Every year the National Black Arts Festival explores the African-American experience . . . with emphasis on both parts.

There's always the international marketplace

. . . and a film festival

. . . and art exhibits and performances

. . . and new for this year: NBAF "encourages festival-goers to trace ancestry to their African origins" -- with DNA mapping. Seems NBAF tested Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey, choreographer Fatima Robinson, and singer Mark Anthony Thompson, and they're all of Senegal/Gambia area origin. So NBAF sent 'em over there to create "a multi-layered, multi-discipline expression of their interpretation of this once in a lifetime historical and artistic journey." The projects, Returnal and In the Returnal are on display now.

July 20 -29!