23 Jul 2024 SC Humanities Festival | Sept 12-14, 2024
North Augusta, SC – Press Release
Every year, South Carolina Humanities sponsors a Humanities Festival in a community in South Carolina. Established in 1993 in honor of South Carolina Humanities’ 20th Anniversary, the Humanities Festival has been held in 22 different communities. Each festival celebrates the local history and culture of the host community, engaging the citizens in lectures, discussions, films, and exhibits and facilitating partnerships among cultural organizations and community groups.
SC Humanities is pleased to announce that the 2024 Humanities Festival will be hosted by North Augusta. SAVE THE DATES: The festival will take place Thursday, September 12 – Saturday, September 14, 2024.
During this festival, The Arts & Heritage Center is proud to present:
Jazz! Art Quilts in Performance”. This exhibit features the African American Story Quilts of Dr. Marlene O’Bryant-Seabrook. The exhibit, set in the vibrant era of the Renaissance, will run from September 12 – October 31st, 2024 in our upper gallery at 100 Georgia Avenue.
The opening gallery talk will take place on Friday, September 13th during our opening reception from 5-8:00 pm. This will be an opportunity to delve into the artistry behind Dr. O’Bryant-Seabrook’s quilts.
Historian Wayne O’Bryant, son of Dr. O’Bryant-Seabrook, will be on hand for additional information and questions. Light refreshments and live jazz music will accompany the evening.
Dr. Marlene O’Bryant-Seabrook (1933-2017) was a distinguished educator and the first African American Professor at the Citadel. Following her retirement, she gained acclaim as a Fiber Artists. Her collection includes 40 African American History Quilts, with themes ranging from Gullah to Historical Figures.
The “Jazz! Art Quilts in Performance” exhibit features 11 original works capturing the essence of jazz in the Renaissance era.
The exhibit invites visitors to experience jazz through vibrant colors and intricate patterns, reflecting the dynamic energy and improvisational spirit of the Renaissance. Dr. O’Bryant-Seabrook’s quilts serve as a testament to the cultural richness of the time.
Join us at the Arts & Heritage Center to celebrate Jazz and immerse yourself in the artistic legacy of Dr. Marlene O’Bryant-Seabrook.
The Arts and Heritage Center will also have an exhibit that explores the history of a little known entertainment venue in North Augusta. During the golden age of Big Band music, the Palmetto Park and Pond brought in big name acts, such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, King Joe Oliver, Earl “Fatha” Hines and many others.
The Park included a large concrete framed swimming pond, a two-story dance hall that boasted it could hold 1,000 people, and a smokehouse that sold barbeque. The Palmetto Park and Pond brought in well-known musicians beginning in the 1930s and continued doing so until 1942.
This exhibit is about more than just Big Band music. It embraces regional black culture, spotlights North Augustan Duke Lamback who organized the entertainment acts, and gives a glimpse into a time when white and black citizens came together through their mutual love of music in segregated times.
The exhibit will be on display at the Arts & Heritage Center from Sept. 12- October 31, 2024.