Teaching Children Their History

Joelle and Connor reading history books

This cold and rainy day kept us all inside surrounding the fireplace and sipping on some hot peppermint tea with a twist of lemon. What a perfect time for storytelling and story sharing? My grandchildren picked up two civil rights books too look at the pictures in the book.  They had so many questions about the "Jim Crow" period, the colored water fountains and other historical events that took place in our society. To top the evening off one of my colleagues from New Orleans, Louisiana drove up to beat the African drums. My grandsons Connor and Chase joined in with Lloyd Lazard for a lesson on playing the African drums.

Because they were asking the questions meant they wanted answers. I am so happy to be the one to answer and teach them what I know just like my maternal grandmother taught me. I looked at each of them and a feeling of joy passed over me. My mind traveled twenty lite years away--I can hear them saying" my grandmother Antoinette Harrell taught me about "Jim Crow and the Civil Right" I felt that it is my duty to teach them about their history. They are excited about learning and want to learn.

The National Slave Ship Museum Louisiana Delegation Meet with Jackson, Mississippi Mayor

Louisiana Delegation meeting with Mayor Lumumba

Today I traveled with a Lloyd Lazard and a Delegation from New Orleans, La to meet with Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Lumumba to discuss the vision and plans that Lloyd  have for establishing a National Slave Ship Museum. Clifton James, Economic Development and Special Project Committee presented the plan before Mayor Lumumba and his Delegation.

The National Slave Ship Museum

Lloyd Lazard has been dreaming of this since the 90s, and now several city leaders are on board. He wants New Orleans, La to be the home of the museum. The plan is to redevelop the Lower Garden District Riverfront turning it into
 an educational corridor. The museum would be built around a full size replica of a slave ship. It’ll include a lab to trace your ancestry. After leaving the meeting we has an opportunity to tour the Smith Robertson Museum and the International Museum of Muslim Cultures at the Mississippi Art Center in Jackson, Mississippi. While touring the International Museum of Muslim Cultures we saw the Timbutku Exhibition. I was truly excited when I saw the Tuareg Exhibition. My maternal African Ancestry DNA matches with the Tuareg People of Niger. Looking at the Tuareg artifacts, remind me of the time I spent in Niger, West Africa. 

Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Everyone was very impressed with the Smith Robertson Museum and happy to see that our history is being preserved, kept and told by the children of former slaves and sharecroppers. From Africa to the slave auction blocks and cotton fields, the curator found a way to tell our story. 

The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. It was mandated and enforced in all public facilities in Southern States. Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public places, public schools, restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains. Although this happened in my time, I can't ever recall going to a "colored only" water fountain.

Pamela D.C. Junior, Museum Manager

Read more: http://wgno.com/2013/09/12/national-slave-ship-museum-one-step-closer-to-being-built-in-new-orleans/#ixzz2kUxO1vvj