The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce is proud to host The Black Moses Freedom Festival celebrating the legacy of Harriet Tubman on the 160th Anniversary of her June 2, 1863 victory mission on the Combahee River in Beaufort County.
The event will be held June 2 through June 4, 2023, featuring holistic health introductions and demos, as well as financial literacy, and urban agriculture workshops to engage the community in activities that contribute to improving their quality of life.
The Black Moses Freedom Festival is an opportunity for organizations and local businesses to collaborate with the community through ideas that educate, focusing on local history, economic empowerment, transitioning to healthier life choices, agricultural sustainability, land ownership, art, and heritage to strengthen the community.
The theme of The Black Moses Freedom Festival is “Educate to Empower through Art, Entertainment, and Engagement” This theme reminds us that simple, daily acts of prevention, like choosing local fresh fruits and vegetables over frozen or canned vegetables, today, can lead to healthier lives for each of us, supports local farmers and business, which results in happier healthier communities, tomorrow.
The Black Moses Freedom Festival will provide opportunities for our community to explore, learn, and exercise new paradigms of what liberation means through themes of economic empowerment, agricultural equality, art, wellness imperatives, culture, and community.
June 2nd 3pm – 9pm
Welcome of the Drum, Libation Ceremony, Open Mic Jam Session
June 3rd
Kayaking Combahee River Tour 10am, Combahee River Tour (Bus w/ Patt Gunn) 11am, Festival 12pm-6pm, Sip & Paint at Gullah Art Gallery at 4pm, Liberation Mixer/Performances 7:30-11pm
June 4th
Sunday Salutations: yoga, meditation, sound bowls, acupuncture 12pm-2pm. 2pm: Tea Tasting and Brunch with Wayne of Ashford Tea Company inside Sandies at the Gullah Jazz Cafe at the BCBCC.
Additional attendees to the Festival:
The Black Moses Freedom Festival and the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce are happy to announce that Professor Dale Green will be joining us in Beaufort SC at the upcoming Black Moses Freedom Festival, June 2 through June 4, 2023.
A Professor at Morgan State University and a much sought-after scholar of African American heritage, Dale Glenwood Green has an ancestry intertwined with some of the most consequential individuals in American history; including his maternal line of Bishop Alexander Wayman and Frederick Douglass, and his paternal line of Reverend Samuel Green and Harriet Tubman.Mr. Green will be in attendance along with five additional family members, all of the same lineage.
His Royal Majesty Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II will lead us in libations and a ceremonial walk to the river to open the way. He is also blessing us with traditional African dancers and drummers. Founded in 1970, Oyotunji Yoruba African Kingdom (OYAK) is the first intentional community in North America, based on the culture of the Yoruba and Republic of Benin tribes of West Africa. Now, after over 49 years of sustaining the only Kingdom based on traditional Yoruba sociology and values. OYAK brings to South Carolina Low-country and greater global community the depth of culture, beautiful art, grandeur of customs and resilient history of the Yoruba New World……. OYAK core mission is “Spreading Yoruba culture, feeding the community and celebrating Yoruba tradition”.
Dr. Da’mond Gadson is a Bilingual “Spanish and English” African American/Black Psychological Therapist with a Doctorate Degree in Behavioral Health from Arizona State University. He works with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and behavioral needs. He possesses an in-depth understanding of psychological disorders, treatment techniques, diagnosis, and interventions. This includes performing assessment and psychological testing with disciplinary teams in Primary Care, Integrated Care, and mental health settings. He provides solutions to problems by using the client’s strengths to combat challenges. He integrates the role of the mind, body, and spirit in therapy. He will bless us with a talk about the importance mental health and wellness in the community.
Chef Alexander Mack has a remarkable story that exemplifies resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges and obstacles. He began his journey as a cook at a well-known chain restaurant and quickly rose to the position of Assistant General Manager, leveraging local opportunities to expand his experience in the food industry.
However, despite his achievements, he faced a demotion that prompted him to pursue his personal goals and take his talents to the corporate world. In his pursuit of success, he encountered difficulties with management, who attempted to tarnish his reputation, resulting in his termination and a period of homelessness lasting three months. Nonetheless, Alexander’s strong drive to succeed was fueled by his desire to be a positive example for his children, motivating him to persevere and overcome his challenges. During his time of homelessness, Alexander’s perspective on food changed, inspiring him to adopt a healthier lifestyle and develop his cooking philosophy. Although he lacked the financial resources to attend culinary school, he took an alternative approach by training under master chefs to learn different techniques, learning the science behind cooking, and the art of cooking. Chef Alexander has 20+ years of cooking experience as a professional chef. His dedication and hard work paid off, as he gained experience by traveling to different cities and ultimately creating A.M. Diverse Cooking.
