The Coweta County African American Heritage Museum & Research Center stands as a vital repository for African American artifacts and records. It also functions as a genealogy workroom, aiding in African American research.
African Americans in the Civil War
A Historical Landmark
The museum is housed in a restored shotgun-style house, once a slave cabin, and is operated by the African American Alliance. Adjacent to the museum is the Farmer Street Cemetery, which may be the largest slave cemetery in the South.
In 1999, Bobby Olmstead played a crucial role in stopping a construction project within the cemetery, recognizing its historical significance from his childhood in the area. Subsequently, in 2000, Olmstead established the Farmer Street Cemetery Commission.
Grand Opening and Community Support
The opening of 2003 marked the realization of a new home for the museum, with Donald McCarty, JW Davis, JR Rogers, and Bryant Warner leading "The Miracle on Farmer Street." The building was dedicated in April, coinciding with Newnan's 175th birthday. Officially beginning operations in May, the museum received contributions from community members such as Mrs. Ernestine Bridges, Reverend Smith, Henry Houzah, the Mose Martin family, Powell Chapel School, the Sutton family, and the family of Ms. Ruby Caswell, the original owner.
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Curators Dorothy Pope and Wallene Jones assembled the exhibits, contributing their professionalism to elevate the museum alongside larger institutions. The grand opening introduced the Alliance theme song, "A Story To Tell," composed by Mathew Bailey and Jed Butler, accompanied by Ms. Veronica Dennis.
Visitor Engagement and Research Center Expansion
Since its opening, the museum has welcomed over 700 visitors, including over a hundred from out of state and ten from outside the United States. The 500th visitor, Ms. Crystal Tolbert, received a gift basket worth over $300 from local vendors. Thanks to the dedication of "Aunt" Helen Bowles, the research center has expanded its history collection to include over 50 Coweta families.
Nine out of ten local visitors can find an ancestor in reference materials such as census records from 1850 to 1930, Coweta’s marriage book from 1827 to 1972, or the 1945 school census records. The museum also serves students and community organizations in need of service projects.
Community Partnerships and Future Projects
The museum's promotional brochure was designed by Jessica Ruckheim, a University of West Georgia (UWG) graduate. Another project is underway with a Newnan family and UWG’s Public History class for 2004. Mike Furbish and Newnan’s beautification team partnered with an Eagle Scout group to provide plants and flowers, with future collaboration planned with the Central Education Center’s horticulture students.
The restoration of the Powell Chapel Schoolhouse began in June, with the roof replaced by a donation from Skendor Corporation. Further funding is sought to complete the project, with contributions received from Coweta-Fayette EMC’s Roundup Program and the Kiwanis Club. Plans are in place to open the Powell Chapel School Museum during the 2004 third annual Soulful Christmas Celebration, dedicated to Reverend Welcome Robert Sutton and the Prayer Band.
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Exhibits and Historical Significance
The Coweta County African American Heritage Museum is also a center for genealogical research, specifically focused on African American ancestry. Their varied exhibits are a tribute to the contributions of Coweta’s Black community.
Fast forward to the present day - our local keepers of Black history can be found at 92 Farmer Street at the Coweta County African American Heritage Museum.
Other landmarks of Black History in Coweta County:
- Displaying talent on the drums at a young age, Newnan-born Bohannon attended HBCU Clark Atlanta University on a music scholarship.
- The oldest Black church in Coweta County, Newnan Chapel UMC celebrated 180 years of ministry in October 2020. A plot of land was drawn up in April 1840 to build it, and one dollar was given to purchase the property.
- The former home of Dr. John Henry Jordan (1870-1912) became the first Black hospital in the county. Dr. Millard McWhorter became the second Black doctor in the county and served at this address.
- This facility served as Newnan’s Black high school. The school’s namesake was Professor Howard Wallace Warner, who lived a life dedicated to children’s education.
- These steps, across from the Lynch Park Pool, are what remain of McClelland Academy, the first private school for African Americans in Coweta County. The school was established by the Presbyterian Church, operated between 1889 - 1936, and had three buildings. The principal was Rev.
- Mount Vernon Baptist Church was founded in 1863 under a brush arbor on Robinson Street.
The museum serves as a reminder that “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” - Dr.
Black History Month began as Black History Week in February of 1926. The month of February was chosen because two important historic figures have birthdays in February: Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863; and Frederick Douglass, abolitionist, orator, and slave who escaped to freedom.
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