resident artist at multiple Columbus schools through the TeachArtsOhio Grant from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). For over 30 years, Duarte has dedicated his talents to helping young people in Columbus. In 2022, he was awarded the Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Fellowship and the Governor’s Award in the field of Art Education. Deeply influenced by Mr. William Steele, his fifth-grade teacher, Duarete wrote a book titled, The Steele Influence.

Barbara “Wahru” Cleveland  Barbara “Wahru” Cleveland was a scientist, educator, African-American rights activist, and musician, who left a legacy of activism in her community. She was a dedicated volunteer to many organizations like the Red Cross, Immigration Services, and Girlz Rythm n’ Rock Camp. “Wahru”, who passed away in November 2022, was most well-known for her drumming expertise and formed various groups like Sister Ngoma, Columbus Community Drummers, and Spirit Drummers. She also led drum circles, performing at many venues and music festivals. “Wahru” was proud of her heritage and demonstrated how different cultures could appreciate and respect each other.

Larry James  Larry James has been at the heart of the business, legal, civic, and political scene in Columbus for the last 30 years. He recently became an Equity Partner with the Chicago-based firm of Amundsen Davis. Mr. James previously served as the Director of Public Safety for the City of Columbus over police and fire from 1989-1992. Outside of his role as an attorney, Larry is a leader in arts advocacy and avid collector. Previously he served as the President of the Lincoln Theatre Association Board, President of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Performing & Cultural Arts, and as a Board Trustee for the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

Baba Tony West and Aziza West  Baba Tony West represents the Spirit of the Drums and Aziza West represents the Spirit of Dance; entertaining and educating about history. Their journey in community-building started more than 40 years ago through the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) and the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (OAAE). Their shared passion for learning and spreading the values of African Culture cumulated through “Tony West and the Imani Dancers”. They have been honored as Living Legend recipients and their portraits can be found on the Columbus’ Long Street Cultural Wall.