African American Heritage Society plans big year for Black history
The African American Heritage Society of Maury County is planning a comprehensive year of Black history from exhibits to a lecture series, according to JoAnn McClellan, AAHS president and Maury County Historian.
The society will focus on the theme of "Democracy in America" during Black History Month and for the rest of the year, looking at the many ways that citizens are impacted by democratic ideals, from voting to education and much more.
A new exhibit, "Education in Maury County: The African American Experience," that highlights the history of African American education from Reconstruction to Integration will be on display for the month of February at the Maury County Library in Columbia.
The newest history calendar is now available and features Maury Countians, who played an important role in securing democratic freedoms for African Americans. Some of the people include physician Dr. A. T. Braxton, community leader Rev. John S. Gilmore, business owner Julius Blair, and educator Dr. Rose Ogilvie-McClain. Calendars are $15 and can be purchased by sending an email request to aahsociety@mail.com.
The AAHSMC has also been selected to host a Smithsonian travelling exhibit, “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America.”
The exhibit will run from Aug. 19 to Oct. 1 at the Maury County Public Library in Columbia. The exhibit is based on a major exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This Museum on Main Street adaptation will have many of the same dynamic features: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
Lecture series starts Jan. 21 at the Maury Co. Archives
The AAHSMC will be kicking off its quarterly lecture series on Jan. 21, with Maury County Archives Director Tom Price speaking about the life and legacy of Samuel Mayes Arnell, who opened Freedmen's Bank in Columbia.
Arnell was born in the Zion Community to a family, who owned slaves, an AAHS press release said. His father was the pastor of Zion Presbyterian Church, according to McClellan's research. After studying at Amherst College in Massachusetts, he returned to Columbia, where he was admitted to the bar and practiced the law.
"Although an enslaver himself, at the outset of the Civil War, Arnell energetically supported the Union and gave speeches all over Middle Tennessee against secession," the press release said.
The press release further describes Arnell's background.
Arnell openly supported the Union cause, which placed him and his family in jeopardy. He was nearly hanged on more one occasion and his property was confiscated numerous times. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1865, Arnell authored a series of bills to expand voting rights to the formerly enslaved and deny those same rights to ex-Confederates.
In support of black suffrage, Arnell personally led 2,000 black constituents to the polls to vote in 1868. He successfully led the effort to open a Freedmen’s Bank in Columbia, to assist the newly-free with their financial needs.
"In part through the efforts of people like Arnell, the door was opened for African Americans to begin the process of becoming American citizens not just in theory, but in practice. Arnell represents the complex history of race relations in Tennessee following the Civil War," the AAHS press release said.
The lecture will be held at the Maury County Archives, 201 E. 6th Street in Columbia. The lecture series is free and open to the public.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: African American Heritage Society plans big year for Black history
