By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer
A great many gospel songs speak of faith and the ability to rise above seemingly insurmountable odds to stand with one’s head held high.
Those songs could easily fill the soundtrack of the California State Fair and Food Festival’s Multicultural Inspiration Day held July 22.
“Gospel Day,” as many people still call it, has been an institution at the State Fair for the past 28 years. The daylong celebration of gospel music originally was part of the no-longer-celebrated Black Cultural Day. The fair did away with its cultural awareness days in 2003, choosing instead to focus on “California’s diversity as a whole.”
While Black Cultural Day drew thousands to Cal Expo each year, officials argued that it often sparked dangerous interaction among visiting youth and between youth and law enforcement. Organizer Mary Nance says she has had to fight several State Fair general managers to keep the event going. Nance books the stage herself.
“Most people come on that day because it’s the last piece of Black Culture Day that’s still out here,” said Nance, the daughter of the outspoken former Sacramento City Councilmember Callie Carney.
Nance said the State Fair still should reflect those who call California home.
“We don’t even have a Black exhibit that runs all the days of the fair,” she said. “Can we have educational exhibits that tell us something about our culture, our facts, that last all the days of the fair? Can we put some Black kids out there in that rodeo arena?”
Nance said she tried to bring in members of the Loyalty Riders, a local group of Black horse enthusiasts, to ride in the fair this year, but it didn’t happen.
“I’ve tried a long time to keep [the gospel event] out there as long as I can. It’s a great stage. It reaches people that’s never going to go to a church,” Nance said.
“I’ve had people tell me that they haven’t been to church in 15 or 20 years. They sit down, sometimes they were just walking by to get food, and they get the spirit and then they’re there all day.”
Nance was made to change the event’s name several years ago to focus on being multicultural rather than Black. One leader, she said, told her “he hated the gospel stage” and didn’t understand why it was still there, on state property. Another tried to cancel the stage until Nance got several non-Black clergy of large congregations to vouch for the event and vow to support their members staying away from the fair if the gospel event was eliminated.
“Money talks,” she said.
And sometimes it doesn’t. The day has remained, but funds to put it on have not. This year, Nance partnered with recording artist James Jackson of I Sound to co-host and increase sponsorship opportunities.
“We have been in the music industry business for over 25 years doing A&R work for labels, producing indie artists and branding their music,” Jackson said of his company.
Jackson has performed at the fair since 2017 and is known for his work from his first choir, James Jackson and Born Again, the Voices of Sacramento group and James Jackson and Atlanta Praise.
The gospel event at the State Fair is known for bringing in groups, youth choirs and soloists from throughout the state. This year’s showcase featured an appearance by a group of singing pastors and was headlined by Jessica Reedy and Keyla Richardson from the B.E.T. show “Sunday Best.”
Jackson said having nationally recognized artists will help rejuvenate the event and draw people in, as will having an overarching theme like the one for 2023, “Standing Up to Systemic Racism and Community Violence.”
“Mary Nance has been at the State Fair for over 27 years, running that event with very little resources. I take my hat off to her,” Jackson said.
“My plans next is to be at the forefront of changing the look, brand and sound of the Multicultural Inspiration Day by getting major sponsors, more youth and Black owned-businesses involved as well as more major acts at the event,” he continued.
“Gospel day” at the fair has survived when other elements that drew Blacks to the fair have not. Jackson said that is a testament to Nance and to the music itself.
“Gospel day has lasted simply because of the community and the love that it carries,” Jackson said. “Gospel music is very much a universal language so it will draw the religious community as well as gospel music lovers.
“This event draws great energy, great fellowship along with great local and national artists. This is an event that will place indie artists on a platform they’ve never experienced.”