BBQ fundraiser Saturday for Elgin documentary
When Prezel Hardy heard about the making of a documentary about the history of Elgin's black community, he knew he wanted to contribute.
"It's a vital part of Elgin's history that has not been documented," Hardy said of "Project 2-3-1: 2 Boxcars. 3 Blocks. 1 City."
"This is an opportunity to give back," he said. "To be part of something historical."
Hardy is the main organizer of a fundraising barbecue noon to 6 p.m. Saturday behind the tennis courts at Lords Park in Elgin. All proceeds will go to the documentary produced by Elgin resident Ernie Broadnax in partnership with Grindstone Productions and the Elgin Area Historical Society.
The documentary, which doesn't have a release date, features interviews with descendants of Elgin's first black families, and notable black figures in Elgin.
The first blacks in Elgin were 110 Civil War refugees, known as "contrabands," who arrived in two boxcars in 1862.
The project has raised all but $12,000 out of a budgeted $85,000 for the documentary plus a traveling exhibit and high school curriculum activities, Elgin Historical Society Director Liz Marston said.
The Kane County Riverboat Fund Program just awarded it a $38,500 grant, she said. Other donors include the city of Elgin and the Seigle Family Foundation. To contribute online, visit elginhistory.org/museum_special_projects.
Broadnax said he's grateful Hardy and other volunteers are coming together for the fundraiser.
"We want to stress that everyone is invited to come," he said. "This is not a black event. This is a communitywide event."
The cost is $5 for children and $10 for adults for pulled pork, baked beans and coleslaw, plus soda and water, said Hardy, who works as a crew leader for Elgin's streets division.
If nothing else, people should come for the pulled pork, which will be cooked by Elgin resident Rodney "Bang" Hunter, Hardy said.
"Bang has street credibility as far as cooking is concerned," he said. "This is one of the few things I do very well - getting people together and cooking, not just food, but great food."