RALEIGH, N.C. — The African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh & Wake County is hosting AfroChella this weekend. 

What You Need To Know

AfroChella will be held on August 28

It takes place at Raleigh Union Station from 7 to 11 p.m.

The event celebrates the history of The Great Migration

“AfroChella is an expression and celebration of African culture and entertainment and is a great way to bring the community together,” said Laura Bethea, executive board member of the African American Cultural Festival.

The event will pay homage to The Great Migration, when more than six million African Americans moved from the rural South to the North, Midwest and West from 1916 to 1970. 

Those departing the South were fleeing racial segregation and were attracted by better job opportunities.

By the turn of the twentieth century, the development of the American railway system made trains a critical part of the first wave of The Great Migration. Here in Raleigh, Raleigh Union Station was the site where many families said their goodbyes. 

“So we’re going to come back and we’re going to celebrate that experience and be able to pay homage to those who moved up North and came back down to our new South and celebrate this unique experience in American history,” said Grady Bussey, chair of the African American Cultural Festival. 

AfroChella will be held Saturday, August 28 from 7-11 p.m. and will include entertainment, food and drinks. To learn more, visit the African American Cultural Festival’s website.