On Friday, Aug. 9, the third annual Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation Gala — presented by the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and Primary Wave — will be held on what would’ve been Whitney’s 61st birthday, PEOPLE can announce exclusively.
The date also comes just before the 30th anniversary of the late icon’s three post-apartheid visits and performances in South Africa following Nelson Mandela’s historic 1994 presidential election win. At the time, Whitney, who died in 2012 at age 48, was the first major musician to visit and perform in the newly unified nation.
She performed at Durban’s Kings Park Stadium on Nov. 8, 1994, and at the Ellis Park Stadium (a.k.a. Emirates Airline Park) in Johannesburg on Nov. 12, 1994 — the latter performance was broadcast live and filmed for an HBO special, per her website, titled Whitney: The Concert for a New South Africa.
The superstar singer also gave a third and final performance on Nov. 19, 1994, at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium. In partnership with her foundation, a portion of the trio concerts’ proceeds went to local South African children’s charities.
The upcoming gala honoring Whitney and her special milestone will take place at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta, with Grammy-winning artist Yolanda Adams headlining, plus a “special performance” from the late singer’s brother and longtime duet partner, Gary Houston. Other performers include Gregory Sams and Denisia Denisa, recent winners of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation’s cover song competition.
Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier and Whitney’s sister-in-law, Pat Houston — also president of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation — will host the fundraiser event. It’ll include a silent and online auction and scholarships that will be presented to students studying the arts at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Last month, per a press release, Pat and members of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation traveled to South Africa to revisit a few places Whitney frequented during her November 1994 stay, including the Orlando Children’s Home and the Nelson Mandela home (now the Nelson Mandela Museum), where she planted a tree.
“Our trip to South Africa a few weeks ago was very fulfilling and emotional,” Pat shared in a press statement. “A few of us haven’t been back to South Africa since 1994. Whitney would be proud to know that the Orlando Children’s Home is still there and serving an important and vital purpose in the community. She would also be pleased about some of the substantial growth in the country in many areas. And she would be delighted to know that the tree she planted at the Nelson Mandela Museum is beautiful and still flourishing, and is in a safe place, surrounded by love.”
SOURCE: people.com