
Check out some of the many ways and reasons Memphis area residents and visitors came together in recent days.
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Following the direction of the Rev. John Brown III, Joseph Thomas Johnson sweeps around his soon to be wife, Kalem Sanada Echols. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Dottie Peoples’ unmistakable presence helped punctuate the 40th Super Sunday Celebration at Mt. Moriah East Baptist Church last Sunday. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Super Sunday host Pastor Dr. Melvin Charles Smith (left) teams up on this hymn with Dr. Larry Howard of Historic Greater Friendship Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Tish Towns, VP/CEO or Regional One Health, and Art Gilliam, president of WLOK Radio, Inc. were two of the three recipients of the 2019 Trailblazer Award. Also honored was Dr. James L. Netters, pastor emeritus of Mt. Vernon Baptist-Church Westwood. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

The Gospel Four, including these two members, contributed mightily to the pleasantness of praise. (Photo Tyrone P. Easley)

The National Council of Negro Women – Memphis/Shelby County Section hosted its annual fashion gala at the Memphis Hilton Hotel last Saturday (Jan. 26). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

A stride of confidence at the fashion gala that the National Council of Negro Women – Memphis/Shelby County Section hosted at the Memphis Hilton Hotel last Saturday (Jan. 26). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Myrtle Malone (left), president of the Memphis/Shelby County Section NCNW, with Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin Johnson. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Trendon Watford of Mountain Brook and James Wiseman of Memphis East put on quite a show at the Hot Bed Classic in New Albany, Miss. Will Watford join Wiseman and fellow East teammate Malcolm Dandridge at the UofM next year? (Photo: Terry Davis)

Otis L. Sanford, Hardin Chair of Excellence in Economic and Managerial Journalism at the University of Memphis; author, political analyst and commentator for WATN-TV Local 24 News; longtime journalist, editorial page editor and former managing editor for The Commercial Appeal; and columnist for the Daily Memphian, accepts the 2018 Communicator of the Year Award from the Memphis Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America during a luncheon at the University Club. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

Otis L. Sanford's family support featured his wife, the Rev. Dr. Elaine Y. Sanford, and their daughter, attorney Mari-Elizabeth Sanford, who introduced her father at the Memphis Chapter PRSA meeting, where he was named Communicator of the Year. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

Jerome Wright (right), director of communications at LeMoyne-Owen College, and Karanja A. Ajanaku, associate publisher/executive of The New Tri-State Defender, reminisce with 2018 Communicator of the Year Otis L. Sanford about their shared days as reporters at The Commercial Appeal. (Photo: Rev. Dr. Elaine Y. Sanford)