The pews were full Sunday afternoon at Wesley-Smith Chapel in Wright City as dozens gathered to celebrate Black History Month with a program filled with singing and various presentations including a little humor.

The event began with Donzell Peebles reciting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “How Long? Not Long” speech. Afterwards there were several songs performed by a community choir consisting of a broad swathe of area residents. Then there was a presentation of what was called “A Moment in Black History” where several volunteers came and presented the story of famous Black leaders throughout history including Kamala Harris, Mary Eliza Mahoney, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisolm, Barack Obama, Josephine Baker, Dr. King, and a presentation about the history of Black Wall Street.

Dorris Keeven-Frank also gave the history of the establishment of Wesley-Smith Chapel by nine families in the 1800s. Starting with the story of Benjamin Oglesby, who began his life as a slave and eventually fled poverty to join the U.S. military during the Civil War. The story eventually explained a family history that led to Oglesby’s son-in-law Jackson Locket. Locket along with Austin Pringle, Nathaniel Abington, Smith Ball, David Bird, Thomas McClean, Clayborn Richards and Martin Boyd created the church in 1871.

The main speaker for the event was Gary Boyd, also known as St. Louis’ King of Hospitality, and the host of the show “Them Yo People.”

Boyd got the crowd going with a little humor and some lessons he sought to impart on the crowd. In the middle of the humor, he spoke strongly about being an ambassador not only for Black history, but for their families and loved ones.

Through jokes Boyd spoke about reclaiming traditional family values and allowing God to guide people in their actions. He spoke about not only reclaiming Black history, but retaining the identity of family values that define Black culture.

“When we talk about ambassadors you have to represent your people,” Boyd said. 

“You don’t have to be Black to represent Black History,” Boyd said. “It’s your heart and everybody bleeds red.”

During the event, Zebrina Looney with the St. Charles County NAACP also spoke.

“Today is more than a celebration, today is a reminder, a reminder that Black history was never written by spectators,” she said. “Every freedom we celebrate today was born in community.”