Walker County African American Historical and Alumni Association Inc.: A busy first semester
Walker County African American Historical and Alumni Association Inc. is having a very busy year. Our executive officers are Beverly Foster, president; William Nelson, vice president; Sadie Morgan, secretary; Sallie Roberts, assistant secretary; Tabitha Beverly, treasurer; Alma Benton, assistant treasurer; and Donna McLin, scholarships and awards. Our extended Board Members are: Stacci Pittman, Dr. Kisha Caldwell-Thomas, Ed.D., Rev. James Clark and Stacey Suttle. Our Cultural Museum and Memorial Park Task Force members are: Beverly Foster, chair; Stacey Suttle, assistant chair; Robert Wardlaw, Tonya Davis, Connie Forrester, Eddie Foster Sr., Tyrone Davis, Willie Davis, Alice Coven, Robert Marsh, Gail Ware, David Hamilton, Andy Arnold and Eddie Upshaw. Special thanks for contributions and assistance on special projects to Dr. David Boyle, PhD and Mr. Stan Porter.
In February, WCAAHAA was surprised and greatly appreciates recognition as the Walker County Chamber of Commerce most outstanding civic organization for 2021. Also, we are continuing our television show. Beverly’s Historical Moments with host Beverly C. Foster and Dr. David Boyle, PhD serving as advisor. This show highlights African American historical events of Walker County and northwest Georgia airing live monthly on the fourth Thursday at 7 pm on UCTV/265 cable network and Facebook. The community is invited to offer suggestions for topics. Additionally, WCAAHAA continues to develop positive partnerships with civic, charity, preservation and volunteer organizations.
WCAAHAA continues as historian for the Wood Station African American Cemetery preservation group. Wood Station, also known as Woodstation, African American Cemetery is believed to have been organized, circa 1915. Approximately one acre of land was donated by the families of Mr. and Mrs. Adolphus and Mary Batts-Woods, and Mr. and Mrs. Dewitt Warthen & Virginia “Virgie” Woods-Warthen. It is most remarkable how once enslaved Adolphus Wood, born circa 1848 and Mary Woods, born circa 1850 were able to obtain a 160 acre farm and donate land for the building of a community church and cemetery. Also, WCAAHAA continues as historian for the Lytle Cemetery located on Long Hollow Road, Chickamauga and the Napier Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church and Cemetery Preservation Task Force of the Center Post Community.
WCAAHAA proudly announces the approval of the Georgia Civil War Commission, Mr. John Culpepper, Chairman, selection of Napier Chapel A.M.E. Zion Cemetery as part of the Georgia Civil War Trail. This Commission will be placing an interpretative sign on the property believed to have been organized and built in the Center Post Community circa 1867 by those once enslaved in that community by the McWhorter, Powell, Napier, Dougherty, etc. families. According to oral history and some descendants of Captain Nathan Campbell Napier, the two acre property was provided to the African American community by Confederate Captain Nathan Campbell Napier and/or his wife, Julia Sharpe- Napier. Captain Napier lost the sight of his right eye fighting for the Confederacy at the Battle of Big Hill in Kentucky, Oct. 15, 1862. The African American community organized a church and cemetery on the property. The interpretative sign will highlight Pastor Leola Payne and several others such as Col. Dougherty’s once enslaved African Americans, Mr. & Mrs. Henry and Betty Haralson. Furthermore, the church housed a school recognized by the Walker County Board of Education, circa 1934 to 1950. Ms. Katherine Shoemaker-Stevenson at the age of 12, circa 1947 began her first year of academic education at Napier Chapel A. M. E. Zion Church School. Although in an extremely distressed condition, the church burned under mysterious conditions in November, 2020. Both the Wood Station and the Napier Chapel cemeteries remain active burial sites. All cemeteries are protected by Georgia State laws.
