The Historic Franklin Masonic Hall Foundation is pleased to announce, for the first in Franklin, Tennessee, the Slave Dwelling Project, featuring founder Mr. Joseph McGill, on Friday, February 14, 2020.
“The Slave Dwelling Project envisions a future in which the hearts and minds of Americans acknowledge a more truthful and inclusive narrative of the history of the nation that honors the contributions of all our people, is embedded and preserved in the buildings and artifacts of people of African heritage, and inspires all Americans to acknowledge their Ancestors,” stated Joseph McGill, founder of the Slave Dwelling Project.
“Having Joseph McGill bring his level of expertise on this subject as well as his passion for inclusivity in telling the whole story – changing the narrative – is one of our key initiatives at the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall,” said Executive Director Rachael Finch. “Bringing forth the stories of the enslaved in Franklin and Williamson County, the state of Tennessee and much of our country prior to the War, allows for us to re-examine and re-direct how we currently view and discuss the topics of American slavery, the Civil War to Civil Rights, and our present-day conversations surrounding race and reconciliation.”
The Slave Dwelling Project will be a two-part event on February 14, 2020, with Candid Conversations: Changing the Narrative One Story at A Time, Facilitated by Joseph McGill from 7 pm-9 pm at Historic Franklin Masonic Hall – Free and open to the public.
Then on February 14-15, 2020, Continued Conversations: A Sleepover with the Slave Dwelling Project, Facilitated by Joseph McGill is from 9 pm-9 am $20 a person/nonrefundable on the First floor of the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall.
Late-night snacks and beverages will be available. Light breakfast and coffee will be served the early morning of February 15th. All sleepover participants must provide their own sleeping bags/gear for the night. Restroom facilitates will be fully available and accessible.
Space is limited. To register for the sleepover, go to https://hfmhfoundation.org/sleepover/
Both events are open to the public, however, due to the nature of the subject matter, the Candid Conversations and Sleepover is recommended for ages fifteen and older. Any sleepover participant between the ages of fifteen to eighteen years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Mr. Joseph McGill is the founder of the Slave Dwelling Project, Inc. and a history consultant for Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina. Sleeping in extant slave dwellings and places built by the enslaved for a decade continues to bring much-needed attention to these often neglected structures and stores that are vitally important to the American built environment. Prior to the creation of the Slave Dwelling Project, Mr. McGill was a field officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation working to revitalize the Sweet Auburn commercial district in Atlanta, Georgia, and to develop a management plan for the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area.
To learn more about The Slave Dwelling Project go to https://slavedwellingproject.org/. To learn more about Candid Conversations and our programs, please visit www.hfmhfoundation.org/programs. For additional information or questions, please contact Executive Director Rachael Finch at [email protected]. The Historic Franklin Masonic Hall is located at 115 2nd Ave South, Franklin, Tennessee 37064. Free parking is available on the street as well as in the 2nd Ave South Parking Garage, located directly across the street from the Hall.
Established since 2013, The Historic Franklin Masonic Hall Foundation is a 501(c) 3 dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall, a National Historic Landmark. The Foundation’s mission is to bond place, all people, and story witnessed at the crossroads of the American experience.
Please join our FREE Newsletter
