‘Stories From the Soil’ | East Point Gov’t, Fulton Cty racial injustice group commemorate the lives of two local lynching victims
The City of East Point Public Art Division partnered with the Fulton Cty Remembrance Coalition to celebrate the memories of the late Zeb Long and Warren Powell with a soil collection.
EAST POINT, Ga. — During this past Black History Month, the Public Art Division of East Point City Hall endeavored to provide an event that would connect its residents, not only with the history of the city but the heart and soul of it as well.
Since its expansion from Negro History Week to the entire month of February over 50 yrs ago, Black History Month has been used as the benchmark to recognize and revere important Black historical figures and events of the African diaspora.
Thanks to the collaboration of a local social justice organization, the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition (FCRC), the city was able to create a truly unique experience indeed.
From the ground up – literally.
During the final two weekends of the month, on Feb 19 and Feb 26, the city held community events dubbed the East Point Public Art Division Soil Collection in honor of two Black East Point men who were lynched within the current city limits during the late 1800’s/early 1900s, Warren Powell and Zeb Long, respectively.
The project itself was spearheaded by East Point’s Public Art Coordinator, Christopher Swain.
Swain, himself a self-described history aficionado, had these words to share with Vox Pop ATL.
“The truth of the matter is that history is always relevant. For me personally, I consider myself a person who does the work of my ancestors. So, this is a very big task that they gave me some time ago,” affirms Swain.
The idea for the soil collection was inspired by Swain’s own work with the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition and their ‘Stories From the Soil’ exhibit.
Presented to the public in 2019 as a perpetual exhibit within the Auburn Avenue Research Library in downtown Atlanta, GA, the ‘Stories’ exhibition was created as a tangible and permanent method of memorializing victims of racial violence in Fulton County between 1877 and 1950.
These particular dedications are manifested in a rather unique manner – mason jars. Labeled with the name and date of the incident, each jar is filled with earth from the most-approximated location of the violence as a symbolic gesture to the victims, as well as, a method of healing.
Both Zeb Long and Warren Powell belong to a tragic fraternity of 35 documented victims from the Fulton County footprint that the FCRC tasked themselves with paying tribute to.
“It's interesting because (we) memorialize people with statues, with street names, but this is definitely pushing against the grain of what Southern culture will tell you of how to remember your ancestors,” muses Ann Hill-Bond, Co-Chair for the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition.
Acting as a representative for FCRC during the Public Art Division Soil Collection ceremonies, Hill-Bond was also on hand along with Swain to offer words on the context and importance of the event.
“This is a celebration, not a mourning. It is still something to celebrate because he was a person. So that's why we remember him, and he will be remembered. So, we just want to connect with that every single chance we get,” insists the FCRC Co-Chair.
When asked how he felt about the community’s response to the event, Swain had this to say on the tail-end of the Zeb Long ceremony.
“It's an amazing feeling to finally pull this off,” Swain tells Vox Pop ATL.
“I'm overwhelmed with the number of people (who) showed up today. You never know who's interested. I'm glad everybody showed.”
During the second Soil Collection for Warren Powell on Feb 26th, attendees were also treated to a live-music selection from Christopher ‘MrPerformingArts’ Mosley with the BIPOC artist-centric non-profit, Challenge the Stats.
For more information about upcoming cultural enrichment outreach events, visit the City of East Point's website.
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