Honoring our Ancestors
Writer: Kimberly Davis, KD2 Media
For Immediate Release
05/02/18
Athens, Ga. For the second year, Athens-Clarke County will celebrate the Day of Jubilee and hold a vigil for the slave remains at Baldwin Hall at the University of Georgia.
On Thursday, May 4, 1865—what became known as the “Day of Jubilee”—Union soldiers arrived in Clarke County and freed the county’s roughly 5,000 enslaved Africans. These emancipated slaves hoisted an American flag up the flagpole in front of Athens Town Hall and danced in ecstatic celebration around “the flagpole of liberty.”
The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM), Fred Smith of the Athens Area Black History Committee, and various community leaders will celebrate this historic occasion—this jubilee—with a vigil and rally to honor the area’s African-American ancestors, especially those whose remains were discovered during the renovation of the University of Georgia’s Baldwin Hall last March.
In November 2015, the renovation was halted when workers discovered a skull at the Baldwin Hall site, located adjacent to Jackson Street (Old Athens) Cemetery. Subsequent excavation by UGA researchers and an outside firm yielded 105 burial sites. In March, the university disclosed that they were able to successfully test 30 remains—most of whom were of African ancestry and presumably slaves.
“It’s important that Athenians pause and remember May 4th as a time of great joy and celebration,” Smith said. “We should not forget the horrific institution of slavery. We should not forget their suffering and endurance. We should honor contributions to Athens and the University of Georgia. The area at and around Baldwin Hall was to have been the final resting place for many of them.”
Mokah Johnson, president of AADM, said the psychological impact of slavery still exists today, and we must educate the youth about what this freedom means. “Slavery may not exist today in the form of shackles around my ankles, nor do I have to worry about getting 100 burning lashes across my back for disobedience,” she said. “But many of our ancestors lived an entire lifetime being treated less than human and if we don’t want history to repeat itself we can not be silent.”
The UGA Baldwin Hall Slaves Remains Vigil & Rally will begin with a gathering at the Arch at 5:00 p.m. From there, marchers will make their way to City Hall for the celebration, including music, speakers and poetry. Those who do not wish to march are welcome to meet at City Hall.
For more information regarding this event, please contact Mokah Johnson at 678-835-8497.
#