Juneteenth at Sautee Nacoochee Center

Juneteenth at the Sautee Nacoochee Center

Sautee, GA: On Monday, June 19, all are invited to visit the Sautee Nacoochee Center to mark
Juneteenth, the United States’ newest Federal holiday. The day is set aside to commemorate the
announcement of the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of Black citizens throughout the
United States on June 19, 1865. At SNC, the day is dedicated to raising funds for the Bean Creek
Missionary Baptist Church cemetery.
Educational materials and opportunities will be offered during the day. Audrey Davenport,
Curator & President of the Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia (RAAMNG), which
is located in Cornelia, will be on campus from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. Beginning at 1:00, she will present a
Think & Listen session for willing participants. She describes this interactive activity as, “Thinking and
allowing others to think, with no attachment to who we are, our role or experience, and intentionally
taking the time to empty the glass and think and go deeper.” Contact the Center to participate.
From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Sharon Mumbi of Cumming will demonstrate the creation of her work
as a fiber artist. Sharon, founder of Africasy, specializes in creating handmade leather Ankara Beaded
handbag clutches, Fedora hats, ponchos and sandals. She is an SNC juried artist and her work is for sale
in the gallery shops.
At 2:00 in the Community Hall, Audrey Davenport will conduct a tour of the Regional African
American Museum of Northeast Georgia Exhibition followed by a question-and-answer period. The

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exhibition is available for viewing beginning at 10:00 a.m. Included in the exhibition is a display of the
Cornelia Regional Colored High School (CRCHS) building blueprints and plaque, digitized original
materials related to the RAAMNG, a slide presentation supplementing the panels with CRCHS reunions
and video recordings relevant to RAAMNG.
From 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., material presenting the history of Bean Creek Missionary
Baptist Church along with the Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia Exhibition will
be on display in the Community Hall.
In the Folk Pottery Museum, a family packet of material that includes activities, reading lists
and online resources will be offered, along with hourly readings of Laban Carrick Hill’s Dave the Potter:
Artist, Poet, Slave. Additionally, panels from the 2019 Dave Drake exhibit will be on display.
From 5:30 until 8:00 p.m., the community will gather to celebrate with a supported potluck,
featuring chicken barbecued on site. Folks can “RSVP” for the potluck on the SNC website.
A program of recognition and celebration will follow on the Outdoor Stage. Included in the
program will be a recitation by local youth of two Juneteenth-related books. Members of the Bean
Creek Missionary Baptist Church Choir will lead folks in lifting their voices.
Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom and achievement. It also serves as an
important reminder that the work to fulfill America’s promise of equality and justice is ongoing. The
activities of the day are free of charge and all are welcome. The Center’s grounds are open for families
and churches to gather, picnic and recreate.