From the Black Community of Orange Mound in Memphis Heralds the Tom Mboya 70th & 1st African/American Family Reunion in Africa Kisumu City Kenya August of 2026"

MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, September 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- We present a story that happen in 1979 so not to present just a total academic description regarding the African Country of Kenya and to share "African Cultural Diplomacy" and our promoting the "Tom Mboya 70th and 1st African American Family Reunion in Kisumu, Kenya in 2026 perhaps the most prolific African/American descriptions of Kenya happen after the late comedian Richard Pryor's visit. Richard Pryor’s trip to Kenya in 1979 was a pivotal moment in his life and career. Richard Pryor said that all Black people in America should visit Africa.

During his visit, Pryor was deeply moved by the culture and the people he encountered. This experience led him to a profound realization about his own identity and the use of racial slurs in his comedy. He famously decided to stop using the N-word in his performances, feeling that it was disrespectful to his African heritage and the people he met in Kenya. Click here to see Comedian Richard Pryor's story of his visit to Kenya 1979 .

On August 15, 1956 on his 26th Birthday an African named Tom Mboya arrived In New York from a place then called "British East Africa." Today British East Africa is known today as Kenya. Unknown and untold in both Kenya and America Tom Mboya an African helped to make the greatest influence on American history and culture whereas his impact is part of American culture today.

Today at the time of this writing whereas America is looking at the current 2024 Presidential election of Kamala Harris and Donald J. Trump very few people know the history of the Democratic and Republican party and how the young African Tom Mboya influenced American History and culture today.

To learn this history one has to look no further than the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum website that reads: "At a key point in the 1960 presidential campaign, a dynamic young leader from Kenya named Tom Mboya visited Senator John F. Kennedy. Mboya led a campaign of his own that would eventually bring hundreds of African students to America for higher education, including Barack Obama Sr., President Obama's father. Kennedy's decision to support the effort became an issue in the election and possibly a factor in his narrow victory."

In regards to learning the history and a detailed and unknown and untold history of Kenya and its relationship to America in 2019 community activist and historian Anthony "Amp" Elmore published a 20 minute video titled; "Kenya's Birth was part of the American Civil Rights Movement." Click next to see the You Tube Video; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcFPmgbFYBI&t=762s .

The video explains why Anthony "Amp" Elmore celebrated Tom Mboya’s 60th of coming to America August 15, 1956 in Orange Mound at Anthony “Amp” Elmore’s home and why this was a significant event in that the event "Honored the Obama Legacy." The event highlighted the profound impact Mboya had on both African and American history. Tom Mboya, a key figure in Kenya’s independence movement, played a pivotal role in fostering educational opportunities for African students in the United States, including Barack Obama Sr., which ultimately contributed to the rise of President Barack Obama Jr.

Congressman Steve Cohen, influenced by President Kennedy’s vision of cultural diplomacy and international cooperation, has been a steadfast supporter of African initiatives. His celebration of Mboya’s legacy in Orange Mound, a historic Black community in Memphis, underscores the deep connections between the civil rights movements in the U.S. and Africa. This event was particularly significant as it was the only celebration of Mboya’s 60th of his coming to America globally, emphasizing the unique role of Orange Mound in honoring Mboya's legacy. Please click next to see a video of the event. Hear Congressman Cohen mentions trade with Africa and the importance of Memphis and Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmzOrUunznw&t=205s .

From August 25th 2024 to September 1, 2024 in the city of Kisumu in Kenya hosted the "FESTAC 2024." FESTAC is the world's largest Black and African Art and Cultural Festival. Kisumu County Governor "Professor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o " Heralded African Cultural Diplomacy" via extending a personal invitation for Memphian Anthony "Amp" Elmore to be his personal guest at the FESTAC Festival.

Specifically Governor Nyong'o Via a June 12, 2024 invitation letter to Anthony "Amp" Elmore Governor Nyong'o letter reads: "In view of our discussions we have had overtime about bringing Africans and African/Americans together and to establish a Black Museum in Kenya specifically in Kisumu and to commemorate and honor the Africans of the past, I believe FESTAC offers an opportunity to ignite that conversation on a deliverable scale." Click next to view Governor Nyong'o letter to Elmore: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17e41FwTzU3torWB2NdNDXqt7LYeZd2EM/view?usp=sharing .

Elmore via attending FESTAC 2024 initiated to Kenya Governor Nyong'o to host the “Tom Mboya 70th & 1st African American Family Reunion in Africa in Kisumu Kenya in August 2026.” This Anthony “Amp” Elmore proposal is highly significant for several reasons. This is the 1st time in the history of the "Black Family Reunion" that a proposal and plan has been made to host the African/American Family Reunion in Africa.

