Staff reports | There will be a big community send-off at 10 a.m. Thursday to honor a Charleston legend who will be part of the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture that opens this week in Washington, D.C.
The Thursday event at Gadsden Wharf at the Charleston Maritime Center will honor the life work of the Esau and Janie B. Jenkins family, the surviving members of whom will make a special private visit to the museum prior to its grand opening. Other family members, friends and Sea island residents also will travel to the nation’s capital for the museum’s grand opening celebration.
“In one of the permanent exhibits entitled ‘Defining Freedom, Defending Freedom: The era of segregation, 1878-1968,’ the back panels of the Volkswagen bus that Mr. Esau Jenkins drove with the words ‘Love is Progress, Hate is Expensive’ inscribed on it, were acquired by the Smithsonian for this permanent exhibit,” writes his grandson, Abe Jenkins Jr.
Esau Jenkins, center.
Esau Jenkins (1910-1972) was born and raised on Johns Island and lived most of his life there. “With very little formal education, he became a businessman and civil rights leader.” his grandson wrote. “Jenkins founded the Progressive Club in 1948. The organization owned a small cooperative store, also called the Progressive Club, on the little-known island located off the coast of South Carolina and home to the Gullah people who had retained a lot of their African cultural heritage.
“What began in that co-op was a Citizenship School to teach blacks on Johns Island how to qualify to register to vote. Later, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference spread that program throughout the South. That one class in the co-op became thousands of classes in churches, schools and homes. In 1962, the SCLC brought in other groups that later formed the Voter Education Project (VEP). Between 1962 and 1966, VEP trained 10,000 teachers for Citizenship Schools, and 700,000 black voters registered throughout the South. By 1970, another million black voters had registered.”
Abe Jenkins notes the Progressive Club, now part of the Smithsonian exhibit, was the center for political, social, educational, cultural and recreational activities for the African American residents of Johns Island. Little remains today of the structure. A historic marker is nearby.
Parking will be available for the Jenkins Family Smithsonian Send off at the Aquarium Garage, 24 Calhoun St.
In other good news:
MOJA Festival starts Sept. 29: The MOJA Arts Festival: A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts, which runs from September 29 through October 9, has announced its full line-up of events and has made advance ticket sales available online, via phone and in person. Produced annually since 1983 by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the all-volunteer MOJA Arts Festival Program Committee, MOJA offers over 11 days a variety of arts and cultural programs, including theatre, dance, literary and visual arts, as well as jazz, gospel, reggae, R&B and classical music. A comprehensive listing of MOJA Arts Festival events is available online at www.mojafestival.com, along with a downloadable program guide and links for online ticketing.
Latin American Festival set for Oct. 2: You can experience sensational sounds and vibrant performances at the 25th annual Latin American Festival on Oct. 2 at Wannamaker County Park in North Charleston. The festival will feature Latin American music, dance, art, food and children’s activities and is highlighted by amazing performances inspired by culture from around the globe, including Latin music from seven-piece band Banda Tecno Caliente from 12 – 1 p.m.; the high energy Bachata Flow will bring merengue and bachata music to the stage from 2 – 3 p.m.; and guests will end the day dancing along with the 11-piece dance group Orquesta K’Che from 4:30 – 6 p.m. The festival’s stages will also feature high-energy performances and demonstrations, such as Charleston-based Buen Ache Dance Company, which will take the stage at 1 p.m. Learn more at Charleston County Parks.
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