A Slice of History: Unity in Action
June 19, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Wyoming State Museum Classroom
Discover the powerful civil rights legacy of Cheyenne's Allen Chapel and the generations of Black leaders who helped shape our community—and our state.
Join us for the perfect pairing of pizza and history featuring Rev. Dr. Hilton McClendon Sr., pastor at Allen Chapel AME Church in Cheyenne, and Jim Byrd, a fifth-generation Wyomingite and former state legislator. The evening will begin with a round of trivia to win a $50 gift card, followed by stories and reflections from Hilton and Jim on local and national civil rights activism.
All attendees who register and attend the event will be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card. Register here.
Speaker Bios:
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The Rev. Dr. Hilton J McClendon, Sr. is pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church in Cheyenne. He began preaching as a child, 58 years ago. Since that time, he has pastored more than seven churches and has “church planted” three churches. He founded and is president of I Am My Brother’s and Sister's Keeper of Cheyenne homeless ministry. The Rev. Dr. McClendon is a chaplain with the Cheyenne Police Department for the past six years. He has more than 20 years' experience producing, directing, and hosting television shows across the country. In 2019, he started the Sunday morning TV show "Moments of Inspiration" on Fox 27 in Cheyenne. He is a member of the Cheyenne Kiwanis Club and the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce. The Rev. Dr. McClendon loves to sing, especially gospel songs, and has four recordings, one of which, “Projection of Love,” can be found on Spotify.
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Jim Byrd is a fifth-generation Wyomingite who grew up in Cheyenne, graduating from Central High School in 1972 and going on to study Geology/Geophysics, Computer Science, and Psychology from the University of Wyoming. His decades-long career has included engineering, geophysical processing, and data network & server security. His mother, Harriet “Liz” Byrd, was the first African-American woman in the Wyoming Legislature, and his grandfather, Robert “Buck” Rhone, was in the first graduating class of Cheyenne Central High School. Following in their civic footsteps, Jim represented House District 44 in the Wyoming Legislature from 2009 to 2019, was elected Minority Whip in 2013, and elected Minority Caucus Chairman in 2015. He served on multiple House Committees including Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions; Minerals, Business and Economic Development; and Capitol Building Rehabilitation and Restoration. He enjoys public service and is deeply supportive of the Cheyenne community, volunteering for Head Start, Learning with Legislators, We the People, Cheyenne Juneteenth Celebration, and Cheyenne Frontier Days.
What to expect:
- 6:25 - Doors open
- 6:30 - Arrive, grab some food, and listen to music while everyone settles in.
- 6:40 - Enjoy a quick round of trivia on civil rights, Juneteenth, and Black history in Wyoming and around the country.
- 7:00 - We’ll determine our trivia winner and select the winner of our $50 door prize.
- 7:05 - Hear a quick intro on the significance of Juneteenth and why we’re celebrating it as part of Cheyenne’s annual Civic Season programming.
- 7:10 - Hilton McClendon speaks.
- 7:30 - Jim Byrd speaks.
- 7:50 - Q&A/Socializing
