FAME-Athens Celebrates Black History Month
First AME Church in Athens, Georgia, had a great time celebrating Black History Month with our members and community. On January 24, FAME-Athens was proud and excited to host the Morehouse Glee Club for dinner before their show that was held at the Morton Theater in Athens. The Glee Club provided a “sneak preview” by singing the grace before dinner. The strength and tone of those voices were truly beautiful. We were especially elated to meet Mr. George Anthony Pratt, who is the Parliamentarian for the Connectional YPD.
On February 9, FAME-Athens celebrated Founder’s Day. The Rev. B. A. Hart, the pastor of this great church, baptized young Mr. Jessiah Russell Studevan. Jessiah is the son of Sister Nicole Studevan and grandson of Sister V. Yvonne Studevan. He is the ninth-generation of the family of Richard and Sarah Allen. Three generations of Allen’s descendants were present.
On February 16, FAME-Athens hosted a recital from the University of Georgia School of Music. Six students from UGA, led by Dr. Gregory Broughton, the Associate Professor of Music, lifted their voices and sang the songs of Hall Johnson, an African American composer and arranger. Mr. Johnson was born in Athens, Georgia, while his father, the Rev. William Decker Johnson, served as the pastor at FAME-Athens. His father, William Decker Johnson, went on to be elected a bishop in the AME Church.
On February 24, FAME-Athens celebrated with Sister Rita Daniels, the great-great-great-grandniece of Harriet Tubman, who brought the message during the morning service. Sister Daniels brought Harriet Tubman to life and provided information about Harriet’s life and the lives of her descendants. An oil painting was presented to Sister Daniels in appreciation and commemoration of the day. The artist, Sister V. Yvonne Studevan, is a seventh-generation member of our founder, Richard Allen. She presented the original oil painting on behalf of the FAME-Athens History Ministry. The painting will be placed in the Harriet Tubman Learning Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Black History Month culminated on March 7, when FAME-Athens hosted the Michael L. Thurmond Lecture Series for 2020. This Series was named for the Athens native who is the first African American elected to the Georgia General Assembly since Reconstruction. In addition to serving in the Assembly, Mr. Thurmond has also served the citizens of Georgia in many capacities including as a lecturer at the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Georgia Labor Commissioner, and interim superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. He is now the CEO of DeKalb County, Georgia. The speaker for the day was Dr. Maurice Daniels, Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of the University of Georgia School of Social Work.
