African American Heritage House (AAHH) 2023 Season Summary
The 2023 Chautauqua Assembly season was an extremely successful one for the AAHH. As we close the season and finish tying up loose ends, it is a perfect time to stop, reflect and give thanks to those who made the season possible. In giving thanks, one always assumes the risk of forgetting someone who made a significant contribution to our success this season. So, I assume that I will do so and want to apologize, in advance, for the oversight!
A successful season is, of course, impossible without a dedicated and hardworking team on the ground. This season’s team was led by Dr. Cecilia Griffin Golden who was supported by two energetic young Program Associates – Sydney Smith and Melanie Thompson. From Activity Fairs to Porch Chats to Speaker Receptions to speeches in the Hall of Philosophy to CHQ dialogues to special events, they made it happen with both precision and professionalism while building relationships with numerous other entities on the grounds. We are all proud of what they accomplished.
A hearty thanks also to the growing legion of supporters who helped us again this year. Without them, we would most certainly have failed. Their contributions included staffing the Activity Fair tent, entertaining our speakers for dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, helping us plan special events such as the tribute to one of our founders – The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, and often helping with mundane tasks such as setting up chairs or serving snacks. Their financial support was also key to our continued programming success. I also want to thank the Board and Committee members who either visited or contributed on an ongoing basis. Their contributions to our success were critical and cannot be overlooked.
The physical house at 40 Scott Ave. continued to grow in importance. More curated storyboards were placed in the house for visitors to read and reflect upon. The house became a social gathering place for many on the grounds and the number of donated historical artifacts continues to grow. It became a “must” place to visit.
A special thanks must go to the AAHH Program Committee under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Sterling Freeman. Once again, a great slate of speakers was identified and recruited to speak on the grounds. All were impressed by both the depth and breadth of the speakers.
I will close by also thanking the Institution for its continuing support both logistically and intellectually. We continued to work with Amit Taneja, the Chief Diversity Officer, on making the Institution a more welcoming place for all. Our goal of bringing two jazz weekends to the grounds would also not have been achieved without the hard work and planning of the Institution team led by Dr. Emily Morris.
I wish I could say that it was time to rest up a bit, but the AAHH Board has just approved a new strategic plan, developed under the leadership of AAHH Strategic Planning Committee chair, Rebecca Pickens, and we will be rolling that out and beginning implementation in the very near future. We are excited about the plan as it envisions the further development of the current house and the role it will play as we further expand our community engagement, physical hospitality and programming. Stay tuned.
Erroll Davis
President, AAHH
