Schedule of Events

August 30, 2019 (5-7 pm)

The Importance of Education

Dr. Alvin D. Jackson will present a lecture on the life and legacy of Professor William James, founder of the Statesboro High and Industrial School in Statesboro, Bulloch County Georgia.

August 31,2019

400 Years of African-American History Opening Event

Master of Ceremony – Khalil Maycock

Proclamations and Resolutions

• Senator Jack Hill

• Bulloch County Commissioners

• Portal Mayor Billy Boggs

• Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar

Telling Our Stories (9:00 – 11:00 am)

• Alvin D. Jackson, MD and Amir Jamal Toure, JD

• Emigration to Liberia – Mrs. Ngoanathabo Hall

• Abu-majied Major - Master Drummer with Yusuf Major

Community Preservation Symposium (11:00 am – 1:00 pm)

• Jeanne Cyriaque - Chair of the Board of Directors, Georgia Humanities and former African-American Programs Coordinator. Historic Preservation Division.  Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

• Tamika Strong – Georgia Archives, Reference Archivist. (She is known throughout the Atlanta metro area for her work in African American Genealogy and Community Archives. Additionally, she has been collecting and preserving funeral programs for quite some time.)

• Cassandra Easley (Memphis Tennessee): A Nashville woman is so convinced of the many untold stories of Black History in Nashville, she's starting her own newspaper.  https://www.wsmv.com/news/daughter-follows-in-father-s-step-with-black-history/article_ed2deec2-3955-11e9-af98-2f972513a54b.html

Willow Hill Festival (12-5 PM)

• Vendors, family activities, museum tours

Exhibits Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Slavery in America

• Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek by Isaac McCaslin

• “Many Thousands Gone” - Prepared by Eric Saul and Amy Fisk in cooperation with The Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing, Inc, Patt Gilliard Gunn, President.

• Beyond Property:  Slavery in Coastal Plain Georgia 1650-1865 – Prepared by Georgia Southern Museum and Department of History

• 3:30 – 4:30 PM – Storytelling by Lillian Grant-Baptiste

Willow Hill All Class Reunion (6:00 – 9:00 pm)

September 1, 2019

Soul Food Dinner Buffet by Touch of Class ( Annette McCray ) $15 Fundraiser

• Entree Smoked Chicken and Fried Whiting

• Sides: Yellow rice , Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Black Eyed peas and Butter bean mix

• Green Salad , Yeast rolls and dessert. Beverage: Tea, Lemonade, water

• dinner served from 2:00 PM until 3:30 PM

Presentation:  Patt Gunn, Gullah Geechee Master Storyteller with guitarist and folk singer, Sirdeepy Frazier.

 Museum Tours

Maternal Health Symposium (postponed due to weather) TBD ( tentative date October 19th)

9:00-9:30 Continental Breakfast-sponsored by WellCare health plan

9:30-9:45 Introduction of the Experts

9:45-10:45 Expert Panel

Problem overview and Perinatal Collaborative Lauren Nunally

Maternal Complications overview Dr. Keisha Reddick MD

Capturing the Voices of Georgia Mom’s Dr. Heidi Altman PHD Georgia Mom’s Project

                                      15 min Break

11:00-11: 30 Break-out sessions Community members

 11:30 -12:00 Presentations and wrap up.

Sep 14 , 2019 (Saturday) – 8 am

·       “If These Cemeteries Could Talk”

• Banks Creek Church

• Munlin Cemetery

• Hodges Cemetery

Sep 21, 2019(Saturday)

A taste of struggle Slave Cooking with Clarissa and Cheryl

• Cooking Demonstrations & Museum Tours 9 AM – 4 PM (free)

• Dinner Served at 5 PM (Donation $50)

• Clarissa Clifton - African American Foods Historian

• Chef Cheryl Henry – Hearth Cooking Specialist

Sep 28,2019 (Saturday)

Social Justice Symposium – Attorney Francys Johnson (Moderator)

• Voting Rights (1-3 PM)

• Segregation/Integration (3:15 – 5 PM)

• Meet the Panelist Reception (5-6 PM)

·       Panelists

• New Georgia Project

• People’s Agenda

• NAACP

• Lawyers Committee for Voting Rights

·       Sponsor; NAACP