"Joy Cometh in the Morning": African American Symposium

The theme for the African American Symposium is “Joy Cometh in the Morning.”

After the Civil War, formerly enslaved African Americans rejoiced in their newfound freedom, but they understood that there was still work to be done.

“Joy Cometh in the Morning” explores how African Americans embraced their freedom. Many expressed their liberation through music, while others began to assert their rights as citizens. This year’s topics will include the history of Shaw University’s Leonard Medical School, one of the first four-year medical institutions in the United States.

Additionally, there will be a focus on Black women in widowhood and their experiences navigating the government to collect widows' pensions.

Finally, there will be an interactive performance highlighting the unrelenting joy of African Americans. You won’t want to miss this event!

The first 10 people who sign up on Eventbrite will receive a sign copy of Dr. Brimmer’s book. Use “JOY” at checkout for your chance to receive a free book

This program is supported by North Carolina Humanities, state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Info: Dr. Brandi C. Brimmer is the Morehead-Cain Alumni Associate Professor and the Graduate Studies director at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Dr. Brimmer received her B. A in History at Spelman College; M.A., African American Studies and Ph.D., U.S. History, University of California, Los Angeles. Brandi C. Brimmer specializes in African American social and political history. She has spent over a decade engaged in archival research aimed at recovering the voices of Black people—both free and enslaved—from the American Civil War archive. Her book, Claiming Union Widowhood: Race, Respectability, and Poverty in the Post-Emancipation South (Duke University Press, December 2020), investigates poor and working-class Black women’s approaches to the law and governmental institutions during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Info: Marie Stark-Farrow, University Archivist at Shaw University, manages and preserves its historical materials, assisting students and researchers since 2004. She holds a Master's in Library and Information Science focused on Rare Books and Special Collections, and an Advanced Certificate in Archives and Records Management from Long Island University. With a BA in Anthropology and History and minors in Classics and Archival Studies from CUNY Brooklyn College, her previous roles include Assistant Director and Library Archivist at Hudson Area Association Library, Preservation Advisor for Green-Wood Cemetery Archives, and Archivist for the State of North Carolina. Her presentation, “Freedom Through Education: A Look at Shaw University’s Early Years,” discusses the university's historical significance in Raleigh, North Carolina, including its Leonard Medical School, Law School, and Teacher’s training.

Info: Break for the hour.

Info: Carolina-born and Memphis-raised, Swann motivates listeners to soar through her original song stories. With show-tune energy and a belting blues background, Swann is contracted with Wake County libraries for song stories. She has performed at several cultural festivals, jazz lounges, and conferences. Shenette performs with an inclusive mission to connect all audiences to their own authentic voice and each other! Shenette serves her community as the Guest Engagement Manager of inclusion at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. She is passionate about workplace justice and sits on three diversity, equity, and inclusion committees, including the North Carolina Museums Council DEAI Committee. For Her presentation, Shenette will bring family and community together through storytelling and drumming. With a message of inclusion, she will perform freedom songs as the audience interactively joins with drumming and movement!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, United States