East Central Community College in Decatur held its annual Black History Month program on Feb. 24 in the Vickers Fine Arts Auditorium. The featured speaker, Mayor Juan Barnett, who is the first African American elected to serve as mayor of Heidelburg, spoke about the history of black economic empowerment. Barnett is in his third term as mayor. He is a Gulf War veteran, and a 1988 graduate of Heidelberg High School and attended Livingston University. Former ECCC Assistant Coach for Men’s Basketball Brandon D. Cornelius served as the master of ceremonies. Cornelius, who is the head girls’ basketball coach at Rowan Middle School in Jackson, also serves as senior associate pastor of the City of Destiny Church in Jackson. The program included special performances by ECCC Gospel Choir members, under the student direction of Dee Walker of Hickory and sponsored by Brenda K. Johnson.