Dr. La’Niece Littleton, the director of Community Collaboration at the Atlanta History Center shares information on their upcoming Juneteenth programming. Littleton, a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, is a public historian. She works with community advocates, and she cross-promotes history in new spaces. If you experienced The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre, the display of church hats from the “Women of Movement” was curated by Dr. Littleton.
While a newly reocognized National holiday, Juneteenth holiday has been embraced by all of those who love freedom! I asked Dr. Littleton, to tell us about the celebration taking place at the Atlanta History Center this year. She also provided us with the history behind the holiday, mentioning that she grew up in Denver, Colorado where the holiday was celebrated throughout her childhood.
Littleton speaks about the highlights of this year’s celebration including the fact that it takes place on Friday, June 19th, the actual Juneteenth holiday. There will be an all-day celebration with intergenerational activities around the theme of FREEDOM. Dr. Jeffrey Ogbar will lead a discussion on what freedom looked like in Atlanta between 1865 - 1895. The Brown Sugar Stitchers will speak about the communication of quilts and participants can make their own quilt squares. There will also be a musical celebration and foot trucks.
I speak with Littleton about her ongoing work at the Atlanta History Center. From New Hope AME Church in Buckhead to the Last Square Mile project in College Park, she has brought and taught preservation of our history. A seminal event she helped to found is an annual gathering of Black Women Historians for Tea featuring key note speakers from Dr. Stephanie Evans to Paige Tailyn both who happen to be affiliated with Clark Atlanta University.
You can follow Dr. Littleton on Instagram to keep up with her work.