Black Heritage Celebration set for Feb. 13

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The 30th annual Black Heritage Celebration will be held Feb. 13 at Metro-Technology Center, 1900 Springlake Drive, Oklahoma City, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Onward, Upward: 30 Years of Black History.”

The event celebrates the cultural diversity of Oklahoma and promotes mutual respect for different experiences, beliefs and perspectives. One of the special highlights of the event will be the presentation of meritorious service awards to the following individuals: 

• Frank Davenport is a records and genealogy expert with Library Resources and Research at the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS). He is active in academic research and is known for his enthusiasm when assisting the public and his colleagues with research projects. Before joining OHS in 2004, Davenport served 20 years in the United States Air Force. 

• Rita Cooksey is the Deputy Warden at the John H. Lilley Correctional Center in Boley. She works with offenders and their families to help reduce the intergenerational cycle of incarceration and coordinates a prisoner fundraising effort that helps nonprofit organizations with prevention programs. She has been recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections with numerous awards for professional excellence and was chair of the 2014 Training Conference for the Oklahoma chapter of the NABCJ (National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice).

• Leah Nash-Givings is a certified child support specialist with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). She previously worked at a Department of Corrections facility and helped administer the Reintegration Program to provide life skills and anger management to incarcerated women with substance abuse issues. Her DHS colleagues describe her as an outstanding teammate with great ability to defuse emotional situations by providing outstanding customer service. Nash-Givings is a Gates Millennium Scholar alumni and graduate of Brigham Young University.

The event's musical entertainment will be provided by TaylorMade Jazz, a group founded by Oklahoma jazz musician Walter Taylor. 

The Black Heritage Celebration is co-sponsored by the DHS Office for Civil Rights, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Oklahoma Historical Society, and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

For more information about the Black Heritage Celebration, contact Vicki Pettiford, DHS Office for Civil Rights, at (405) 522-1611.

###