Crafting Freedom

Born a slave, Lunsford Lane bought his freedom. Now North Carolina is honoring him. Lunsford Lane was born to slavery in Raleigh in 1803, but slowly saved enough money to buy his freedom for $1,000, chopping wood at night and selling to***co pipes to members of the state legislature. He will get a historic marker near the Capitol.

Exciting News! A new document found that George M. Horton wrote and.. it's NOT a poem! See: New documents can always be ferreted out that give us clues to the past !

In a Lost Essay, a Glimpse of an Elusive Poet and Slave A previously unknown manuscript by George Moses Horton, a poet and slave, opens a window onto eerily familiar debates about race, power and free speech on campus.

Telling Stories: History through the Eyes of the Enslaved

PINEVILLE, N.C. – A communal dinner, public workshop and a safe place for community conversations around race, history and culture, along with a historical perspective on what led to where we are today, comprise the Slave Dwelling Project Weekend, Sept. 29-30.

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, the Slave Dwelling Project; North Carolina African American Heritage Commission and the North Carolina Humanities Council will offer a series of events centered on historic preservation, interpretation, community and family. A communal dinner, Friday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m., will be held at the Harvey B. Gantt Center in Charlotte. A day of living history, Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. will be at the President Polk Historic Site.

Friday evening will offer an intimate experience to fill the hearts, souls and stomachs at the Gantt Center. Joseph McGill, founder and executive director of the Slave Dwelling Project, is the keynote presenter. For the past three years he has undertaken to identify extant slave dwellings and work for their preservation. During the evening’s “Soul Stories: A Family Dinner” program he will encourage participants to think differently about the preservation and interpretation of slave dwellings. He also will relate his experiences interpreting slavery at presidential sites and museums.

Following the keynote address, guests can enjoy good food and intimate discussions of topics that may include race, U.S. slavery, family ties, home and southern culture. Tickets for the Friday dinner are $40 and available at www.ganttcenter.org. Doors open at 5:30, dinner is 6-8 p.m. at the Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, 551 S. Tryon St., Charlotte.

For a complete immersion, visitors are invited to “The Stories We Tell: Cabin Sleepover Experience” at President James K. Polk Historic Site in Pineville, starting at 9 p.m. Purchase of tickets to “Soul Stories” is required to be entered in a lottery for selection to participate in the sleepover. Tickets must be purchased by Sept. 8.

A living history village will be created at President Polk site for Saturday’s “Inalienable Rights: Living History Through the Eyes of the Enslaved” program. Families are invited to encounter costumed interpreters who will tell stories, present lectures and demonstrate skills related to the lives of the enslaved, including cooking, quilting, brickmaking and blacksmithing. The free program Saturday will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

Home The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture celebrates the contributions of Africans and African-Americans to American culture and serves as a community epicenter for music, dance, theater, visual art, film, arts education programs, literature and community outreach.

MARCH 1, 2017 is the DEADLINE for applications. Application is ON-LINE this year and VERY easy! Participants are given a $1200 expenses stipend and those who drive to the workshop can take home $800+ of that stipend ! Please visit http://thomasday.net/crafting-freedom-neh-landmarks-work…/…/ for application details. Please share with your colleagues and friends!