the texas freedom colonies project_invite2.pdf

T H E T E X A S F R E E D O M

C O L O N I E S P R O J E C T An effort to preserve, honor, & sustain the legacy our first African American placemakers!

Look for Texas Purple Hull Pea Festival & The Texas Freedom Colonies Project on Facebook!

SHARE YOUR STORY!

Calling all descendants of Black settlements, museums, genealogists, educators, cemetery associations, Rosenwald School alumni, community homecoming presidents,

archaeologists, archives, research institutes, HBCU alumni, Historical Landmark Commissioners, writers, and anyone else who cares about the future of Black settlements!

Share your story at the first Freedom Colony Symposium at the 2015 Texas Purple Hull Pea Festival, June 27 in Shankleville, Texas, (or during a private interview). Stories might tell us

Who founded the Freedom Colony, local church, or school

How ex-slaves attained land

About celebrations that bring people back to the community (reunions, homecomings)

Folk tales or funny stories

Your ancestors’ achievements and how you think they should be recognized

Current challenges or preservation projects

Contact Andrea Roberts, Texas Freedom Colonies Project founder at roberta318@gmail.com or The Texas Freedom Colonies Project on Facebook.

Volunteer, donate, be a vendor, or help spread the word! Contact Lareatha Clay at lhclay@prm-od.com for Festival Sponsorship Opportunities and Pam Wright at pamwright46@yahoo.com about Booths and Farmers Market Space. Vendor registration is online: http://www.shankleville.org/purple-hull-festival.html

WHAT IS THE TEXAS FREEDOM COLONIES PROJECT?

Freedom Colonies also known as Freedmen's Towns, settlements, "my family place", "where we go for homecoming", Black settlements, or "the Black side of town". Former slaves in Texas founded these communities 1866-1890.

This project is part of a larger University of Texas doctoral research study of how former slaves built whole communities out of absolutely nothing after Emancipation.

The Texas Freedom Colonies Project, a research & social justice initiative, is dedicated to

Recording descendants’ memories & stories of how these communities began

Documenting ex-slaves’ contributions to Texas & American history

Learning about descendants’ present-day community development & historic preservation concerns

Connecting descendants to planning & preservation resources and each other!

Shankleville, TX Homecoming, 2014

Newton County is about 13 miles from Festival site. Jasper is approximately 18 miles away. Click for

Accommodations and Lodging Information