Georgia Magazine - May 2024 - 4

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Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
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MAGAZINE
Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
®
MAGAZINE
www.georgiamagazine.org
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APRIL 2024
From THE EDITOR
Comments from our readers * Compiled by Jennifer J. Hewett
Tribute bands rock!
page 21
High-flying air shows
page 30
Who is that cover star?
Good day to you. I am mystified about your April cover.
I have been to Asia, Central America and Europe, and I don't
remember seeing that animal on your cover. I looked through
the magazine, and I am still wondering. [See " No passport
required, " page 24; bit.ly/safariga.] Thank you!
-James Huber, via email
Atlanta Braves'
Home Plate Project
page 16
Celebrating
linemen
page 14
Editor's note: Thanks for your note! We realized that we
failed to mention that the creature on our April cover is a capybara. They are
interesting, social animals and are the largest species of modern rodents.
Air show fans
Thank you for the article about " Georgia's air shows " in
the April issue. [See " Let your spirits soar at Georgia's air
shows, " page 30; bit.ly/airga24.]
Our family absolutely loves air shows! What makes
this article so special is that our daughter, Senior Airman
Tessa Patterson Hickerson, is part of the F-22 Raptor
Demo Team from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Both
of our daughters and their husbands are in the Air Force.
My husband and I are extremely proud of their
commitment to our country!
Thank writer Pamela A. Keene, too, for this fantastic article!
-Sheila Patterson, Lakemont
Georgia
Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
a
MAGAZINE
Georgia
Georgia
Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
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FromMetter
withLOVE
Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle
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page 30
MAGAZINE
A voice for good
page 16
Georgia's star
groundhog
page 24
www.georgiamagazine.org
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Visit the Delta Flight
Museum
page 27
The 'Jam Man' shares
abundance
page 34
FEBRUARY 2024
Notes from February
Each month I look forward to perusing the pages of
Georgia Magazine. I enjoy keeping up to date on awards,
innovative programs and scholarships provided by electric
co-ops throughout Georgia. Th e event calendar is always one
of my fi rst stops after my copy is delivered.
As [I am] an African American who was not born and
raised in the South, the February issue was especially
interesting and chock full of information that was new
to me. [See February 2024; bit.ly/gmg0224.]
Th e article on Rutha Mae Harris and the Freedom Singers was extremely
informative, as was the cover story, " From Metter with love. " I have traveled through
Metter many times and knew nothing of the Gathering Place. In fact, I can't wait to try
some of " the cooking sisters' " recipes.
I am also a " cradle " Episcopalian, so the article in Flint Energies' newsletter on
Zion Episcopal Church was intriguing. [See " A tiny church with a giant past, " page
18B; bit.ly/flintchurch0224.] I had heard stories of black and white
individuals in the Talbotton/Harris County communities
who had been fi nding their roots and connecting with one
another, but I knew nothing about Ruby Jeff erson and
Peggie Storey.
Other notable articles in the issue were about
A VOICE
for GOOD
Rutha Mae Harris and the songs
of freedom
By Pamela A. Keene
honoring the Kit Jones, the Delta Flight Museum and the
amazing " Jam Man " Mike Massey.
Th ank you for bringing these little-known,
positive, informative nuggets to us avid readers.
-Janet Tidwell, Warner Robins
16 Georgia Magazine February 2024
16-18_Rutha_Mae_Harris_SW_B_01224.indd 16
1/12/24 1:54 PM
Rutha Mae Harris, one of the Freedom Singers, sits
outside Albany's Old Mount Zion Baptist Church,
which is now part of the Albany Civil Rights Institute.
A
lbany's Rutha Mae Harris knew from age 6 that music
would shape her life, but she never imagined the
and had been jailed three times for her activism. She'd traveled
to 46 states in nine months, stood side-by-side with the movement's
icons and used her voice to help spread the message of
nonviolence across the country.
The daughter of the Rev. Isaiah Harris, the pastor at
Albany's Mount Calvary Baptist Church, and Katie Harris, a
longtime schoolteacher, Harris was familiar with the challenges
faced by African Americans in the South.
" The movement came to Albany in the early 1960s, but my
father and his congregation started long before then, teaching
literacy classes at the church and encouraging voter registration, "
Harris says. " He always set the example for us to know
that we were as good as anyone else and [should] never be
fearful. "
After her first year at Florida A&M University in
Tallahassee, Fla., Harris returned home in 1961 to an unsettled
Albany, filled with demonstrations and conflict. She and other
young people joined in the nonviolent protests, serving as
field secretaries for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC).
During that time, she was arrested three times and sent to
Albany-area jails.
" We didn't resist; we knew we were staying true to ourselves
and our principles, " she says. " We weren't afraid; each
time we were released.
" I remember when singer/activist Pete Seeger came to
Albany to take part in our work, and he suggested to the SNCC's
Cordell Reagon that music would add a powerful element to the
movement. Once several of us heard this, we wanted to be part
of it, and that's how the Freedom Singers came to be. "
In late 1962, Harris and fellow Albany natives Bernice
Jennifer J. Hewett
Editor
Johnson and Charles Neblett joined with Reagon, who was from
Nashville, Tenn., to form the Freedom Singers. Sometimes
others sang with the four experienced musicians, including
Bertha Gober and Janie Culbreth of Albany.
For most of 1963, the Freedom Singers traversed the nation,
performing at colleges, outdoor events, high schools and
auditoriums to increase awareness and raise funds for the
SNCC.
Their repertoire included gospel music, spirituals and
hymns, and familiar tunes with adapted lyrics. Among their
songs were " This Little Light of Mine, " " We Shall Not Be Moved "
and " Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round. "
" One of our songs-'We Shall Overcome'-became the
anthem of the movement, " Harris says. " It was originally
adapted by Seeger from an old spiritual called 'I'll Overcome
Someday' that had been used in the late 1940s by striking textile
workers in South Carolina. "
The Freedom Singers sang when emotions ran high on the
P.S. Where's your favorite place to
get a hot dog, and what are your
preferred toppings? Email us at
magazine@georgiaemc.com.
Share your thoughts. Email us at magazine@georgiaemc.com. Please include your name, address
and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
4 Georgia Magazine May 2024
Georgia is home to a lot of great eats.
Join us this month as we highlight some
top food spots around the state and learn
a little history along the way.
Our May cover features hot dogs, an
all-American favorite. The National Hot
Dog and Sausage Council in Washington,
D.C., estimates that Americans eat
20 billion hot dogs a year, with 7 billion
being consumed during the peak hot-dog
season from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Do you like your hot dog topped with
chili, slaw and mustard? How about with
onions and sauerkraut? Or tomato, relish
and a pickle?
You're sure to find these variations
and more at the many hot-dog stands
statewide. To read more about these
classic (and gourmet) franks and meet
some of the Georgians who specialize in
serving them up, turn to page 30 for
" Hot diggity dog! "
Deciding where to eat when you
visit a new town can be overwhelming,
especially when good dining options are
plentiful. One way to sample from a
variety of restaurants is to take a food tour.
This month, writer Cameron
Whitlock takes us to three Georgia
destinations-Thomasville, Helen and
Savannah-to sample local cuisine
and learn about the towns' history,
all while having fun and making new
friends. Read more in " Tasty tourism "
on page 16.
Finally, as we head into picnic
season, check out our " Salads for all
seasons " recipes on page 34. These
salads are excellent choices to take to
potlucks and summertime parties.
Enjoy these and more great stories
places it would take her.
By her early 20s, she was active in the civil rights movement
in this month's issue.
Happy reading!
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Georgia Magazine - May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - May 2024