Friday, January 30, 2026, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Enjoy memorable and impactful sessions showcasing a rich variety of music and storytelling performances, hands-on craft demonstrations, and presenter sessions from past Cultural Education Days held in conjunction with the African American Cultural Celebration. Streamed in one convenient package, this event highlights diverse traditions, art forms, and cultural perspectives. Whether students are revisiting their favorite moments or discovering something new, this compilation celebrates the vibrant and transformative experiences of Cultural Education Days.
Register below to watch the showcase of performances, demonstrations, and presenter sessions for the Cultural Education Day, held in conjunction with the 25th annual African American Cultural Celebration. Watch the stream anytime or all the time between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026. Schedule of events coming soon for this Cultural Education Day.
2026 African American Cultural Celebration presenters include:
Jonathan Daniel
Wire Artist
Jonathan Daniel, an artist and youth leader, is originally from Zimbabwe where he learned to create toys and games with his imagination and the things found around him, including wire! Today, his wire art inspires many to imagine and build.
Alfreda Johnson
Sweetgrass Baskets
A fourth-generation basket weaver, Alfreda Johnson grew up in South Carolina where her family made and sold sweetgrass baskets at a roadside stand that still exists. For more than 30 years, Johnson has created award-winning baskets that speak of years of cultural heritage.
Jordyn Jones
Tricultural Arts, The Peter Oliver Project
Jordyn Jones is a filmmaker, historian, and educator. Jones shares about the life and legacy of Peter Oliver, an enslaved man who lived in the Moravian community of Salem.
Kwame Mbalia
Author, Who Is Kwame Mbalia, Please Tell Me!
Kwame Mbalia is a writer and a publisher with Freedom Fire Books. His debut middle-grade novel, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. A Howard University graduate now living in North Carolina, Mbalia survives on dad jokes and Cheez-Its.
Khadija McNair
Freedom Park
Khadija McNair is the manager of Freedom Park and a member of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission. Freedom Park is a tribute to the unyielding spirit of the African American struggle for freedom; it speaks to the universal ideals of liberty, resilience, and equality.
Adrienne Nirdé
Director, African American Heritage Commission, Civil Rights History Trails
Adrienne Nirdé previously worked in museums and cultural institutions, including the President James K. Polk State Historic Site and the Earl Scruggs Center. She has a real interest in sharing diverse stories, particularly those that have not yet been told.
Community Through Storytelling and Music
Enjoy storytelling by members of the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers as well as engaging music and dance performances by the Magic of African Rhythm Company.