A new exhibit, “Unsung African American Medical Heroes of Southwest Georgia,” opens to the public Friday, February 25, at the Union Depot at Thronateeska Heritage Center. 

The 2022 theme for Black History Month is Black Health and Wellness. The exhibit focuses on this theme as seen through the lens of Black medical practitioners in southwest Georgia. A small sample of unsung Black trailblazing medical heroes from the region are featured, including Suzie King Taylor, Dr. Edgar Parker, Dr. Jacob Shirley, Dr. Richard Grier, Eliza Ann Grier, Annie Mae Hall, Richard Hall, Ada McGee, and Rev. Dorothy Josey Williams. Also included are medical care items specifically marketed to people of color.  

Black History Month is a time to celebrate, but it is also a time to commemorate and communicate the many African-American achievements that enrich our communities, cultures, and lives. This exhibit is meant to promote conversations about our area’s rich history from the viewpoint of all races and backgrounds. While February is dedicated to Black History Month, our hope at Thronateeska Heritage Center, along with Albany State University Social Services Department, is to elevate Black voices so that the achievements of the Black community reverberate not just this month but every day of the year.           

Thronateeska Heritage Center is open Thursday-Saturday from 10 am-4 pm. There is no charge for admission.