Presentations and Schedule

2023 AACC Program SCHEDULE 

Saturday, January 28, 2023
10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 

*Hands-on children’s activity
**A book signing will follow these presentations.
***American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available.

Ask at one of the information desks about accessibility options, including availability of wheelchairs, cool-down kits, or noise-suppressing headphones, as well as other assistance.

To allow maximum visitor participation, you may be asked to leave your seats after some sessions.
 Please feel free to explore more or get back in line for another presentation.

Opening Kickoff
10:30–11 a.m. 

Bicentennial Plaza to Lobby, Level 1

Procession
Join the procession up Bicentennial Plaza and into the museum lobby to open the event! 

Jonkonnu and the United States Colored Troops Reenactment Group
https://www.tryonpalace.org/jonkonnu

Goldsboro Cougars Marching Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oml1X70oJf4 

Welcoming Remarks
Adrienne Nirdé, associate director, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission

D. Reid Wilson, secretary, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson, chair, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, and dean, Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, Shaw University
https://aahc.nc.gov/

 

Musical Performance
Dorthea Taylor, singer, musician, Shaw University choir director: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorthea-taylor-b9413128/

Access the QR code for background information, music, and lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

 

 

CELEBRATE Culture: Exhibits
9 a.m.–5 p.m. 

Level 1

The Story of North Carolina 
Highlights of the museum’s chronological history exhibit include the Woolworth’s lunch counter from Salisbury, examples of Thomas Day–made furniture, some Arliss A. Watford Sr. wood carvings, a George SerVance dancing doll, and Martin County’s Purvis cabin, where enslaved persons dwelled.

Seeking Liberty in Halifax 
Traveling exhibit from Historic Halifax State Historic Site that includes five six-foot-tall, pop-up displays. The exhibit expands upon the Halifax freedom-seeking narrative and juxtaposes the Underground Railroad story with the American Revolution’s promise of freedom.

Level 3

North Carolina A to Z
Showcases a diverse array of people, places, events, and objects from North Carolina’s history through the lens of an alphabetical framework. The exhibition features works by George SerVance, Arliss A. Watford Sr., and Ben Watford, as well as a performance outfit worn by Cleonia Badgett Graves (of the Badgett Sisters) and the kitchen table used by the “Oval Table Gang” of Raleigh civil rights activists for planning meetings. Images and biographies highlight African Americans throughout the gallery. 

Answering the Call: Experiences of North Carolina’s Military Veterans, 1898–1945
Explores North Carolina’s military history from the late 1800s to World War II through artifacts, vignettes, graphics, videos, and oral histories. Learn about Dr. Manassa T. Pope and his involvement in the Spanish-American War, see artifacts associated with a WWII Tuskegee Airman, and discover how African Americans have contributed to all branches of our nation’s armed service.

North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
Features more than 200 items representing a variety of athletes, coaches, and supporters who have made their mark in the sports world. Highlights include a baseball uniform worn by Buck Leonard, the first North Carolinian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame; a golf club used by Charlie Sifford, the first African American to win a tournament on the PGA tour; track shoes worn by Olympic long jumper Kathy McMillan; and Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem Globetrotters basketball uniform.

 

CELEBRATE Music, Movement, and Drama

Lobby Stage, Level 1
Host: Sandra Dubose, award-winning motivational speaker, author, leadership and personal development coach, multitalented performing artist

Noon–12:30 p.m.   Freddy Greene: saxophone
https://www.freddygreene.com/

1–1:30 p.m.   Winifred Garrett: harpist
https://www.fayettevillesymphony.org/winifred-garrett-harp/

2–2:30 p.m.   Dwight Hawkins: guitar, with saw and bones
https://www.waltermagazine.com/people/off-duty-dwight-hawkins/
 
3–3:30 p.m.   Corey Leak: vocalist
https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/cca-singers/

4–4:30 p.m.   Sandra Dubose: vocalist
www.sandradubose.com

Auditorium Stage, Daniels Auditorium, Level 1
Host: Warren Keyes, singer, regional stage and voice-over actor
https://www.ourstate.com/warren-keyes/
https://www.backstage.com/u/warren-keyes/

11–11:30 a.m.   Singing in a Strange Land: A History of Negro Spirituals
Dorthea Taylor, singer, musician, Shaw University choir director 

11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.   SOULOWORKS/Andrea E. Woods and Dancers
https://www.souloworks.com/

***12:30–1:15 p.m.   North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers: storytelling vignettes
http://www.ncabstellers.org/
https://www.facebook.com/North-Carolina-Association-of-Black-Storytellers-Inc-361127823952037/

1:30–2 p.m.   Shelton Powe: blues
https://musicmaker.org/ 

2:15–2:45 p.m.   Sallie B. Howard School Student Showcase
https://salliebhowardschool.com/

3–3:30 p.m.   United Strings of Color
https://www.unitedstringsofcolor.org/

4–4:30 p.m.   Marc Silvey and the Wandering Disciples
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088667079509&mibextid=LQQJ4d

 

CELEBRATE Literature and the Spoken Word

Demonstration Gallery, Level 1
Cohosts: Valonda Calloway, author, spokesperson, presentation and media trainer; and Angel Dozier, creative strategist and concept artist, Be Connected Durham

