The largest African-American cultural event in the nation is the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) Summer Celebration held annually in Indianapolis. Expo’s diverse events showcase the African-American experience – arts, religion, business, economics, education, politics, sports, entertainment and youth activities. The 36th annual Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration is scheduled for July 16-22, 2007.

IBE was founded in Indianapolis in 1970 by a group of religious and civic leaders. In 1971, the same group created an exposition at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to showcase the achievements of African Americans in the areas of culture, art, history and economics.

Since then, the IBE Summer Celebration has outgrown the fairgrounds and relocated to the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome, where it has flourished to become the largest and longest running exposition of its kind in the country.

Today, Indiana Black Expo has grown from a single annual event to a year-round, multifaceted community service organization with 13 chapters in the state of Indiana. Through their many workshops, IBE has played a critical role in addressing issues that reflect the needs and desires of African Americans.