It was the words of essayist and social critic James Baldwin that helped guide Wonderful Davidson in creating the Macedonia Church of God in Christ homage to this nation’s black heritage.
She pointed specifically to one Baldwin quote as her inspiration for the black history exhibit that graces the Walters Road church: “Know whence you came. If you know whence you came, there is no limit to where you go.”
The exhibit spans the length of the main hallway at the church, starting with a display on the slave trade between Africa and the Americas.
“Our goal this year is to take you on a journey from the origin of slavery to the present day,” said Davidson, who organized the exhibit.
Other tables explore the accomplishments of African-Americans all the way to the present day.
One table includes an afro wig next to a display about Angela Davis, a political activist, and entrepreneur C.J. Walker, who literally went from rags to riches when she developed her own shampoo line in the 1910s.
President Barack Obama, the first black president, and Bishop Charles H. Mason, the founder of the Church of God in Christ, have their own exhibits. So do the previously unknown women who were some of the brains behind the NASA space program in the 1960s and were recently revealed in the book and movie, “Hidden Figures.”
Davidson and a half-dozen other parishioners did the research for displays that include African-American culture, history and accomplishments. Those parishioners include Princess Mills, Linda Chester, Kenny Martin, Brenda Scott, Destin Quinn and Samantha Peters.
The exhibit opened to parishioners two weeks ago and will stay up for the duration of the month.
“God gave me the vision to show the beginnings of black culture, when they got to America and all of the hardships that we have gone through,” Davidson said.
Source: Daily Republic | Ian Thompson
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