**11:15 a.m.–noon   Picture Book Panel: Embodied History and Sense of Place
Adrea Theodore, author of A History of Me; Michelle Lanier, author of My NC From A to Z; and Judy Allen Dodson, author of The Ashe Brothers: How Arthur and Johnnie Changed Tennis Forever 
 
**12:15–12:45 p.m.   Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh 
Carmen Cauthen, author of Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh
https://www.researchandresource.com/

1–1:30 p.m.  Poetry and Spoken Word Showcase
Poetry showcase with Khalisa Rae Thompson
 
**1:45–2:30 p.m.   Fantasy Worlds for Young People 
Kwame Mbalia, author of the Tristan Strong series, Last Gate of the Emperor series, Black Boy Joy, and more; and Stephanie Williams, author of Nubia & the Amazons and many more

**2:45–3:15 p.m.   Adult Fiction Novelist
Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy 

3:30–4:15 p.m.   Black Booksellers: Curating Rofhiwa Book Café 
Beverley Boitumelo Makhubele and Naledi Yaziyo. A conversation about the founding of Rofhiwa Book Café in Durham and curation of its collection.

 

CELEBRATE History, Enterprise, and Film

Longleaf Classroom, SECU Education Center, Level R
Host: Earl Ijames, curator, North Carolina Museum of History

11:45–12:15 p.m.   Africa to Carolina Exhibit
Amber Mi’Chelle Pelham, PhD candidate, George Mason University, Africa to Carolina Research Fellow, NC African American Heritage Commission
This exhibit includes information about the Middle Passage, conditions on slave ships, the slave-trading business, laws concerning importation of enslaved people, and methods of their resistance. 
https://aahc.nc.gov/programs/africa-carolina

12:30–1 p.m.   Interview with Sam Lathan: Keeping the Beat 
Sam Lathan, musician, drummer for the Monitors
https://afamwilsonnc.com/2019/02/16/an-afternoon-with-mr-lathan/

1:15–1:45 p.m.   Harnett County: The African American Experience 
Desi Campbell, executive director, Harnett County African American Heritage Festival
https://africanamericanexperience.org/about-the-director

2–2:30 p.m.   Freedom Farmers in Edgecombe County
Turcois Vazquez, director of operations and director of Historic and Cultural Preservation, Freedom.org; and Kendrick Ransome, cofounder of Freedom Organization and owner of Golden Organic Farm 
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2022/02/28/edgecombe-county-black-farming-incubator1 
https://www.facebook.com/GoldenOrganicFarmLLC/

2:45–3:15 p.m.   Freedom Town, Union Town, Beaufort
Pastor William Ellison, Queen Street Missionary Church; and 
Sharon Harker, first African American mayor of Beaufort
https://coastalreview.org/2022/02/beauforts-union-town-civil-war-marker-unveiling-set/

3:30–4 p.m.   The Legacy of Newspaper Legend Mary Alice Thatch  
Cash Michaels, award-winning journalist and writer
https://www.ncspin.com/cash-michaels
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/us/mary-alice-thatch-dead.html

 

CELEBRATE Craft and Art Traditions

Level 1

Warren Goodson: walking-stick carving and woodburning     http://www.warrengoodsonart.com/
*African American Quilt Circle: quilting     https://www.facebook.com/AAQC.Durham.NC/
Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins: puppet making     http://www.jeghetto.com/

Level 3

Jonathan Daniel: wire art https://www.unitedarts.org/artist-directory/artist-directory/wire-boy.2123318   https://www.facebook.com/JD-Wire-Art-308749755917792/
Pinkie Strother: miniatures and clay figurines     http://pinkiesart.com/
Betty Williams White: millinery (hat making) 
Neal Thomas: white-oak basketmaking     http://thecosmiclemniscate.com/villageofyesteryear/locate-us/craftsmen-by-craft/split-oak-baskets---neal.html 
Shawn Etheridge: painting the North Carolina HBCU Series
Yolonda Jordan: crochet dolls—My Pretty Brown Doll ~Embracing the Pretty in Every Shade of Brown
yjordan@myprettybrowndoll.com
Facebook.com/myprettybrowndoll
Instagram.com/myprettybrowndoll
Ann Miller Woodford: painting     https://annstree.com
Corliss Owen: painting    https://dggallerync.com/collections/works-by-corliss-r-owen 
https://www.facebook.com/corliss.owen/

SECU Education Center

*Ben Watford: pottery 
https://www.greatergoodgallery.com/ben-alden-watford.html

 

CELEBRATE Education and Heritage

Dogwood Classroom, SECU Education Center, Level R
Cohosts: Naomi Shakir Feaste, director, Cultural Enrichment Services; and Najla McClain, program director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Duke University

12:15–12:45 p.m.   Sallie B. Howard School 
Teri Burnette, independent filmmaker, instructor, Sallie B. Howard School

1–1:30 p.m.   BLACK EDUCATION, Part I: Virtues of the Past—Legacy of Peabody Academy (1880–1968) 
T. Brookshire Harris, Peabody Academy

