Artreece Crum, 10, of Avondale screams to performer Kirk Franklin during his concert Saturday night. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        And on the third day, the crowds came. A star-studded entertainment lineup featuring black, white and Hispanic artists boosted the Billy Graham mission Saturday evening with more people, more energy, and more color.

        After two nights of smaller-than-expected, predominantly white crowds, the Christian music fest put an estimated 50,000 in the stadium, filling seats into the upper levels. Young people began lining up hours before the gates opened for the free event.

        “From this stage, it is good to see every color looking like brothers and sisters. It's beautiful,” singer Kirk Franklin, who is African-American, told the audience. “It looks like a big bag of Skittles!”

        The Rev. Mr. Graham's visit has been touted as a “healing event” that could help reunite Cincinnati, a city that has struggled with riots, boycotts and race relations since April 2001. But some African-American ministers admitted disappointment at the number of blacks attending the first two nights.

Kirk Franklin performs with dc Talk's Michael Tait. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        But Saturday night was different, and Mr. Franklin made the most of it, jokingly cajoling whites in the crowd to “meet and greet three people” they'd normally be afraid to walk past on the street.

        “Where else can a black man stand in front of all these white people and talk about the love of Jesus?” he asked, as the crowed erupted in laughter and cheers.

        Connie Crawford, 18, an African-American from Western Hills, said she “came down to see Kirk Franklin. I never even heard of Billy Graham before.”

        The Rev. Mr. Graham's sermon brought a reminder of Cincinnati's continued racial division. As he called on the crowd to join him in prayer, a plane flew over the stadium 10 times pulling a banner that read: “Boycott Cincinnati. www.cincyboycott.org”

Kavin Max climbs atop two other band members of dc Talk. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        The plane, which flew out of Lunken Airport, did not seem to disrupt either the Rev. Mr. Graham or those in attendance. Its flight along the riverfront lasted nearly 30 minutes. Some in the crowd pointed at it, but the fly-over did not stir the crowd.

        Mr. Graham included appeals for racial unity in his sermons the first two nights. On Thursday night, he said: “Whether their color is dark or it is light, we are to love each other and work together.”

        Some black ministers said attendance may have been affected by sympathy for the boycott against downtown, which has been called by the Cincinnati Black United Front and other groups. The boycott called a year ago urges conventions and entertainers not to visit Cincinnati and asks residents and tourists not to spend money downtown.

        Boycott leaders had asked the Rev. Mr. Graham to stay away from Cincinnati, but he refused.

James Blanchard, 11 of Hamilton holds hands with his neighbors during Kirk Franklinšs concert. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        Delmaro Dowell of Bond Hill was glad the evangelist was in the Queen City, but wished more African-Americans were in the crowd.

        “To some degree, it surprises me that there aren't more Afri can-Americans here. But what a mostly white crowd says to me is that Caucasian people are also interested in equality,” he said.

        “But I want to see more African-Americans here. The way I see it, not only Caucasians need to hear Billy Graham's message. We need to hear it too, so we can also be involved in the change and not just a background to it. We need to be part of the forefront. I'll be back tomorrow, I hope with some friends.”

        David Lyons, 32, Bond Hill, wasn't surprised to see so few African-Americans. “It's the man, Billy Graham, who brings the people out. I think if this was a crowd here for just the music (dc Talk and Kirk Franklin), you'd see more African-Americans like us. I'm here with my mother (her second night and she'll be back tonight), my two children, my sister and her husband. We feel good about being here.”

Was boycott a factor?

        The Rev. Damon Lynch Jr., co-chair of the mission, had predicted better turnout Saturday night, especially with Mr. Franklin as a drawing card.

Bootsy Collins enjoys dc Talk. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch, whose son the Rev. Damon Lynch III is a leader of the boycott movement, said some African-Americans chose not to attend for the same reasons some whites do. Many are working, attending other events or simply uninterested in the Rev. Mr. Graham, he said.

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch said he's been pleased with and thankful for the African-American turnout so far. He said many blacks are serving as volunteers, counselors and choir members. And while African-Americans may be tough to spot in a sea of white faces, the Rev. Mr. Lynch assured they are out there.

        “You just have to seek them out,” he said. “At an event like this one, you're always going to see more white folks than black folks, and that's because of the fact there are more white folks in this city ... .

        “But, that's not our main concern. We just want that stadium filled with people who are coming to seek Christ.”

        Several veteran African-American ministers said African-American turnout was much higher than it was during the Rev. Mr. Graham's last visit to Cincinnati 25 years ago.

        “When he was here before, there were almost no people of color in the audience,” said the Rev. Rousseau O'Neal, pastor of Rockdale Baptist Church in Avondale.
       

        Richelle Thompson contributed to this report.

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