Walker County African American Museum and Cultural Center’s premiere exhibit, “Buildings We Built,” is scheduled to open on June 25, 2022, 3 to 6 pm at the Center, 309 North Main Street, LaFayette. However, if the building’s renovations are not complete, the exhibit will be held at the Marsh-WarthenClements House located immediately across the street. Buildings We Built is an art exhibit showcasing the talents of local northwest Georgian artists: Vince Stalling, Maurice Chaney, Ashleigh McLin, Billy Smith, Paisley Lawson and Jaseric Chaney. Admission will be $5 for adults and $1.00 for students. Also, we are hoping to have the Museum and Memorial Park t-shirts ready. Those T-shirts will feature the artwork of Stone Creek Elementary students: Cayleigh Williams, Clara Williamson and Isacc Loftin; Mrs. Jennifer Hairston-Wolfe, teacher; and Chattanooga Valley Middle School students: Alexis Blakemore, Zayda Bird and Malia Jones; Ms. Susanne Bowling, teacher. This exhibit is supported by generous grants from the Lyndhurst Foundation and The Georgia Council for the Arts.
WCAAHAA is proud to announce Prince Hall Affiliated Chickamauga Masonic Lodge Hall #221 has received an offer of a generous donation financing restoration and renovation of the Lodge (maximum $250,000) from a metro-Atlanta philanthropist wishing to remain anonymous. Therefore, restoration and all donations are in the capable hands of the owners, Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia, Mr. Corey Shackleford, Sr., Grand Master and Kenneth Morgan, Grant Trustee. Mr. James Washington, Past Master and a member of Prince Hall Affiliated Holland Lodge #47 of Chattooga County, additional new owners of Chickamauga Lodge #221, is project manager. Please contact those capable persons concerning renovation progress. Also, please contact the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia concerning donations and transparency. WCAAHAA’s position will be one of advisory only as requested by the above entities concerning Chickamauga Lodge #221 continual listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
WCAAHAA has received a generous grant of $15,000 from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021 Subaward from the Georgia Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. “Georgia Humanities connects people and communities to encourage understanding and inspire hope.” They are the “only organization in Georgia providing statewide support of the humanities.” In this role, they “share and support programming that engages all ages and backgrounds to explore what shapes us as individuals and binds us together as Georgians.” This grant will be
used to update WCAAHAA’s twenty year, one page obsolete website and social media presence, develop a timeline exhibit for the Museum and a webinar or video highlighting the history of Walker County’s African Americans for use by fifth to tenth grade students. To learn more about Georgia Humanities and its initiatives, please visit www.georgiahumanities.org.
WCAAHAA is receiving a generous grant of $50,819 from a Subaward made by the American Historical Association under the Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This grant award is funded under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), and is authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (Public Law 117-2) and 20 U.S.C. 956, et seq.
WCAAHAA is one of fifty grant recipients, which include site-based organizations, membership associations, and history departments at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Award will implement short-term projects that explore new ideas or build on experiments initiated during the pandemic — from online programming or publications to using new technologies or expanding audiences and accessibility.
“The past two years have been challenging for small history organizations, “said James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association. “Our awardees have made compelling cases for their status as essential resources, making vital contributions to public culture. The American Historical Association (AHA) is pleased to provide funding for our colleagues to promote historical work, historical thinking, and the presence of history in public life.”
“NEH is grateful to the American Historical Association for administering American Rescue Plan funding to help history organizations around the country recover from the pandemic,” said NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo). “Small museums, historical societies, college history departments, historic sites, and community archives are essential to keeping and telling America’s story. These ARP awards will allow these institutions to develop new programs and resources that will expand access to this important history.”
WCAAHAA will be using this grant in a project titled Covid-19 Challenges: Developing Walker County’s first African American Museum and to sustain the organization’s historical television show, fund an assistant museum director position and a consultant to assist with “best methods” such as taxes and legalities and museum supplies and materials.
About the American Historical Association:
Founded in 1884 and incorporate by Congress in 1889 for the promotion of historical studies, the American Historical Association provides leadership for the discipline and promotes the critical role of historical thinking in public life. The Association defends academic freedom, develops professional standards, supports innovative scholarship and teaching, and helps to sustain and enhance the work of historians. As the largest membership association of professional historians in the world (nearly 12,000 members), the AHA serves historians in a wide variety of professions and represents every historical era and geographical area.
About the National Endowment for the Humanities: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.