Special to The Dallas Examiner
On Saturday, the African American Museum hosted the 30th annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo at the Fair Park Coliseum. The Honorable State Rep. Eric and his wife, Nakita, served as Grand Marshals for the event. Their two young sons, 4-year-old William and 9-month-old George, accompanied them in the Grand Entry Parade that kicked off this annual Lone Star tradition.
“My wife, Nakita, and I were peacock proud to serve as Grand Marshals for the 30th annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo, a beloved Texas tradition that takes place right in the heart of Dallas and in my legislative district. We thoroughly enjoyed this unique celebration of Black culture with our two young cowboys, William and George,” Johnson stated.
The rodeo featured more than 300 African American cowboys and cowgirls who competed for more than $25,000 in prize money. Nearly 8,000 people attended the event from all over Texas and the United States.
“This fast-paced sporting event … provides many of its almost 8,000 viewers with their first glimpse of the historical contribution that African Americans contributed to the settling of the western United States,” stated a spokesperson for the museum.
The museum, the annual host of the event, was founded in 1974 and is dedicated to the display and preservation of African American cultural, historical, and artistic materials. It is the only museum of its kind in the Southwestern region of the United States.
For more information about the rodeo, contact the museum at 214-565-9026.