Walker County African American Historical and Alumni Association looks forward to 2022
The Walker County African American Historical and Alumni Association
Inc. (WCAAHAA) has worked to fulfill its mission to preserve, document and educate themselves and others about the history and legacy of African Americans of Walker County and northwest Georgia for two decades. Now the organization is seeking African American artifacts for a new museum.
The organization feels inclusion is the answer to positive change; thus, the group formed the Walker County African American History and Heritage Museum and Memorial Park Task Force. The task force announced last summer it would work to develop a museum and memorial park in the county seat to highlight the African American heritage of Walker County beyond enslavement. The antebellum and Civil War heritage displayed throughout the county at the Gordon-Lee Mansion, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, John Ross House, Marsh House, Chattooga Academy and other facilities and Confederate memorials display an important heritage for European Americans, Native Americans and African Americans in the antebellum era; however, visitors might deduce Walker County African Americans’ history as one of only enslavement.
LaFayette City Council and the Walker County Board of Commissioners respectively approved the task force’s proposals to create an African American memorial park on the former car wash property on West Villanow Street and to house Walker County African American Museum and Heritage Center in the county’s Wardlaw Building, presently known as the Welcome Center in downtown LaFayette.
This social, economic and educational leap for Walker County will give Walker County additional resources for students and citizens to explore the rich and diverse history that developed the county plus additional venues to attract young tourists and upcoming generations to its county seat.
To tell the complete story of Walker County’s existence since about 1833, the task force must design the park and museum and raise more than $200,000.
This museum and park represent all Walker County citizens, and the task force is accepting all positive and constructive suggestions from the community to create a museum and park that Walker County’s citizens are proud of ownership.
Completion of this project will take a considerable amount of time. However, the group hopes to have the first exhibit for the museum entitled “Buildings We Built,” sponsored by the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Georgia Council for the Arts, in place by mid-May. This exhibit will highlight buildings built by African Americans during reconstruction and the early 1900s, the talents of local artists of Walker and Chattooga counties. Lead artist and co-chair is Vince Stalling.
Also, WCAAHAA is highlighting 2022 African American History Month by sponsoring a T-shirt design contest for the museum and park for Walker County students,
public and private, ages 6 to 19 years. This committee is chaired by Mrs. Tony Davis, Mr. Tyrone Davis and Dr. Kisha Caldwell-Thomas. Also, WCAAHAA will hold an open discussion on Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. via Zoom with the Walker County Historical Society on “New Discoveries in African American History in Walker County and Northwest Georgia.”
Furthermore, WCAAHAA is looking forward to partnering with the Prince Hall Masonic Grand Lodge of Georgia in the preservation of the Prince Hall affiliated Chickamauga Masonic Lodge Hall No. 221; the continuation of WCAAHAA’s popular television show, Beverly’s
Historical Moments aired on UCTV/265 and Facebook; and the 2022 E.D. Ward Essay and Scholarship Contest and Fonnie Mae Porter awards for graduating seniors of Ridgeland and LaFayette High schools, committee chaired by Ms. Donnie McLin and Mr. William Nelson.
The task force and WCAAHAA are reaching out to the community for African American artifacts (those items used by your father, grandparents, church, school, ancestors, etc.) and stories for display in the museum.
For additional information or to support these efforts, contact chair Beverly Foster at 678-371-4106.