This weekend members of the Wilmington, Delaware community will celebrate August Quarterly, an annual church and community festival that honors Peter Spencer and the anniversary of Spencer’s founding of the African Union Methodist Protestant (A.U.M.P) Church in Wilmington in 1813. Occurring on the last Sunday in August, the festival, once known as Big Quarterly, is the oldest African American folk festival.
The Anacostia Community Museum featured this holiday in its 2008/2009 exhibition: Jubilee! African American Celebration which explored the history of various holidays and celebrations across the nation from the 18th century to the present.
To learn more about this celebration consult the Delaware Historical Society.