Widely considered the hub of the New South, Atlanta, Georgia is also home to a large Jamaican community. Some of them are members of the Jamaican Museum and Cultural Center which was established in 2019.

On August 24, that organisation launches a bricks campaign to raise funds to build a museum where Jamaican history and culture will be showcased.

Dr Apollone Reid, president of the Jamaican Museum and Cultural Center, told Observer Online that the campaign will be active for five months. Their objective is to raise US$10 million in three years, with completion of the building expected to be 18 months.

“The museum will display the mission of the JMCC from Jamaica’s genesis, displaying artifacts from the Arawaks, slavery, the Maroons, changing currency, the slave rebellions, our national heroes, paintings of our great achievers in music, politics, beauty queens, entertainers, memorabilia from 1962 independence, athletes and political figures who have changed or impacted the world,” she said.

While trying to raise funds for a physical facility, the organisation’s interactive website (www.jmccatlanta.com) educates visitors about the history of Jamaican culture. It contains artifacts and paintings from the collection of noted Jamaican creatives including Basil Watson, the renowned painter/sculptor who lives in Atlanta; painter Bernard Hoyes and artist/designer Tamara Gammon.

Bricks campaigns are a popular fundraising trend in the United States. Donors purchase a brick, which is then engraved with their name, message, or a dedication, and installed in a designated area.

– Howard Campbell