WHO: Macon area church and community leaders
WHAT: Mercer University Commons will host the Building the Beloved Community Symposium—a symposium on achieving a more collaborative relationship among local churches across racial and denominational lines. A variety of speakers will talk about race relations, including keynote speaker Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 10, and Friday, Feb. 11
Highlights:
Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. “The History of Macon’s Race Relations” presentation by Dr. Andrew Manis, assistant professor of history at Macon State College
Friday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. “Women’s Role in Racial Reconciliation” presentation by Dr. Catherine Meeks, Clara Carter Acree Professor of Social Sciences and professor of socio-cultural studies.
Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. Keynote Address from Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
WHERE: Shuttlesworth’s presentation will be in the Medical School Auditorium on Mercer’s Macon Campus. All other presentations will take place in Newton Chapel on the Macon Campus.
BACKGROUND: Dr. John Dunaway, the director of Mercer University Commons planned the symposium after reading a story in The Macon Telegraph by a local African American pastor encouraging local religious leaders to come together to talk about overcoming the racial segregation of Macon churches. The organizing committee for the symposium included Alice Bailey of the mayor’s work force development office, Dr. Joe Hendricks, Columbus Roberts Professor of Christian Ethics, Emeritus at Mercer, Dr. Andrew Permenter, pastor of Emmanuel Church, and Charles Richardson, columnist for The Macon Telegraph, and Dr. Dave Wilcoxson, pastor of New Piney Grove Baptist Church.
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