October is a busy month in Savannah’s social calendar (so busy, this is coming to you on the final day of the month) – Savannahnians flock to the Greek Festival, SCAD Film Festival, Tybee’s Pirate Festival, Wag-o-ween, Picnic in the Park, Pride, and so much more! With so many events bringing us together, the feeling on Community is palpable throughout Savannah. To continue with this community spirit, here are a few updates and tidbits from the Municipal Archives’ various Community Memory projects!
First City Network Halloween Party Invitation, 2003
Network News, October 2003, page 20
Proud Savannah History Project
The First City Network’s (FCN) Network News Newsletter is now more accessible than ever! Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, newsletters from 1987-1992 have been indexed! Whether you want to learn about the origins of Savannah’s Pride Festival, LGBTQIA voter advocacy initiatives in town, or the fabulous Halloween potlucks thrown by FCN, the Network News has it all! Find the digitized newsletters from 1986-2021 on our website here and find the index here!
Participants in the Stonewall History on the Go, June 2024
This summer, the Municipal Archives rolled out a new initiative, “History on the Go,” at the Stonewall Block Party! By asking passers-by and participants to share their thoughts on one or two topics, these “mini oral histories” aim to be an inviting, approachable, accessible, and quick way to hear from the community! We especially loved hearing from so many young residents! Check out our Stonewall History on the Go interviews here.
Do you know anyone that we absolutely MUST talk to about Savannah’s LGBTQIA past, present, or future? Nominate them here!
Want to get involved? Email Archives@Savannahga.gov and we will find the perfect project for you!
Pearl Lee Smith School 6th Grade Prom, no date
Left to right: Dwayne Groover, Lydia Lockett, Robert Eady, Denise Halloway
Springfield Terrace School Community Collection, Item 1121-064.19_009-004
Springfield Terrace (Pearl Lee Smith) School Community Collection
In August, the Municipal Archives hosted a Springfield Terrace / Pearl Lee Smith / Oglethorpe Charter School Community Collecting Day. Seven residents participated in Oral History interviews and shared images and records about the school’s long and powerful history. We are deeply grateful for the former teachers, administrators, students, and relatives of founding members who shared about the school’s lasting impact on the community and their lives, about the struggle for equality in education during Jim Crow Savannah, and how one alumna served Martin Luther King Jr. split pea soup for lunch before his “I Have a Dream Speech” (yes really!)
The oral histories, digitized materials, and collection finding aid/inventory are now available online through the Explore the Collections page of our website.