Commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth will be observed with a weekend of free activities at the Atlanta History Center, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
Events include museum-theater performances, dance (Manga African Dance performs at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday), music (members of Atlanta's African American Philharmonic Orchestra play at 1 p.m. Sunday), storytelling and kid-friendly activities. Self-guided audio tours of "Turning Point," the largest Civil War exhibition in the Southeast, will be available.
At the Smith Family Farm (noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, 12:30 and 2 p.m. Sunday), museum-goers can take in "The Order of Freedom," scripted by History Center playwright Addae Moon, about a couple's journey from slavery to citizenship after Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger delivered General Orders No. 3 (the Emancipation Proclamation) on June 19, 1865.
There also will be "Meet the Past" performances both days where you can make the acquaintance of Union spy Mary Bowser, who worked for the estate of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Jim 'N Nicks BBQ will among the foods available for purchase around lunchtime both days.
Free. 130 W. Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta. 404-814-4000, www.atlantahistorycenter.com/family.
ARTS
Woodruff hits record in ‘14-‘15 Corporate Campaign
Taking a new approach to its largest annual fund-raising undertaking, the Woodruff Arts Center recently announced that it raised a record $13.4 million for its 2014-15 Annual Corporate Campaign.
It was the art center’s initial effort at conducting the campaign with an integrated development team, as opposed to prior years when the center and its divisions (Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and High Museum of Art) solicited potential corporate funders separately in its primary annual fundraising effort.
The previous record for the Annual Corporate Campaign was $9.6 million, for 2013-14.
“Integrating our Annual Corporate Campaign fundraising into one coordinated effort that benefits all of our art and education work was welcomed by our corporate supporters,” Woodruff President and CEO Virginia Hepner said in the announcement. “They appreciated the stewardship of unified requests … and at the same time we broadened the exposure for all donors across the campus.”
The campaign was chaired by Paul Garcia, former board chairman and CEO of Global Payments Inc.
The Annual Corporate Campaign is a key component in the more than $30 million raised annually by the Woodruff administration and its arts partners. Campaign funds support shared services such as finance operations, facility management, security, human resources and information technology.
Leading supporters (donations of more than $250,000) included: AT&T, Bank of America, Chick-fil-A, the Coca-Cola Company, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Cox, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Equifax, Ernst & Young, Georgia Power Foundation, the Home Depot, Invesco, King & Spalding, KPMG, PNC, PWC, SunTrust Bank, Turner Broadcasting System, UPS and Wells Fargo.
Abney is High Museum’s new board leader
The High Museum of Art recently announced the appointment of Charles L. Abney III as board chairman.
A director, portfolio manager and member of the Investment Policy Committee with ZWJ Investment Counsel, Abney has served on the High’s board for eight years. He has served as chair elect, vice chair of the finance and operations committee, treasurer and as a member of the nominating committee.
THEATER
Atlanta duo taking ‘Last Time’ to N.Y.
Jeremiah Parker Hobbs and Jessica De Maria’s “The Last Time We Were Here” will be presented as a New York Musical Theatre Festival selection in late July.
The folk-rock musical, the Atlantans’ first production as a writing and performance team, will be staged at 3 p.m. July 25 and noon July 27 at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 W. 42nd St. It tells the story of Jacob, a singer-songwriter whose relationship with Grace falls by the wayside on his road to stardom.
Hobbs recently completed a national tour of "Della's Diner" and will play Roger Davis in Actor's Express production of "Rent" opening July 10.
De Maria appeared as the Narrator in "Murder Ballad" late last year at Actor's Express and will portray Helena Landless in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" opening July 10 at Stage Door Players in Dunwoody
Details, tickets: 212-352-3101, www.nymf.org.
VISUAL ARTS
Amistad, Talladega College murals in Birmingham
"Rising Up: Hale Woodruff's Murals at Talladega College," the nationally touring exhibition of six historical murals by the famed African-American artist organized by the High Museum of Art, opens June 13 at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
The show by the late Atlantan debuted at the Atlanta museum in 2012. Commissioned in 1938, the large-scale murals (two are 20 feet wide), portray the Amistad mutiny and its aftermath as well as the founding of Alabama’s Talladega College, one of the first colleges established for blacks in the U.S.
Through Sept. 6. Free. 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., Birmingham. 205-254-2565, www.artsbma.org.
About the Author