1:45–2:15 p.m.   BLACK EDUCATION, Part II: Voices of the Present and a Vision for the Future—The Laurinburg Institute (1904–2017) 
Frank H. McDuffie Jr., Laurinburg Institute

2:30–3 p.m.   The Legacy of Clara Mohammed Schools in NC and Beyond
Dr. Judy Rashid, former teacher and principal, Sister Clara Mohammed School in Winston-Salem, NC (1973–1988); retired university administrator
Jean Abdul Rahman, Black Voters Matter
Naomi Shakir Feaste, former principal/directress of Sister Clara Mohammed School in Raleigh, NC; 
founder of and independent researcher with New Africa Legacies—NALs

3:15–3:45 p.m.   Are We READI? Building Healthy Black Communities 
Dr. Nadine Barrett, medical sociologist, health disparities researcher, health equity strategist and leader

4–4:30 p.m.   The Twin Colleges of North Carolina
Michael Eure, producer of The Michael Eure Show, Wake County Community College

 

CELEBRATE Food, Health, and Beauty

Cardinal Classroom, SECU Education Center, Level R
Cohosts: Charlene Marshall, owner of Charlene’s Naturals, a natural hair and body products line; and 
Dawn Daly-Mack, registered nurse for Rural Health Group, Health Advocate for Northampton County NAACP 

Noon–12:30 p.m.   Amazing Grace Etiquette
Dr. Donna Corbett, executive director, Amazing Grace Etiquette

12:45–1:15 p.m.   The Importance of Birth Doulas
Ste’Keira Shepperson, owner, Triangle Doulas of Color

1:30–2 p.m.   Sickle Cell Anemia in the Black Family
Paula Snelling, consumer experience supervisor, Wake County

2:30–3:15 p.m.   Creative Cooking on Every Level
Chef Eric Marshall, recent champion of Food Network’s Chopped, private chef, culinary entrepreneur

3:45–4:30 p.m.   Leading with Food: What Good Leadership Tastes Like
Chefs Subrina and Greg Collier, James Beard Award finalists and organizers of Bayhaven Food and Wine Festival, Charlotte, NC

Bicentennial Plaza
10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Food Trucks and Vendors 
Lee’s Kitchen: Jamaican foods 
Soulbachi: Afro Asian fusion
Sugar Grinders
The Kupkake Fairy, Aisha and Joseph White
Hustle and Grind Coffee

Black Farmers Market
Grocer on Wheels: local produce https://www.facebook.com/GROCERS
Black Cotton, Julius Tillery, farmer and owner http://blackcotton.us/about-us/
Pine Knot Farms, Stanley Hughes and Linda Leech, third-generation farmers of pork, produce, chicken, home-cured hams https://www.pineknotfarmsnc.com/

 

Hands-on Activities and Information Tables
10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

The Story of North Carolina Gallery, Level 1

*Passport Activity Hunt: 
       *Tryon Palace: Meet and play along with the Jonkonnu drummers. 
       *Somerset Place State Historic Site: Handle reproduction objects in the Made from Off the Land display
       *State Capitol: Activity TBD 
       *Historic Stagville State Historic Site: Make a cowrie-shell necklace. 
       *Historic Edenton State Historic Site: Hear the Harriet Jacobs story.
        Civil War Reenactors: Battery B, 2nd Regiment, US Colored Light Artillery; 37th US Colored Infantry
       *Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum: Help create a piece of community art in the style of Lois Mailou Jones, Palmer Memorial Institute’s first art teacher. 
       *Pope House Museum, City of Raleigh Museum: Make a doctor’s head mirror and learn the history of Dr. Manassa T. Pope. 
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Inc. (AAHGS)
Black Jedi Zulu: See hip-hop culture connect with the arts. 
*Gresham’s Coins, Stamps, and Medals: Trace African American history through stamps.
*MopTopShop: Let off some STEAM with Lollipop and Mop Top, the Hip-Hop Scientist. 
North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers
Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh: Carmen Cauthen
North Carolina Museum of History Associates: Sign up for half-price museum memberships TODAY only!
Triangle Friends of African American Arts   http://www.africanamericanarts.org/
You Can Vote    https://www.youcanvote.org/

Level 3

*Wheel of History: Test your knowledge of Black history.
*Make a Hat or Crown: Create your own celebratory hat or crown out of paper.
*Adinkra Stamps: Learn about traditional West African symbols, and create your own sticker to take home.
Rosenwald Schools Project
SPARKLE Mentoring Program https://www.sparklementoring.org/
Black Oak Society https://www.facebook.com/blackoaksociety
Historic Turner House Foundation and Tours: Explore the artifacts and stories from the Historic John T. and Mary Turner House located in the Oberlin Village Historic Overlay District.
Edward Cheek House Museum

SECU Education Center, Level R

North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, featuring Journeys Toward Freedom 
State Library of North Carolina, Government and Heritage Library, and Accessible Books and Library Services
North Carolina HBCUs: Find out more about the state’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
North Carolina Leadership Immersion Program 
State Archives of North Carolina, Special Collections Section 
Triangle Tribune 
Wake Technical Community College