Community members gathered at the Lay Park Community Center on Hoyt Street on Oct. 23 from 1-3 p.m. to exchange ideas and contribute art pieces to the Linnentown Mosaic, which will be installed on Finley Street.
Above: LISTENING TO LINNENTOWN: At the Linnentown Mosaic discussion on Oct. 23, former Linnentown resident Hattie Thomas Whitehead shares stories from her book, “Giving Voice to Linnentown”, about her experience growing up in the neighborhood community with event attendees. Whitehead’s family was one of many to be forced out of their homes during the federal urban renewal program adopted by the University of Georgia starting in 1962, which replaced the neighborhood with dormitories. “Linnentown residents were skilled laborers: brick masons, carpenters, beauticians, a nurse, cooks, construction workers, janitors, and housekeepers,” Whitehead stated in her book. “We were building our wealth slowly but surely despite nearly insurmountable obstacles that Black property owners had in our community — and everywhere in the South.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: LAST FAMILY TO LEAVE: Former Linnentown resident Bobby Crook speaks at the mosaic discussion about his experience being forced out of his home as a child during the urban renewal project in the 1960’s. Crook’s family was the last to leave the neighborhood after UGA required them to pay rent on their home. Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: STORIES FROM CHILDHOOD: A community member listens to Whitehead read a story about growing up in Linnentown from her book, “Giving Voice to Linnentown”. Based on Whitehead’s experience in Linnentown, event attendees brainstormed art pieces to make up a mosaic on Finley Street that would convey the Linnentown story. “We want the mosaic to reflect something about that trauma of urban renewal that Hattie and Bobby talk about, like really being scared and confused about what's going on and uncertain. But then we wanted to also extend into the current,” Linnentown Justice and Memory Project member and wall of recognition subcommittee leader Dr. Jennifer Rice said. Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: BRAINSTORMING THE ARCHITECTURE: Design ideas for the structure of the Linnentown tile mosaic project are displayed at the Lay Park Community Center on Oct. 23. The Linnentown Justice and Memory Project voted on the mosaic concept in December 2020, one of four sites that will make up the Linnentown wall of recognition along Finley Street. “I think there's four ideas for the design of the base, and I liked the idea of the steps on either side, because that would be a place where people could just kind of sit and hang out,” community member Sarina Rousso, who attended the mosaic discussion, said. “I added that it might be fun to have those steps go all the way around, sort of like a wraparound porch in keeping with the idea of the house.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: IMAGINING THE FINAL PRODUCT: Linnnentown Project Community Geographer Rachelle Berry sketches at the Mosaic Discussion on Oct. 23. The Justice and Memory team provided supplies for event attendees to imagine and draw the mosaic to solicit community input on the project. “Three signs (on the Linnentown Wall of Recognition) will talk about life in Linnentown, some history about urban renewal, then the fourth stop was always gonna be an artistic installation,” Rice said. “Just through the way things happen, I met (Linnentown Justice and Memory Project member Dr. Lynn Sanders-Bustle). Lynn has done this public art (tile) mosaic process before, and (she) brought it to the Justice and Memory team. They loved it because it brought in the community, brought in descendants, brought in the students at UGA.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: MEDALLION MAKING: Community members make clay medallions to include in the Linnentown tile mosaic. Participants used natural items that the former residents remembered from their childhood to create the clay pieces. “I did a medallion, which was really fun and healing, and I love working with my hands. I incorporated some of the things from the site -- the ivy, a little acorn and a vine,” Rousso said. Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: SOLICITING COMMUNITY IDEAS: UGA students discuss the Linnentown mosaic on Oct. 23. The Justice and Memory Project has focused on fostering discussion between community members about the mosaic. “It's not like they're telling us what to do -- they're asking for our input, and it feels good to be a part of something like that, and to hopefully let it be known and heard that it was a tragedy,” Rousso said. Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: TILES OF HISTORY: Clay medallions for the Linnentown tile mosaic sit outside at Lay Park to dry. The medallions incorporated nature, carvings and words that symbolize various aspects of the Linnentown community as seen by the participants. “I have some china and old bowls and things I've collected, plates that have broken that I just keep because I think one day I'm going to make some little planter steps or whatever, but I haven't done it, so I'm going to donate those I think to the project I think it’s gonna be here forever, and other people can enjoy it,” Rousso said. Photo by Audrey Enghauser
Above: THE LANGUAGE OF LINNENTOWN: Community members pasted words and phrases from stories of Linnentown on a poster at Lay Park to build a found poem to honor the former residents. Rice has valued the input of a wide range of community perspectives. “Other than the people that we already have existing relationships with who have given us their input, which is a big group but it's a specific group, this is hopefully going to really broaden that to include the full Athens community because it’s really important to us that this is really as broad as it can be,” Rice said. Photo by Audrey Enghauser