By ANN PIERCEALL

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Echoes of the hope-filled, harmonized sounds of Gospel music could be heard for blocks around Quincy's City Hall Saturday afternoon.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Plaza at City Hall played host to the second annual Cultural Festival, sponsored by the Quincy Human Rights Commission and the YWCA Quincy.

Evangelist Ethel Russell of Quincy clapped her hands and sang along with the music. She called the festival a good opportunity for fellowship.

"Music has such a way of calming people's souls, blessing people," she said. "I believe it can bring diverse groups together in fellowship. Music breaks down a lot of barriers that get in the way because everyone can relate to music."

Breaking down some of those barriers is what the Cultural Festival is all about. The festival highlights the history and contributions of African-Americans.

The theme for the festival was "Together We Can Accomplish Great Things." That theme was perhaps best exemplified by the African-American Heritage exhibit.

The exhibit featured an appliqu & eacute;d quilt showing African-American family life and sites in Quincy that played a key role in the culture, such as Lincoln School and First Baptist Church. Also on hand were stories of historic Quincyans and photographs illustrating the life of the African-American community in both Quincy and Hannibal, Mo.

The Rev. Jeff Green of Quincy, who emceed the event, said the festival was a good opportunity not just for fellowship "but to learn about history."

"Our history is very rich in Quincy," he said.

Green said exposing people to diversity creates appreciation for other cultures, something he said that is of the "utmost importance."

"Racism (reflects) ignorance. If you've never experienced another culture you have no appreciation for it," he said.

Green and Russell both said they would like to see the festival include some of the other cultural groups now making their home in Quincy.

That's the plan of festival organizers for future events. Co-chairman Melissa Holden said the hope is to draw representation from the Hispanic and Asian communities in Quincy as well as the "smaller communities we're not so aware of."

Several hundred people had taken part in the festival by day's end. Holden said the neighborhood social atmosphere "brings together people from all kinds of neighborhoods to share some great stories, enjoy some great entertainment and meet some new people."

"We learn to respect each others' differences by learning about each others' cultures," Russell said. "It's definitely a worthwhile opportunity for people to come together to share and to talk."

-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879