He will be serving us his deliciousness in a 3 course fine dining exclusive experience this year and we are so excited and honored to have him.
LCDR Matt Bowman, U.S. Navy retired is a native of Walterboro, S.C. The child of an Army officer, he attended 8 schools in 11 countries/states, including Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology. He left high school early to attend college. He is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He went to flight school in Pensacola, graduating in the top of his class in Primary Flight School, and was selected for the tactical jet pipeline. LCDR Bowman served at sea for 5 years aboard many aircraft carriers. He served ashore at the US Southern Command as the Counterdrug Subject Matter Expert in Narco-Terrorism, where he conducted operations in various South American Countries. He was the Acting Director of Diversity for the U.S. Navy, and was responsible for diversity policy affecting 338,000 active duty sailors, 175,000 reservists and civilians.
He is also owner of Bowman Vineyards in SC.
A native-born New Yorker, Luana M. Graves Sellars, quickly discovered that weather wise, she was really “a mis-placed Floridian”. Even though she has a degree in Journalism and Black History, she wasn’t prepared to live on Hilton Head Island, one of the most culturally rich and historic areas of the South. A passion for her Gullah Geechee roots led her to become a cultural influencer and preservationist through her writing, which is focused on educating others, as well as documenting Gullah culture, its history, and people.
T’Afo Feimster, a native of Stony Point, NC, currently residing in Charlotte NC, is a graduate of North Carolina Central University in Durham NC, an IBM retiree, and currently, a full-time visual artist (T’Afo Arts LLC). He is the Founder and Executive Director of LATIBAH Collard Green Museum, a history museum, co-founder of ADEPT Artists Inc., a 501 c [3] non-profit organization, founder and director of The Front Porch Theater Group (performs historical re-enactments of significant events in black history), and developer and facilitator of TACT (The Art of Creative Thinking), a personal development and retention workshop. T’Afo has over 40 years of experience in the arts. As a visual artist during this time, he has mastered many different art techniques, creating a wide variety of canvasses. Over the last 30 years, T’Afo’s paintings and sculptures have been displayed in shows and galleries throughout the Northeast and Southeast region of the United States, and the Caribbeanswhere he lived for three years. He has been featured in many local and regional magazines, newspapers and on numerous television programs. He has been the featured opening artist for several nationally and internationally known artists such as the late Selma Burke and an actor in the PBS special “God In America”. Over the years he has received awards, recognitions, and honorable mentions not only for his artistic disciplines but his community involvement with the arts and Black History. His spiritual nature, driven by a deep and sensitive desire to create and educate, has inspired, and motivated him to be the diverse artist andcultural educator that he is today.
From many years, T’Afo’s artistic focus was creating artistic installations and exhibits for the LATIBAH Collard Green Museum. For the past 5 years he has been a studio artist creating a body of work for gallery exhibitions, festivalsart shows, and cultural educational lectures and workshops.
Frederick Murphy is the founder of History Before Us, LLC, a project centered on capturing, preserving, and advocating for influential history. He was raised in Clarksville, Tennessee and is a graduate of Tennessee State University. His first film, the award-winning The American South as We Know It, explores the lives of survivors of Jim Crow—the courageous individuals who didn’t make the headlines. His second documentary, The Other Side of the Coin: Race, Generations & Reconciliation, was released on September 2, 2020. A collection of experiences and thoughts addressing the complexities of race in America, the film asks, “How do we reconcile for the sake of future generations and humanity?” Murphy’s third installment Sweet Home Alabama: A Chief and his Protégé, will be released winter of 2021. Murphy has also directed educational films in collaboration with the N.C. Rice Festival, Black Indians NC, Saving Slave Houses, A1DAY1 Productions, Brunswick Arts Council and more. Frederick is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who finds joy in helping people achieve and retain an optimum level of functioning by focusing on their holistic health. He has a master’s degree in Transformative Leadership and serves on the board of the James K. Polk historic site in Pineville, North Carolina, the Slave Dwelling Project in Charleston, South Carolina and the Tennessee African American History Research Group located in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Attorney Elizabeth Wellman was admitted to the Florida bar in 2009 and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2013. While in South Carolina, she’s worked for three different Chief Justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court for over eight years. During that time, she regularly worked with all 46 Probate Judges regarding probate law. This is what ignited her passion. She recently joined CHPP in June 2022 and is excited to help resolve land issues for those that have been underserved.
To purchase tickets to the event, and to selected workshops and activities, visit eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-black-moses-freedom-festival-tickets-527782199767
For more information about this event, including vending, performances, workshops and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.BlackMosesFreedomFestival.com.
