We are very excited to announce that in the next few weeks we will be introducing a new coffee to our lineup. The blend will raise funds in partnership with the Americus-Sumter County Movement Remembered Committee (ASCMRC) to help establish the Americus Civil Rights Center and Museum. The ASCMRC is a non-profit advocacy organization that is committed to promoting and preserving the legacy of the Americus, Georgia Civil Rights Movement of 1962-1966.
The ASCMRC’s mission is:“To establish the Americus-Sumter County Civil Rights Center and Museum at the Historic Americus Colored Hospital. Its purpose is to commemorate the Americus and Southwest Georgia Civil Rights Movement, by identifying, acquiring, and preserving all documentation of the Americus Civil Rights Movement, the Historic Colored Hospital, and the African American family history of Sumter County. Equally important, the ASCMRC seeks to address and aid in the resolution of conflicts involving past, current, and emerging issues of racial inequality, social, political, and economic justice.”
Established in 1923 at 133 Wild Street, the Historic Americus Colored Hospital was the only medical facility in Georgia where black medical professionals could train, practice and serve people of color. In operation until 1953, the hospital was associated with 33 medical doctors of color, two dentists, two pharmacists, six registered nurses, 18 nursing professionals, and a Nursing and Midwifery School. The building was officially placed on the Georgia Historic Registry in 2009.
The ASCMRC has been working diligently over the past several months to make the museum a reality. They are working to have the hospital building renovated to house the museum in a way that optimizes the space for visitors and exhibits, but that also honors and preserves the structure of the building. The process is slow and not easy, but they are committed to continuing down the path to opening the center.
Not only is the process not a quick one, but it is an expensive one. While they continue to apply for grants, they also need significant investment from the community at large. If you would like to support their important work please visit their Facebook page or their website. The website is currently being redesigned, but will be back online soon. You can also support them by buying their coffee– it will be available in our web store before the end of the month.
Our collective history in the United States is sometimes tough for us to acknowledge. There is a current in our society that feels that we can best move on from historic inequality and racism by keeping it hidden and forgotten. The problem with that approach is that, in doing so, we lose the lessons of the past and forget how we became who and what we are today. This invites repeating our mistakes and pretending that there are no real remnants of racism and slavery that make up how we operate in the present. When we acknowledge our past and see how it affects how we live today, we take important steps toward collectively building an inclusive future in Americus, GA and beyond. The ASCMRC, and those of us who support them, aim to commemorate the past by honoring all of those who contributed to the Civil Rights struggle of the mid 20th century in Sumter County. This is something that is well worth celebrating and supporting today as we build a better future for us all.