During Anthony “Amp” Elmore’s visit to Kenya for the FESTAC Festival, he had the opportunity to meet art students from the ARYA Primary School in Kisumu. Impressed by Elmore’s dedication and contributions, the school expressed their desire to name their art class in his honor. However, Elmore, recognizing the importance of broader cultural diplomacy, graciously declined and suggested instead that the school honor Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen. Congressman Cohen, a disciple of the Kennedy legacy, has worked tirelessly to build relationships with Africa. Given Elmore’s longstanding history with Congressman Cohen, it was agreed to name the art class the “Steve Cohen Center for Cultural Diplomacy.” This decision not only acknowledges Cohen’s efforts in fostering international connections but also highlights the shared commitment to cultural exchange and mutual respect. Click here to read and view the Schools entire letter to Congressman Cohen.


American Civil Rights activist Dr. Dorothy Height started the 1st Black Reunion in America in 1986. Today in America the most reason for travel in America for African/Americans is the "Black Family reunion. While Black Family reunions are now a tradition in America there has never been an African American Black Family Reunion inaugurated in the continent of Africa or a plan devised how such an event can happen in Africa.

This proposal initiated by Anthony "Amp" Elmore, a five-time World Karate Kickboxing Champion and Memphis’s first independent 35mm theatrical filmmaker. Elmore has a deep connection to both African and African American communities. His film, “The Contemporary Gladiator,” premiered in Kenya in 1990, establishing a cultural bridge between Memphis and Kenya. In 1992 the late Kenya President Daniel Arap Moi named Elmore an African Ambassador.

Historically Anthony "Amp" Elmore is the 1st person in Kenya history to bring African Americans on a Kenya Safari. Elmore a filmmaker documented one of his African/American Kenya tours in July of 1994. Click next to see a 50 minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0BcxYxBhJ0&t=1749s .

Anthony “Amp” Elmore has one of the longest and most profound relationships with Africa among Americans. As a Black youth activist at Hamilton High School in Memphis, he led the first 18-year-old voter registration drive. Known for his long Afro hairstyle, dashiki, and braids, Elmore even used an African name in his 1971 yearbook. His story is depicted in his semi-autobiographical film, “The Contemporary Gladiator.” Elmore’s first business was named Pamoja Carpet Company, with “Pamoja” meaning “together” in Swahili. He was instrumental and part of the start of Kwanzaa and the Africa in April Cultural Celebrations in Memphis.

His film “The Contemporary Gladiator” premiered in Kenya in 1990, where he also introduced kickboxing, promoted a soul music concert, and married a Kenyan woman in 1995. Although they are no longer married, they have a 25-year-old son, Anthony “Amp” Elmore Jr.

In 1998, Elmore visited Ghana and opened Elmore African Imports. He created the first all-African furnished house in America and organized the Barack Obama Heritage Tour in Kenya, becoming the first American to see the new house President Obama built for his late grandmother, Sarah Obama. Elmore also organized the Tom Mboya 60th celebration in Memphis and crafted an African tuxedo for President Obama. Over the years Congressman Cohen has arranged for Elmore to meet with numerous African ambassadors. Elmore created the first Black History Month African Dinners in Memphis. His home in Memphis boasts the largest display of custom African furnishings in America. Clearly, Elmore is one of America’s foremost African ambassadors, historians, artists, and advocates.

Given his extensive experience and deep connections with Africa, Anthony “Amp” Elmore Sr. is undoubtedly the most qualified person in America to organize the first African American Family Reunion in Africa. His lifelong dedication to bridging the gap between African and African American communities makes him uniquely suited for this monumental task.

By initiating this event, Elmore is leveraging his influence and passion for African cultural diplomacy to foster unity and mutual understanding between these communities. Orange Mound due to Elmore's efforts is to get his community of "Orange Mound" recognized as the birthplace of African cultural diplomacy, serves as a symbolic starting point for this initiative, highlighting its historical and cultural importance.

The proposal by Anthony “Amp” Elmore to hold the “Tom Mboya 70th and 1st Black Family Reunion” in Kisumu, Kenya, is not only historic but also providential. Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, one of the most esteemed and honored African leaders globally, governs Kisumu, the third-largest city in Kenya, situated on the banks of Lake Victoria. Despite his significant stature, in the eyes of many Americans, Governor Nyong’o is often overshadowed by his daughter, Lupita Nyong’o, the Academy Award-winning actress and star of the movie “Black Panther.”

No matter how much can be written about Kisumu, Kenya, and the first Black Family Reunion in America, it can simply be said that we are having the first Black Family Reunion in Africa in the hometown of Lupita Nyong’o, where her father is the Governor. There is no doubt that Lupita Nyong’o will be honored and very much a part of this historic event in her hometown of Kisumu, Kenya. While many African Americans are unfamiliar with or have never traveled to Africa, they know and love Lupita Nyong’o. The prospect of visiting her hometown, knowing that her father is the Governor, instills confidence and excitement in Americans considering traveling to Kisumu, Kenya, for an African American Family Reunion.

