All month long the Lowcountry African American Cultural Arts Festival Committee has been sponsoring events, celebrating Black History Month. Lillie Fowler-Singleton is the Visionary Founder and CEO of this organization one of historic significance. The mission of the LAACAF is to celebrate the gifted and talented artists in the Lowcountry who embrace the African-American culture. This year’s reception was held at the Wildlife Center, which was brightly decorated in African colors. Several members of the committee were program participants.
Gathering music was rendered by Ephraim Green and Min. Kevin Wiggins. The Reverend Angela Ford Broughton, Pastor of New Life United Methodist Church in Walterboro, and the reception’s Mistress of Ceremonies, welcomed the attendees. Greetings were given by Alyssa Bodison and Min. Anna Bright, community leaders. The invocation was delivered by the Reverend Keon Stephens, Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Hampton, SC. Lillie Singleton established the purpose, after which the committee was introduced by Priscilla McClellan. The crowd was wowed by the singing of Negro Spirituals by Jackie Williams, who narrated the vocal presentation, Susie Brown, and Samantha Ford. Raphael James, the much-anticipated speaker for the evening, was then introduced by Vennie Mitchell.
Raphael James is an award-winning News Anchor for WCSC’s Live Five News. His nearly thirty years of journalism experience have afforded him unique opportunities from one- on-one interviews at the White House to reporting on the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. Raphael was born and raised in Augusta, GA and graduated from Paine College, a historically black college. His journalism career began as an intern at radio station WBBQ in North Augusta, SC. The station was so impressed with his performance as an intern that they hired him as a full-time mobile news reporter while he was still in college.
Radio laid the groundwork for him to transition into a television reporting job at WJBF, also in Augusta. In 2002, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina and became a News Anchor at WCSC-TV. The Charleston community warmly accepted him and his family, and today, he is one of the station’s main anchors.
He is happily married to his college sweetheart, Sarena, and they have two beautiful daughters, Jaydn and Nia and a handsome son, Grant. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated® and enjoys worshipping at the Evening of Prayer Church of God in Christ. Recently, he wrote and published his first book, “I Don’t Want to Talk about It: A Journalist’s Essays on Autism, Dementia, Religion, and God.”
“Even if You have to Get It Out of the Mud, Just Get It” was the topic of James’ message to the audience. The emphasis was that if you are trying to do something worthwhile, just get it, even if you have to get it out of the mud. The mud indicates that it is going to be tough, but don’t give up; keep going until you reach your goal. He canvassed the room asking the ages of the audience in categories. The oldest person in the audience was 89-years-old. At this point in his message, he shared some very important advice to the young people who were in attendance. He advised them to sit down and talk to their ancestors, the older people in their families, because there is a lot they can learn about the history of their families from them. He spoke briefly about his grandfather who had a third grade education and built a home, with no formal training on how to do it. Three generations have lived in that home, and the house is still standing to this day!
After the message, Founder and CEO Lillie Singleton, pleasantly surprised Mr. James, presenting him with a beautiful African designed quilt that she personally made. Needless to say, he was speechless, yet very appreciative! After the blessing of the food, the acknowledgments and the farewell were given by Linda Jordan and Kellye Whitaker. Everyone enjoyed delightful, colorful refreshments of assorted meats, fruits, crackers, cheeses, sauces, salads, desserts, and iced tea, prepared by Doyle’s Catering Service, a local family-owned food business, serving the community since 1995.
Other members of the LAACAF Committee include Sonya Bodison, Terri Chapman, Dakari C. Gant, Shiela Keaise, David Smalls, and Gloristine Williams. “Remember, Educate, and Celebrate,” was the theme for this year’s momentous events. For more information about this organization, visit the website at www.laacaf.org.
