Posts Tagged ‘National Black Arts Festival’

National Black Arts Festival Study Group Walks in Footsteps of Baker’s Ancestors on Wessyngton Plantation

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

wessyngton-cabin-june-2010

 

In addition to touring the grounds surrounding the Wessyngton mansion, National Black Arts Festival members and guests walked in the footsteps of Baker’s ancestor in the slave cabin area of the plantation.  The group went inside a restored slave cabin built ca. 1830.  In 1860, there were 274 enslaved African Americans on the plantation, housed in forty log cabins.  At the onset of the Civil War, Wessyngton held the largest African American population in the state of Tennessee and was the largest tobacco producer in America.

National Black Arts Study Group at Wessyngton Plantation

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

wessyngton-entrance-gate-june-2010

Today I had the honor of conducting a study group tour of Wessyngton Plantation for Dr. Collette Hopkins, Director of the National Black Arts Festival of Atlanta, along with a number of her colleagues and distinguished guest.  The tour included a visit to the Wessyngton mansion, Washington family cemetery, and a former slave cabin.   Participants were told about the lives of enslaved African Americans on the largest tobacco plantation in America and walked in their footsteps. 

The above photo was taken at the entrance gate to Wessyngton Plantation where I was told as a small child by my grandfather that was where my ancestors came from.  The interest in my family’s history led me on a thirty year journey of discovery and the writing of The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom.

Terry Family to Tour Wessyngton Plantation for Bi-Annual Reunion

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

On Saturday August 8th the Terry family will tour Wessyngton Plantation as part of their bi-annual family reunion.  The group will tour the Wessyngton slave cemetery, the Washington family cemetery, the grounds around the mansion and a restored slave cabin.  Members of the National Black Arts Festival from Atlanta will also attend the reunion festivities.  Following the tour the group will dine at the Tennessee National Guard Armory.  I will also autograph copies of my new book The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom.   The Terrys descend from Dick Terry 1818-1879 and Aggy Washington Terry born 1824.  Today there are more than 1,000 Terry family members.

Terry Family Tree

Terry Family Tree

John Baker Presents Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper with The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation-Video

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Baker-Presents-His-Book-to-Mrs-Cooper

While in Atlanta for a presentation and book signing at Auburn Research Library for the National Black Arts Festival in February I had the honor of presenting Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper a copy of my book; The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom.  I also had Mrs. Cooper to sign a copy of the book for me on the page she was pictured on.  Mrs. Cooper is now 107 years old.

Atlanta Book Tour

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

The book tour in Atlanta went very well.  On the first day of  my trip I visited the home of Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper and presented her with an autographed copy of The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation.  I was  very honored to have Mrs. Cooper sign a copy of the book for me.

Baker presents Mrs. Cooper with The Washingtons of Wessyngton

Baker presents Mrs. Cooper with The Washingtons of Wessyngton

The second day of my tour I was interviewed about the book by Dr. Collette Hopkins, director of the National Black Arts Festival, who graciously accompained me to the book signing at Waldenbooks.

Collette Hopkins Director of the NBAF with John Baker

Collette Hopkins Director of the NBAF with John Baker

 

Baker at Waldenbooks

Baker at Waldenbooks

 

On the third day of the tour Dr. Opal Moore interviewed me at the Auburn Research Library.  I later gave a presentation followed by a book signing. 

Baker interview with Opal Moore at National Black Arts Festival

Baker interview with Opal Moore at National Black Arts Festival

 

Baker presentation at NBAF

Baker presentation at NBAF

 

Baker at NBAF book signing

Baker at NBAF book signing

 The event was well attended and I met two new Washington cousins Jonathan and Jordan Terry who live in Atlanta.  They were excited to find their names on the Washington family tree among more than 600 names.

Baker meet new cousins at NBAF

Baker meet new cousins at NBAF

Jordan and Johnathan Terry display Washington Family Tree

Jordan and Jonathan Terry display Washington Family Tree

My good friends Beverly Shelley and her daughter Kimberly attended the event.  Their ancestors also came from Wessyngton.

Baker meets with Wessyngton descendants Beverly and Kim at NBAF

Baker meets with Wessyngton descendants Beverly and Kim at NBAF