Black History Month 2023 – The Power of Storytelling (Trip to Georgia Writers Museum)

Every February, Black History Month recognizes the accomplishments, contributions, and legacy of African Americans in U.S. history and society, from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in business, politics, academia, culture, and more.

The Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta regularly engages in the Black History Month celebrations to honor the importance of African Americans in shaping the American nation. This year, we want to highlight the transformative power of storytelling and its potential to raise awareness and bring about change for a social cause. Throughout human history, stories and narratives have been an essential way of connecting with an audience and appealing to hearts and minds. They enable us to understand a different experience of the world, and thus enhance our empathy. In the struggle for social justice and equality, storytelling was, and still is, of particular importance to the history of Black people.

In this context, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta organizes a field trip to the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton, GA, on February 18, 2023, 10am-5pm EST. Hop on the bus (at Atlanta’s Arts Center MARTA station) and visit the hometown of Joel Chandler Harris, who compiled and adapted African American folktales (Uncle Remus stories), and Alice Walker, who is known as one of the most distinguished African American writers of our time. The Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton will open its doors and take visitors on a guided tour offering a glimpse of the state’s rich African American literary heritage.

The group will depart from Atlanta at 10am and return around 5pm. The ticket cost of $40 includes a complimentary lunch, the bus ride, and the guided literary tour.