Slavery and Freedom in Savannah

Foreword

ix Foreword As the oldest art museum in the South, Telfair Museums in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District has a vital role to play in telling the story of urban slavery. Beginning with the preservation of the former slave quarters at the Owens-Thomas House in the mid-1990s, Telfair Museums has demonstrated its commitment to promoting new understanding of this important topic. The thousands of visitors who walk through our doors each year hear a broad story about the site and all of its inhabitants, including free and enslaved men, women, and children. We are proud to further expand the public’s understanding of American history and culture by exploring the complexities of urban slavery and freedom in the American South with this valuable publication, Slavery and Freedom in Savannah. Material generated by prominent national and international scholars for this book will provide essential information from which we will further develop the histories of Telfair Museums’ two National Historic Landmark buildings—the Owens-Thomas House and Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. This publication will also offer students, academics , and lay historians the opportunity to discover a deeper, more complete story about our collective past. Coeditors Leslie M. Harris and Daina Ramey Berry have thanked the numerous people involved with this project in their acknowledgments. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to those individuals as well. I would also like to recognize the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which awarded the Telfair a large grant used to provide funding for the October 2011 symposium “Slavery and Freedom in Savannah” and this subsequent book. Other financial assistance for the symposium came from the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of Savannah, and the Friends of the Owens-Thomas House. Partnering organizations for the symposium included the Second African Baptist Church and Live Oak Public Libraries . Finally, I’m grateful for our ongoing partnership with the University of Georgia Press. Their professionalism and attention to detail have secured in this publication a significant and useful document that will be turned to for years to come. lisa grove, Director/ceo Telfair Museums This page intentionally left blank ...