Chowan Discovery Group

Chowan Discovery’s Achievement Report for 2016

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So much has happened since Marvin’s first presentations in 2007 and the Winton Triangle stage production in 2009.  Over fifty presentations, seven articles, seven broadcast appearances, six highway historical markers, three films, three murals and one award are among Chowan Discovery’s achievements prior to 2017.  Here is our record for 2016:

Public Presentations

February: “A Chowanoke History” at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church in Harrellsville NC 
February: “Haiti’s Forts of Freedom” at the U.S. Park Service in Reston VA – closed event.
March: Showing the film The Campaigns of Molly Hundley at the Historical Society of Washington, Washington DC
April: Hosted the annual Chowan Discovery Fundraiser, Rockville MD
May: The new lecture, “Loyal Southerners” at Rock Creek Nature Center in Washington DC
September: “The Winton Triangle’s Civil War” at the Greenbelt Library in Greenbelt MD, hosted by C.R. Gibbs.
October: showing of the film The Campaigns of Molly Hundley and panel presentation on highway historical markers, at ASALH annual conference (Association for the Study of African American Life and History), Richmond VA
November: The new lecture, “Haiti and the Civil War” at Rock Creek Nature Center in Washington DC
November: “The Winton Triangle” for the Middle Peninsula Afro American Genealogical and Historical Society in Tappahannock VA
December: “Pleasant Plains School’s 150 Years” at Pleasant Plains Baptist Church, Winton, NC
December: The new lecture, “Memories of Mrs. Katie A. Hart”, Cultivator Bookstore, Murfreesboro NC

Publications:

– An essay, “Rebirth on the Chowan”, We Will Always Be Here, edited by Dr. Denise A. Bates, published by the University of Florida Press, May 2016
– “Foreword”, From Hilltown to Strieby by Margo Lee Williams, Backintyme Publishing, July 2016.

Recognition:

Placing Pleasant Plains Schoolhouse (a Rosenwald school) on the National Register for Historic Places, July, 2016

Final Note: It is important to recognize the efforts that were not ultimately successful: Chowan Discovery applied for a grant for a Winton Triangle photography project, and two marker nominations.  Despite this, the number of presentations for 2017 are set to exceed those of 2016.  More to come!

(For activities of previous years, visit the archives of the News and Events pages.)

5th Annual Chowan Discovery Party and Fundraiser!

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My Thanks to You for all who supported and came to our 5th Annual Chowan Discovery party and Fundraiser!

Besides having a lot of enjoyment at a very nice 15th-story sky room with far more space and glamour than before – not to knock our house – over 80 people got to hear about Chowan Discovery’s progress.  And  9 people won the door prizes: Chowan Discovery mugs, copies of Carolina Genesis, The Campaigns of Molly Hundley, DVD, and Jim Messer’s pottery.  As for food, the annual rum cake offerings were zipped up in addition to Joyce Jones’ watermelon-themed red velvet cake.

It was especially dear that Winton Triangle natives were part of the fun folks.  As always, more to come.

Ahoskie Main Street Public Art Project

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WhitesMurual_001Mural: Whites Department Store (2014) – 5.5 ft x 22 ft

Artists: Gary Johnson and Marvin Ryan; Art Coordinator: James Messer, all of the Roanoke Chowan Community College

Wall Owner – Jamie Johnson; wall location is on Mitchell Street at Main Street, Ahoskie, NC.

Funders: Ace Hardware Ahoskie & Murfreesboro, Evans Johnson, and the Chowan Discovery Group

The mural wall is the 3-story former Garrett Building which was a hotel and a furniture store dating back to the 1920’s. The Whites Department Store mural is taken from a 1960’s photograph that currently resides at the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce.

The Whites Department Store was constructed in 1956 for property owner Mary Saluda Hall and is still in use by another tenant.  The contractor was Thomas Newsome of Ahoskie, who also constructed the New Ahoskie Baptist Church.  White’s is long remembered for its hot dog counter.