The N.C. African American Heritage Commission (NCAAHC), Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation are pleased to announce the dedication of the Africa to Carolina Inclusive Public Art Initiative. The public ceremony will be held Thursday, July 16, at 10 a.m., on the grounds of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site. The NCAAHC and Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson are administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR).
The site is the first public art installation in North Carolina to commemorate the history of African disembarkation along the state's coast. The “Africa to Carolina” initiative arose from a charge from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to identify, acknowledge, and physically memorialize sites where enslaved persons disembarked from the African continent. The initiative identifies the forced arrival of enslaved Africans to North Carolina in the early sixteenth century as a defining chapter in the state’s history. Brought to ports including Bath, Beaufort, Brunswick, Edenton, New Bern, and Wilmington, these individuals endured unimaginable hardships yet played a crucial role in building North Carolina’s settlements and shaping its culture, economy, and community bonds. Their resilience and ingenuity continue to connect descendant communities across the state today.
The NCAAHC’s Initiative has progressed through thoughtful, collaborative community engagement since its inception. In response to community members’ calls to honor this history, the Commission was awarded the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Inclusive Art Grant. This art installation was created by artists David Wilson and Stephen Hayes, with input from a broad coalition of community stakeholders. The NCAAHC facilitated a community-engaged process that centered knowledge, emergence, and co-creation to shape a public art installation to make known one of North Carolina’s most obscured histories.
The ceremony will include speakers and presenters, followed by the unveiling of the art installation. The Commission is grateful to all who played a role in this project, including the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Inclusive Public Art Initiative, North Carolina Historic Sites, and committee members. This is an outdoor event, and seating is limited. Registration is recommended for the Africa to Carolina Ceremony. Attendees are welcome to bring camping or foldable chairs for additional seating.
About the N.C. African American Heritage Commission
Created in 2008, the African American Heritage Commission (NCAAHC) is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Commission works across the department to preserve, protect, and promote the state’s African American history, art and culture for all people. Its endeavors include the identification of heritage sites, compiling resources for educators, extending the work of national programs such as the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom Underground Railroad, and independent initiatives, including the NC Civil Rights Trail and one site, North Carolina Freedom Park in the state’s Capital. To learn more, visit the website aahc.nc.gov.
About Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site is a major pre-Revolutionary port on North Carolina's Cape Fear River. Brunswick was abandoned and burned during the American Revolution and never fully recovered. During the Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed atop the old village site and served as part of the Cape Fear River defenses below Wilmington before the fall of the Confederacy. Colonial foundations dot the present-day tour trail, which crosses the earthworks of the Confederate fort. The site is located at 8884 St. Philip's Rd SE, Winnabow, N.C. 28479. For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/brunswick-town-and-fort-anderson/plan-your-visit or call (910) 371-6613
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.