Governor Nyong’o of Africa heralds African cultural diplomacy and is most interested in honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the first Black Family Reunion in Africa in 2026. This event highlights the importance of "African cultural diplomacy" by providing a platform for Anthony “Amp” Elmore. Elmore, Memphis’s first 35mm independent theatrical filmmaker, has a history that might have remained untold and obscure in Memphis. However, his 1988 film “The Contemporary Gladiator” premiered in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1990. This premiere marked the first business arrangement between the Kenyan government and an African American, a significant milestone in African history.

Notably, “The Contemporary Gladiator” is the first kickboxing film made in world film history. This is particularly significant for Africa, as it showcases that the first kickboxing film was not Asian or White, as commonly seen in movies, but a Black movie produced about a Black world champion in a Black community.

Anthony “Amp” Elmore also created the first all-African furnished home in America, and perhaps the world, promoting the “Made in Africa” movement. Kisumu, Kenya, provides Elmore with an international platform in Africa, where he is advocating for his Memphis community of Orange Mound to be recognized as the "Birthplace of African cultural diplomacy." The event in Kenya offers Elmore a significant platform to further his mission to bring Africans and African/Americans together.

Anthony “Amp” Elmore emphasized to Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o that the Tom Mboya 70th & 1st African American Family Reunion in Kisumu, Kenya, “Heralds African Cultural Diplomacy.” Elmore explained that even if President William Ruto were to invite Americans to celebrate the first African American Family Reunion in Kenya, it would not carry the same significance as the proposal by Elmore. Elmore connects the event to Dr. King's and Tom Mboya's Legacies. With a 34-year history and relationship with Kenya, Elmore’s celebration uniquely connects Historic Orange Mound—the first community in America built for Blacks by Blacks, recognized in 2016 by former First Lady Michelle Obama as a “Preserve America Community” and mentioned in 2015 by President Obama.

Elmore’s mission to unite Africans and African Americans is rooted in the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kenya’s Tom Mboya. Dr. King referenced Nairobi, Kenya, in his final speech in Memphis on April 3, 1968, and he often visited Orange Mound to get his hair cut eat food. He is pictured at Mt Moriah Church in Orange Mound in 1959 that was bombed in 1958 for hosting NAACP meetings at the Church.

Elmore noted that African Cultural Diplomacy would be significantly heralded through Governor Nyong’o and African dignitaries visiting Orange Mound, with special guest Lupita Nyong’o. This visit would showcase the world the cultural richness of Kenya and its proposed sister city arrangement between Kisumu City Kenya and "Orange Mound."

Elmore plans to arrange for Governor Nyong’o and Kenyan leaders to speak at Mason Temple, where Dr. King delivered his last speech, allowing African leaders and Lupita Nyong’o to show unity, family and culture between Africans and African Americans. This event would highlight the historical foundation of Orange Mound and its significance in African American history.

Such an event would elevate Anthony “Amp” Elmore Sr. and Jr. to Ambassador Status, with their home in Orange Mound serving as a foundation for diplomacy, symbolizing a historical connection to Africa. The film “The Contemporary Gladiator,” along with the support of Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen, further underscores this diplomacy. This initiative not only honors the legacies of Dr. King and Tom Mboya but also strengthens the bonds between African and African American communities, promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Anthony "Amp" Elmore has a very simple plan to connect Africans and African/American and it up to Governor Nyong'o; "Heralds African Cultural Diplomacy." In simple terms make it fun. Anthony "Amp" Elmore explains the trip this way: "Its the "E's": Enriching, Enlightening, Exhilarating, Exceptional
Engaging, Effortless, Enthralling, Expansive. Energizing, Elegant.

Traveling to Kenya for the 1st African/American Family Reunion promises to be an enriching and enlightening experience. The journey is not only entertaining and economical, but also easy and effortless thanks to well-organized travel plans. Visitors will find the trip exhilarating and exceptional, filled with engaging activities that highlight the rich cultural heritage of Kenya. The reunion offers an expansive opportunity to connect with family and history, making it an energizing and enthralling event. The elegance and excellence of Kenya’s landscapes and hospitality will leave a lasting impression, ensuring that this trip is both memorable, meaningful and magic.

Look forward to an upcoming website that will give celebration details.

Anthony Elmore
Orange Mound Black Memphis Hollywood
+1 901-503-3328
email us here

Most African Home in America Video Tour of "Amp" Elmore's made in Africa movement whereas Elmore encourages trade, culture , family and education with Africa

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