Chowan Discovery Group

Alumni tell of story of a school conceived at a DC fort during the Civil War.

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In conjunction with the Community Alliance for Upper Fourteenth Street (CAUFS), Chowan Discovery is showing four documentaries  October 2, 5, 9 and 12.  All times are at 6:30 pm  at at Andromeda Transcultural Health at 14th and Decatur Streets in Washington, DC.

In 1864 in the barracks of Fort Stevens around the time of its successful defense against an invading Confederate force, the Military Road School as founded for children of color. Ninety years later, the school closed.  Its last students and teachers tell their fond memories of the school’s last decade.   School alumni will be present for the discussion that follows.  This film is funded by DC Humanties, the Military Road School Preservation Trust and received support from Chowan Discovery.

 

AUNT and FORT STEVENS film to be shown near story’s site.

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Elizabeth Proctor Thomas, 1824 – 1917.

In conjunction with the Community Alliance for Upper Fourteenth Street (CAUFS), Chowan Discovery is showing four documentaries  October 2, 5, 9 and 12.  All times are at 6:30 pm  at at Andromeda Transcultural Health at 14th and Decatur Streets in Washington, DC.

The property of an African American farmer and landowner, Elizabeth “Aunt Betty” Thomas, was taken by the U.S. Army in order to build Fort Stevens which saw battle in the Civil War.  This film is being shown only a mile from Mrs. Thomas’s farm and the fort. Was she compensated for her losses? Discover her life and legacy of a unique woman with living history interpreter Patricia Tyson and documentary producer/researcher Marvin T. Jones of the Chowan Discovery Group.

First of a Four Film Series: THE CAMPAIGNS OF MOLLY HUNDLEY

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In conjunction with the Community Alliance for Upper Fourteenth Street (CAUFS), Chowan Discovery is showing four documentaries  October 2, 5, 9 and 12.  All times are at 6:30 pm  at at Andromeda Transcultural Health at 14th and Decatur Streets in Washington, DC.

From 1921 to 1955, Mrs. Mary Gibson Hundley was an exacting teacher of French and Latin at the famous Dunbar High School in Washingon, D.C.  The film’s title reflects Mrs. Hundley’s educational advancement against racism at her college; her drive to encourage students to excel in all ways, the students who were inspired by her; her legal battle against a racially-restricted covenant that evicted her from her home;  and finally, Mrs. Hundley’s campaign to save the historic Dunbar High School building in the 1970’s.

Mrs. Hundley’s unyielding loyalty to her school and high educational standards led her to write a book, The Dunbar Story in 1965.  She encouraged and directed many Dunbar students to attend the best possible colleges in the United States during the Jim Crow era.  The Chowan Discovery Group presents a new film about this extraordinary personality in education.  THE CAMPAIGNS OF MOLLY HUNDLEY tells of her efforts to move students to excellent levels of education and mission, to broaden their choices of colleges during the Jim Crow era, and her own battles against mediocrity and racism.

This is the second Dunbar High film produced by the Chowan Discovery Group.  Both films are funded by the Humanities D.C. and the Chowan Discovery Group.

Two Lectures in Wise County, Virigina.

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Big Stone Gap, Virginia: On June 21, Marvin T. Jones is giving two presentations at a genealogical workshop at the Mountain Empire Community College.  The first lecture is about the development, activities and findings of the Chowan Discovery Group’s work on the Winton Triangle.  The second talk will be about the Winton Triangle’s role in the Civil War.  The workshop is a pre-conference event connected to the Melungeon Heritage Association Reunion.

Chowan Discovery thanks Dr. Mike Gilley of the Mountain Empire Community College and Scott Withrow, President of the Melungeon Heritage Association, for the invitation.

The times for the lectures will be posted later.

 

Lot of Lectures! Chowan Discovery’s Achievements for 2017.

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  1. The Winton Triangle area’s greatest institution is the Calvin Scott Brown High School STEM. Foundedin 1886 by church leaders from Hertford and the surrounding counties, it was the first high school for people of color, and is the oldest public school in the area. Here, Marvin brought 90 books from the
    Library of Congress for CS Brown’s library.

    1. Beginnings of African American Literacy a keynote speech at the 2017 AAGHS Black History Conference in Laurel MD. February 4.

  2. Winton Triangle presentation at a National Park Service facility in Reston, VA. February 6
  3. Haiti and the Civil War presentation, Brown Memorial AME Church, Washington DC. February 12
  4. Robbins Family at War presentation, Arlington Science Focus School, Arlington, VA, with the National Park Service. March 17
  1. Showing of the film The Campaigns of Molly Hundley at the Sumner School Museum and Archives, Washington DC. March 21
  1. Winton Triangle presentation at CS Brown High School STEM, Winton NC. March 31.
  2. Hosted photographer Julie Williams Dixon’s portrait project People And Their People, Cofield NC. March 31-April 1.
  3. Showing of the film Dunbar High School’s Classic Age 1870 – 1957, at the DC Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs as part of DC Emancipation Observance. April 6.
  4. Winton Triangle presentation at the Dunbar Pavilion, Tucson AZ. April 16
  5. Showing of the film Dunbar High School’s Classic Age 1870 – 1957, as part of DC Emancipation Observance at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Washington DC. April 23

 

  1. Showing of the film Dunbar High School’s Classic Age 1870 – 1957, Shepherd Park Library, Washington DC. June 26
  2. Showing of the film Dunbar High School’s Classic Age 1870 – 1957, at the DC Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Washington DC. June 30.
  3. African American Institutions in Post-Emancipation DC, as part of the 153rd Battle of Fort Stevens Day, Washington DC. July 8
  4. Beginnings of African American Literacy, Public Library of Richmond VA, hosted by the Richmond Chapter of the African American Genealogical and Historical Society. July 29
  5. Haiti and the Civil War presentation, United States Park Service’s Rock Creek Nature Center, Washington DC. September 2
  6. Haiti and the Civil War presentation Greenbelt Public Library, Greenbelt MD. October 3
  7. Interview about Haiti and the Civil War lecture, Research at the National Archives radio program, Blogtalk Radio. October 5
  8. Radio interview about Chowan Discovery on the Epic City radio program, WOWD-FM, Takoma Park MD. October 17.
  9. Katie Hart presentation, Winton Public Library, Winton, NC. October 10.
  10. Delivery of 90 books from the Library of Congress to the C.S. Brown High School STEM.
  11. Winton Triangle Loggers, part of a group photography show at the Brookville Gallery/Art Collective, Chevy Chase, MD. October 20 – November 20.
  12. Showing of the film The Campaigns of Molly Hundley, George Washington University Museum, Washington DC, October 30
  13. An Army of Educators presentation United States Park Service’s Rock Creek Nature Center, Washington DC. December 3.
  14. Interview about the An Army of Educators lecture, Inside the Issues with Wilmer Leon radio program on SiriusXM. Dec. 10
  15. Donations to the C.S. Brown Cultural Arts Center.