42nd Annual National Black Storytelling Festival & Conference “In the Tradition…” Oct. 23-27

Tracing and Lighting Freedom’s Footsteps! Co-Hosts: Tradition Keepers - Black Storytellers of Western New York

The National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc. (NABS) will present the “In the Tradition…” 42nd Annual National Black Storytelling Festival and Conference in Buffalo, New York!

This year, the NABS celebration is October 23-27, 2024 at Buffalo’s Embassy Suites and in the community. A free storytelling concert will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Frank E. Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave. Other storytelling concerts, $20 for adults and $5 for children, are open to the public starting at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 -26 at the Embassy Suites, 200 Delaware Ave. Visit WWW.NABSINC.ORG for program schedule & registration information.

The first “In the Tradition...” Festival of Black Storytelling was held at Morgan State University in Baltimore in 1983. Since then, they’ve traveled throughout the country and are approaching 42 years of celebrations. In honor of our ancestors and in encouraging preservation of our traditions, this year’s theme is “Tracing & Lighting Freedom’s Footsteps!”

The roots go back to 1982. That year nationally renowned storytellers, Baltimore’s first officially appointed Griot – the late, great Mary Carter Smith of Baltimore, Maryland, and esteemed Linda Goss of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (now residing in Baltimore)– founded “In the Tradition…” National Black Storytelling Festival. These visionaries then created the National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc., to create more opportunities for African American storytellers to preserve the African oral tradition and folklore of African people. Master Storytellers, as well as, beginners, storytellers with instruments, storytellers who dance, and storytellers of all styles, will entertain, inspire, educate, enliven myths, recite poems and recount the history of a people.

Featured Tellers this year are: Mitch “Gran’Daddy Junebug” Capel (NC), Janice Curtis Greene (MD), D’Lores Simmons (NY), Oba William King (TX), Kemi Egunyemi (VA), Sue Roseberry (TX), Bobby Norfolk (MO), Dr. Linda Humes (NY) and a special presentation by Beverly Fields Burnette (NC). Our Saturday Youth Concert will highlight some of Buffalo’s and National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc.’s finest youth performers along with youth from throughout the country. Also, there will be three “Village Tellin’” sessions where stories will be shared by our 14 affiliates. At “Story Swaps” attendees share their talents and our always popular Jackie Torrence Tall Tales Contest! Added to all of this are workshops for the novice and professional tellers led by Dr. Linda Humes, Dylan Pritchett, Paul D. Best, Willa Brigham, Sue Rosenberry, Djeli Celestia. Story Feedback Sessions will be conducted by Mitch Capel, Janice Curtis Greene, Oba William King and D’Lores Simmons.

The National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc. is proud to present this one-of-a-kind event for the community, country and the world! This is what to expect:

ADOPT-A-TELLER: Storytellers available to perform a 45-minute live performance at local schools, libraries and other venues throughout the Buffalo area. There is an application fee but the performance is FREE! Limited availability. Contact Queen/Bunjo at aatp@nabsinc.org for additional information and availability.

OPENING GALA, “NABS HONORS… CONCERT” & MARY CARTER SMITH LOVE CIRCLE: Traditional opening including our “Affiliate March” followed by a concert of stories honoring our organization’s Ancestors and the stories they told!

VILLAGE TELLIN’: Three sessions celebrating our fourteen Affiliates sharing their unique regional and cultural flare as they weave their stories. A crowd pleaser!!

“IN THE TRADITION…” CONCERT featuring first-time tellers on the NABS stage and our popular YOUTH CONCERT where the finest youth performers make us proud!

ADULT JACKIE TORRENCE TALL TALES CONTEST: Festival Favorite!!!!! Members and non-members compete…sharing their fantastic fabrications and lies…uh…tall tales!!

ZORA NEALE HURSTON AWARD: Our highest award recognizing excellence in the Black Storytelling community will go to three Buffalonians! Clifford Bell, Dr. Barbara Nevergold and Dr. Peggy Brooks Bertram are the recipients this year. Also, our Cow Tail Switch Ceremony swearing in our incoming President.

NABS CHURCH, SPRITUAL CONCERT & MAMA LINDA GOSS CLOSING UNITY CIRCLE: Giving thanks through words and story and our traditional closing ceremony.

Since the first Festival and Conference in Baltimore, NABS has traveled around the nation; most recently, New Orleans, LA (’04), Tampa, FL (’05), San Diego, CA (’06), Atlanta, GA (’07), Cincinnati, OH (’08), Little Rock, AR (’09), Minneapolis, MN (’10), Atlanta, GA (’11), Baltimore, MD (’12), Hampton, VA (’13), Chicago, IL (‘14), Washington, D.C. (’15), Philadelphia (’16), Wichita, KS (’17), Cary, NC, (’18), Montgomery, AL (’19), two virtual festivals (‘20/’21), 40th anniversary in Baltimore, Maryland (’22), Sal Lake City, Utah (’23) and now… Buffalo, New York!!! COME JOIN THEM!!