Massie Heritage Center

Heritage Specialists Rachel Warren Bradshaw and Ayela Khuhro created new digital archaeology resources for educators and students last week upon request. The Massie team DUG the opportunity to collaborate with educators to develop a FREE new digital experience. Contact us to discover what we can do together. ---------------------- 2020 has been a challenging year for teachers the world over. The pandemic has forced educators to adapt to a new social environment and high safe...ty standards. As museum educators at Massie Heritage Center, we continue to cater to the community's needs in that new environment by providing interpretation, accessible programs, and reimaged programs as virtual experiences. We are trusted and essential resources for schools and diligently working to transform popular and traditional in-person programs into digital learning formats. We hope teachers will continue to reach out to us as we help bring their coursework to life. See more

Massie opened its doors on October 15, 1856 with 150 students, one principal, two teachers, and three assistants. By the end of that school year, there were 240 students enrolled in the school. In 1841, Peter Massie, a Scotsman from Glynn County, Georgia, left a $5,000 bequest to the City of Savannah "for the education of the poor children." That money was invested in the gaslight company and the Central of Georgia Railroad. By 1854 there was enough money to begin constructio...n on this Greek Revival building, designed by renowned architect John Norris. Public education continued until the occupation of Savannah by General William T. Sherman in 1864. As families fled the city, Federal troops took possession of Massie to house wounded soldiers. From February until July 1865 Massie was designated as a Freedman's School with 45 females in attendance. Massie continued to grow. In 1872, the western annex was added to the school and in 1886 the eastern extension, which mirrored the earlier addition, was completed. Friends of Massie Heritage Center Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

Staff meeting views

Happy Custodian Appreciation Day to our dedicated team member, Mrs. Diane Jenkins! With over 25 years of service to the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, no one deserves a bigger and better THANK YOU than her! Since Covid-19, she has been working diligently to keep us safe with cleaning and sanitizing. After all she does for Massie, it was great to celebrate her today!

Today, Massie Heritage Center will open back up to the public with proper COVID-19 prevention and safety measures. Please visit us and stay safe!

Students in Savannah-Chatham County Public School System returned to the virtual classroom today. All of us at Massie are wishing families and educators a happy start to the new school year!

What did James Oglethorpe say to Tomochichi? . . . .... - Nothing, Mary Musgrove did all the talking! See more

With great sadness we learned of Mrs. Emma Adler’s passing on July 12, 2020. Emma Morel Adler was passionate and dedicated to historic preservation. As Savannah natives she and her husband Leopold Adler dedicated much of their lives to philanthropy in the city they loved. They traveled the world together and Emma once said, The more you go someplace, and come back, the more you realize that Savannah stands up to any place in the world. Emma played a pivotal role creat...ing Massie Heritage Interpretation Center in 1978 after it closed as a Chatham County Public school in 1974. Mrs. Adler, along with her colleague Saxon Pope Bargeron, pursued a greater ambition for the iconic educational institution. They both formed the original Friends of Massie group and dedicated themselves to formulating a plan that would make Massie a valuable education asset for the entire community. Mrs. Adler’s dedication to Massie was indelible, extending over four decades. However, Massie was just one of the numerous preservation projects Mrs. Adler worked on in her very productive and charitable life, but it was the one most dear to her heart. She was a true pioneer of heritage education in Savannah and Massie Heritage Center is the culmination of this monumental effort. Emma coined a phrase I often like to use when referencing our educational programming at Massie, community as the classroom. That is the model she was instrumental in creating, and it is a guiding principle in our programming today. Emma also said, I give because I love Savannah. This love drove her passion for using Massie Heritage Center, its resources and our city’s historic treasures to teach young people their true history in an engaging manner. Her legacy will always live on through Massie. Savannah has lost a true legend.

Can you name the State fish or the State insect? Can you name the State Capital? Can you name the artist who wrote Georgia on my Mind? Test your knowledge with sixteen awesome trivia questions!

Have you ordered the first TO-GO Kit of summer yet? There is still time for pick-up or delivery this Friday. This kit costs $35 and features a fun-for-all-ages painting activity inspired by Alma Thomas, an artist from Georgia. Each kit includes a USB with digital materials and a video, printed versions of an enriching lesson and instructions, art materials needed for the project, a Summer @ Massie T-shirt, and the amazing book, "Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History" by Vashti Harrison. Visit our website to learn more about Alma Thomas and submit the form to secure your TO-GO Kit before the weekend!

https://www.summeratmassie.com/post/tomochichi-trivia

Archivists found the original handwritten General Order No. 3 buried in the stacks of the National Archives Building. The order, issued in Galveston on June 19, 1865, informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. -NPR

NCSS celebrates Juneteenth, often referred to as Freedom Day, which marks the 155th anniversary of the complete emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.

Thank you Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett for this great update regarding the 2020-2021 school year!

TONIGHT at 5 PM from Telfair Museums