- Singing a slave era spiritual at
- groundbreaking for “The Walk”
- Laying bricks for the Memorial Walk
“The Walk”
A groundbreaking ceremony for “The Walk at LeConte-Woodmanston – an
African American Tribute” was held on July 24, 2008. The brick memorial path will start in the gardens and wind
through the reclaimed plantation. Bricks will bear the names, ages and
plantations of roughly 6000 men, women and children enslaved in Liberty
County, Georgia around 1860.
It was a day of great celebration for all in attendance. Many, in the crowd,
contributed to the project through their hard work, talents and skills or
provision of financial support. Attendees and speakers included city, county and state
officials, board and foundation members, members of the community and
plantation descendants. All stood united in the belief that this project, of
great significance to the community and the state of Georgia, needed to move
forward.
The ceremony began with a blessing of the grounds by Pastor Neal
Dawson from First African Baptist Church in Riceboro and concluded with a
beautiful slave era spiritual sung by Charisse
Wilkins.
Plantation descendants,
Bill Austin and George Buroughs, did the actual
groundbreaking near the gardens and reconstructed slave cabin.
We can’t pretend to walk a mile in their shoes, but we can walk this
pathway and learn their stories to honor and give thanks for all they
did and for who they were. Our desire is to make “The Walk” a place of
peace, learning, contemplation and celebration.
Funding for this project was provided by the Liberty County Historical
Society and Coastal Electric Cooperative.
View a gallery of photos taken during the groundbreaking ceremony.
For more information on African American history, please check our “African American History”
page.