Entertainment to Include Patti LaBelle, the O’Jays, Keith Sweat, Maxi Priest and More
Guests Include Members of Little Rock Nine, Tuskegee Airmen & Maryland Politicians

In honor of the culmination of the ancestors dream with the historic election of President-Elect Barack Obama, the first African American President, the Prince George’s County Presidential Inaugural Committee, COUNTY EXECUTIVE JACK JOHNSON, THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COUNCIL, and the REV. WALTER E. FAUNTROY are combining forces to host The Africa & International Friends Inaugural Ball, The Ancestors Dream Realized.  The ball, which expects 17,000 attendees, promises to be the largest ball among the 50 plus balls taking place during inauguration season with the merging of two balls:  The Africa & International Friends Ball and The Ancestors Dream Inaugural Ball. Terry Speigner, Chairman of The Ancestors Dream Inaugural Ball explained the merging saying:   

 
“Both balls were honoring the same ancestors and the same descendants that worked so hard to see this day come to pass.  Add to that the fact that it just made sense both balls are at the same venue - The Gaylord Hotel at National Harbor - and it turned out that both balls are on the same day….Inauguration Day. It was almost as if the ancestors where telling us to bond together.”
The ball will be held on January 20th at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, on the banks of the Potomac River.  Entertainment will include Patti LaBelle, the O’Jays, Keith Sweat, Maxi Priest and Midnight Star and more.  Special guest attendees will include Americans who changed America’s landscape, clearing the way for the election of an African American president including the Tuskegee Airmen, Charles Herbert Flowers and Dr. Milton Holmes, and six members of “The Little Rock Nine.”     A special performance for the night will include students from the Ron Clark Academy.  Ron Clark and his students became overnight stars during the presidential election when a video of the students performing a political rap they wrote grabbed the public’s attention on YouTube. The children ended up performing the rap, called “Vote However U Like,” on national TV shows including CNN and BET.  The Academy recently received a $365,000.00 check from Oprah Winfrey for scholarships for its students.  In addition,

MARYLAND STATE SENATORS, PRINCE GEORGE’S HOUSE DELEGATION, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND OTHER STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS and many others will be attending.    The ball is underwritten by TAC Productions, a subsidiary of The TAC Companies, is co-producing this Black Tie Event with the Prince George’s County Presidential Inaugural Committee and Fallen Soldiers, Inc.