The 2012 Essence Music Festival began on Thursday in New Orleans.

The groundbreaking music festival, that had its' first run in 1995, is a staple celebration for African American music and culture.

Organizers also plan to hold seminars about crime, education, and the upcoming presidential election.

Despite all of this, Essence's main focus is music.

Festival goers can expect performances from Diggy Simmons, the OMG Girls, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, and more.

"It's the biggest black music festival in the United States. What an amazing platform to have the chance at that type of exposure," said Vivian Green, a singer who will be performing on Friday. "A lot of our fans are from small venues that we as artists don't always get to and this event allows us to reach them because the audience includes people from all over."

The festival will run until July 8.

The Cannes Festival winner, "Beasts of the Southern Wild", premiered on Tuesday in New Orleans.

The New Orleans based movie features a 6 year old girl named Hushpuppy along with her father as they face a tragic storm.

"It's really about what it's like to lose the thing that made you", said movie director Benh Zeitlin. "The film is inspired by culture and events in Louisiana but we wanted to elevate it to make it universal. It's about where you come from. Your land is your parent, and there are all these emotional connections that stem from where you come from."

The movie will hit select theaters on July 3.

The United States Southern Baptists elected its' first black president on Tuesday.

The newly-elected president, Fred Luter, is a 55 year old New Orleans pastor.

Luter believes that this win is only the beginning for the U.S Southern Baptists.

"If we stop appointing African-Americans or Asians or Hispanics to leadership roles in this convention, then we've failed," he said. " I want this election to make a difference in the life of this convention."

(Source)