Despite a torrential downpour of rain, trees down in the area and gusts of fast wind earlier in the evening, a crowd of hundreds turned out to watch the firework show at Youth: America’s Heritage and Hope, “A Selma Celebration.”

The event put on by the city, included lots of music and literature in order to get the crowd participating in a patriotic way.

Selma Police Chief William T. Riley and Fire Chief Michael Stokes started the opening fanfare and gave welcome to the crowd and speakers. The pair then recognized veterans and those in active duty military as well as students involved in the ROTC programs by asking them to come forward.

“These young men and women represent the honorable tradition of service to our country,” Stokes said. “They are our next generation and will bravely serve our country and preserve this land and its freedoms that we love.”

Shironika Patrice Farrior was the Mistress of Ceremonies. Farrior, who recently graduated from Selma High School, began the evening talking about the theme of Youth-America’s Heritage.

“Become all you can be to maintain this great liberty that has made us free,” Farrior said to her peers specifically. “We must never take for granted the privilege to call ourselves Americans.”

The Dallas County Commission, The Selma Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Selma Association, and all city departments sponsored the event.

The night also featured the National Anthem sung by Temekia Sykes, a community sing-a-long led by Councilwoman Susan Keith and patriotic poems read by Sarah Mahan and Adam King. Keith led the crowd in God Bless America and then to fit the theme of Youth: America’s Heritage and Hope, Keith asked all of the children to come to the front and sing We Are The World.

“Tonight we just want to honor our greatest resource, our greatest hope and our greatest gift—our children,” Keith said as she asked the children to come up. Once the celebration show was over the crowd applauded for what they had all been waiting for — a firework show by Pyro Productions, Inc.

“That was an awesome show,” Mayor George Evans said. “That is the best one we have had since we have been here.”

Evans said he was touched by the sing-a-long with We Are The World and all of the children joining in.

“To see the kids out there that was a great picture to see,” Evans said. “The theme of Youth totally paid off tonight. Over the history of our time youth have been a huge part of our history. They have led things like the Civil Rights Movement and fought in wars and we want to honor them because of our heritage and our future.”