Tubman African American Museum

In celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observance, selected students from L. H. Williams Elementary School will march with community leaders from the Tubman Museum to Macon's City Hall. The students will continue their learning experience by exploring the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other historical African American leaders. This is the second workshop in a series geared towards measuring the impact of the museum's John Oliver Killens workshops in improving reading and writing skills.

This will be an introductory workshop for people interested in researching their family's history. The workshop will focus on resources and information that will be valuable in beginning the research process. The class will be held from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Enrollment fee is $10.

This Valentine's Day affair is a benefit event for the Pan African Festival of Georgia. With sheer elegance as the backdrop, the event features an auction of chocolate sculptures created by professional and celebrity chefs and an auction of items donated by national celebrities and local businesses. Enjoy dinner with an array of chocolate desserts and champagne while being entertained by live music. The event will be held at the Armory Ballroom at 6:30pm. Tickets are $25 per person.

The 50th Annual Ebony Fashion Fair fashion show is presented by the Macon/Middle Georgia United Negro College Fund Committee in collaboration with the Tubman Torchbearers. The show will be held at the Macon City Auditorium at 8pm. For more information visit www.ebonyfashionfair.com. Tickets are $25 and are on sale at the Tubman Museum.

Selected students from L. H. Williams Elementary School will use the exhibit Benny Andrews: The John Lewis Series as a foundation to explore the lives of renowned artist Benny Andrews and Congressman John Lewis. The students will use language and visual arts as a tool to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.

Congressman John Lewis will be at the Tubman Museum to discuss his life and career as depicted in the exhibition and his time with the late artist Benny Andrews. A selection of the exhibited works from Benny Andrews' John Lewis series are used as illustrations for the children's book John Lewis in the Lead. The children’s book and his autobiography, Walking with the Wind, will be on sale in the Museum store and John Lewis will be available to sign copies.

Organized by the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, this traveling exhibition features a selection of prints by Jonathan Green. Green’s masterful series of works on paper captures the beauty of the Carolina Low Country. Born and raised in Gardens Corner, South Carolina, Green transforms his memories of the Low Country into highly praised and inspirationally colorful works of art.

The Tubman Museum, in partnership with Mercer University, has begun plans for an expanded Ellen Craft Lecture Series. The lecture series will include presentations by various scholars who have written books or articles about the following important leaders: William and Ellen Craft, William Sanders Scarborough, Lucy Craft Laney, Jefferson Long and Dr. Henry McNeal Turner. These presentations will be preceded by a reception and keynote lecture and followed by a guided bus tour of local sites pertaining to these African American leaders.

APRIL

Pan African Festival Princess Pageant

April 20, 2008

Girls ages 6-12 participate in this educational program with proceeds benefiting the Pan African Festival. This program teaches African cultures, countries, dance and traditions.

12th Annual Pan African Festival of Georgia

April 25-27, 2008

This festival is one of the Tubman Museum’s signature events. Enjoy the celebration as we show appreciation for the dynamic and diverse cultures created from the African Diaspora. This weekend community event celebrates African influences from around the world, and seeks to educate, celebrate and express common ground through Pan African arts, cultures, families and traditions based on the principles of Love, Peace, Unity and Hope. The Pan African Festival is a combination of several exciting events.

The Nigerian Christmas Tree at the Tubman Museum is one of Central Georgia’s most noted holiday attractions. The tree features oji fruit - symbolic of love and hospitality and exquisite textiles most commonly used as clothing adorn our Christmas tree. Asoke, Akwete, Ukara and Aloma cloths are used as wall decorations and garland. African masks are used to invoke the spirit of ancient ancestors.

The exhibition consists of more than twenty paintings and forty drawings depicting the life of Lewis. A selection of works from the series are used as illustrations for the children’s book John Lewis in the Lead co-authored by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson. Sadly, work on this John Lewis project would be the last for both Andrews and Haskins, as both died before the public debut of their respective works. The first public exhibition of Andrews’ John Lewis Series was at the Parish Gallery in Washington, D.C. in 2006, followed by an exhibition at Mason Murer Gallery in Atlanta. The works have been purchased for the Center for Civil and Human Rights, which is scheduled to open in Atlanta in 2010. The generosity and cooperation of both the Center and Mason Murer Gallery have resulted in this wonderful opportunity for these works to be shown at the Tubman Museum.

The Tubman will host the Umoja or unity celebration in partnership with the Kwanzaa Cultural Access Center. The event will celebrate the first principle of Kwanzaa which encourages unity in the family, community, nation and race. Throughout the week each of the seven principles will be observed. The Umoja celebration will be held at the Douglass Theatre at 7:00pm.