Cosponsored by Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church,
Descendants of Olivewood, Inc., and Christ Church Cathedral
FREE EVENT
Descendants of Olivewood, Inc., and Christ Church Cathedral
FREE EVENT
Under the skyscrapers of Manhatten, slumbering peacefully from a life of toil, the forgotten remains of former slaves were found in a surprise discovery in 1991, unearthed during the construction of a new federal office building in the heart of New York City. Federal officials kept the story quiet hoping to continue with construction until an unemployed journalist, Christopher Moore, broke the story on local television astounding historians and setting off a major political firestorm in the process pitting citizens concerned with being deprived of a history and heritage against the U.S. Government that initially planned on destroying the cemetery. Ultimately, the discovery of the vast slave burial ground led to the first chance to extensively study a large number of remains of African slaves, allowing scholars to gain a better picture of their lives and history than was previously available and led to the creation of the first, and only, National Monument honoring the contributions of slaves to the building of America.
However, many difficult ethical questions were raised. How is it that a burial ground containing more than 20,000 remains could simply be forgotten? Does the knowledge that could possibly be gained justify the excavation of a burial site? How does one properly handle heritage... who ‘owns’ history?
The Houston Society of Archaeological Institute of America joins with Christ Church Cathedral, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, and the Descendants of Olivewood to tell the story of this discovery at the screening of the film “African Burial Ground: An American Discovery”. This film, narrarated by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee and originally made for the History Channel, is the opening event for the African Burial Ground Project and will place the entire story in context.
The producer, Christopher Moore, will be present to introduce the film and provide updates about the dedication of the African Burial Ground Memorial last summer. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion - “Preservation Matters - from New York to Houston” featuring Houstonians involved in social justice issues and preservation (including Rev. Jim McGill of Christ Church Cathedral, Dr. D.Z. Cofield of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Jenny Bailey - Mayor Bill White’s representative, Margott Williams of Descendents of Olivewood, Rick Low of Project Row Houses, and Dr. Carol McDavid of the University of Houston) and moderated by Larry Earl, Executive Director of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.
However, many difficult ethical questions were raised. How is it that a burial ground containing more than 20,000 remains could simply be forgotten? Does the knowledge that could possibly be gained justify the excavation of a burial site? How does one properly handle heritage... who ‘owns’ history?
The Houston Society of Archaeological Institute of America joins with Christ Church Cathedral, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, and the Descendants of Olivewood to tell the story of this discovery at the screening of the film “African Burial Ground: An American Discovery”. This film, narrarated by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee and originally made for the History Channel, is the opening event for the African Burial Ground Project and will place the entire story in context.
The producer, Christopher Moore, will be present to introduce the film and provide updates about the dedication of the African Burial Ground Memorial last summer. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion - “Preservation Matters - from New York to Houston” featuring Houstonians involved in social justice issues and preservation (including Rev. Jim McGill of Christ Church Cathedral, Dr. D.Z. Cofield of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Jenny Bailey - Mayor Bill White’s representative, Margott Williams of Descendents of Olivewood, Rick Low of Project Row Houses, and Dr. Carol McDavid of the University of Houston) and moderated by Larry Earl, Executive Director of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.
This event takes place at 7:00 p.m. at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3015 N. MacGregor Way
WHAT: AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND PROJECT EVENT:
Film: “African Burial Ground: An American Discovery”
Panel Discussion - “Preservation Matters - From New York to Houston”
WHEN: 7:00 p.m. March 5, 2009
WHERE: Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3015 N. MacGregor Way
FREE ADMISSION
WHAT: AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND PROJECT EVENT:
Film: “African Burial Ground: An American Discovery”
Panel Discussion - “Preservation Matters - From New York to Houston”
WHEN: 7:00 p.m. March 5, 2009
WHERE: Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3015 N. MacGregor Way
FREE ADMISSION
This project is supported in part by a “We the People” grant from Humanities Texas, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities and by a funding from Houston Arts Alliance
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