Church to host black business expo

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by a sniper on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn., but a local minister is continuing to press forward with the slain civil rights leader’s dream.

King’s dream not only called for the end of white racist oppression, but economic opportunities for African-Americans.

In the Twin Counties, Bishop Shelton Daniel, senior pastor at Greater Joy Church at 820 Nashville Road, seeks to help black owned and operated businesses be seen by the masses.

In recent years, Daniel has done so with the annual local African-American Business Expo he established.

Daniel said in less than a few weeks, Greater Joy Church is going to be the scene of more than 80 proprietors and shopkeepers registered to participate in the expo.

The expo traditionally follows a service at the church honoring King’s life and times.

Daniel said he believes King, as an advocate for the masses, had the vision that all people would have the opportunity to succeed in free enterprise.

At the same time, he made clear he is seeking to focus on disparities, such as low-income, poverty-stricken areas, where African-American businesses do not receive as much public exposure than in other areas.

“And we’re just trying to just showcase and make sure everyone gets the same opportunities,” he said.

He said from what he and his fellow organizers can gather, the expo seems to have helped African-American businesses.

“It’s really growing — and I think it is a great excitement for small business. And so we are real excited about what it is doing and then what we hope that it will provide for our community,” he said.

He said most of the participating businesses are from the Rocky Mount area but added, “there are businesses that are coming out of other areas,” such as Halifax, Pitt and Wake counties.

He said admission to the expo is free, but he made clear the expo does not allow the participating businesses to sell items.

Daniel said the plan is for an annual service at 11 a.m. on Jan. 21, which is an annual celebration timed with King’s birthday.

Had King still been alive, he would be turning 90.

The service has been a routine locally for at least a decade.

Daniel said although King was an activist in the political arena, he was a minister, so the focus of the service is on the preacher part of the celebration and is attended by a variety of public officials.

He said the service is going to last approximately an hour and a half and be followed by the expo, which he expects will last until approximately 2 p.m.

As for a long-term vision for the African-American Business Expo, Daniel said he hopes it is going to foster other small businesses.

He said when one looks at impacting the economy, he believes there is going to be some but not a huge amount of major businesses settling down in smaller cities.

“So the infusion into the economy in smaller cities throughout the state is going to be entrepreneurship — and small businesses helping with that,” he said.

Daniel, 54, is in his 11th year with Greater Joy and in his 26th year as a pastor. Originally from the Raleigh-Durham area, he said before he was ordained, he long worked for IBM.

SOURCE: http://ow.ly/Ek6X30ndNWL