Ota Benga Memorial Program
Local Opportunity for Lynchburg Residents
The Fifth Annual Ota Benga Memorial Program
6:00pm March 21st
St John’s Episcopal Church in Lynchburg, Virginia
The tragic story of Ota Benga, a man from the Pygmy people of the Congo who lived the last years of his life in Lynchburg, Virginia, is one of racial and cultural exploitation. But God the Creator turns tragedy into transformation. Martin Luther King Jr reminds us that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Our Creator gives us hand holds to grab the arc and bend it further. One of those opportunities is coming up next month.
Come out on Saturday, March 21st, to join the community helping to bend the arc in Ota’s memory at the Fifth Annual Ota Benga memorial service at 6:00 PM at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 205 Elmwood Ave, Lynchburg, Virginia. An evening of art, dance, and story will usher us into reflection and opportunity towards restorative justice for Ota and those he represents. See you there!
Read more about Ota Benga’s story here:
Day 5: Ota Benga, 1883-1916 - by Kenton Martin
The International Ota Benga Memorial Committee was founded in 2005, under the leadership of Mrs. Ann van de Graaf and Rev. Dr. Dibinga wa Said (1940-2020).
Mrs. Ann van de Graaf, Founder and Chair
Dr. Myra Gordon, Co-Chair and Spokesperson
OBIC@gmail.com Text Messages: 785-341-3591