Georgia's American Journey: Juneteenth National Independence Day

[00:00:00]This is a 41 NBC News [music] special report.

[00:00:04]Georgia's American Journey, 250 years, celebrating [music] Juneteenth National Independence Day.

[00:00:14]>> Thank you for joining us. I'm Fiona King.

[00:00:16]>> And I'm Tarik Win. From the deep roots of freedom to the long road toward equality, Juneteenth is more than just a date on the calendar. It's a reminder of promise delayed, a people who endured, and a country still learning how to live up to its founding ideals.

[00:00:34]>> Today, as part of the Georgia's American Journey, we look at the people, places, and stories that connect Middle Georgia to the larger story of freedom in America.

[00:00:46]>> We start with the story of one of the most daring escapes from slavery that began right here in Middle Georgia.

[00:00:52]>> A woman born enslaved would risk everything, her life, her identity, and her future to claim her freedom in a way few had ever attempted.

[00:01:03]>> Historians told me what makes her story so powerful isn't just the risk that she took, but the strategy and the precision behind it.

[00:01:12]In 1848, Ellen Craft made a decision that would change her life and leave a lasting mark on American history. Born into slavery in Middle Georgia, she didn't just run in the shadows, she escaped in plain sight.

[00:01:24]>> This exemplifies someone's desire to be free. When you really think about what's going on today in juxtaposition that to what's going what was going on then, um that's some really thoughtful, deep, um thinking of how to remove yourself from a just a challenging environment that you no longer wish to participate in or be associated with.

[00:01:48]>> Her plan was as bold as it was dangerous, disguising herself as a white male slave holder while her husband, William, posed as her enslaved servant.

[00:01:57]Together, they traveled by train and steamboat across the South.

[00:02:00]>> It was very risky in that Ellen surely understood the great deal of punishment she would suffer if she were caught. And that was up to and including losing her life.

[00:02:19]Or it could have included being sold.

[00:02:22]>> The disguise required more than clothing. It demanded precision.

[00:02:26]>> It took them quite a bit of time to put together the garments that Ellen would wear when she disguised as a man. We know that she covered her face to pretend that she had facial hair and disguise the fact that she didn't. We know that she put her arm in a sling so that she had an excuse if called upon to write. But she also had to wear men's clothing.

[00:02:54]>> Every moment, every interaction had to be convincing.

[00:02:58]>> She obviously was able to understand how to use the trains, the ferries, and so forth.

[00:03:03]Um and I'm not I'm just I mean she you have to understand not just simply reading and writing and all the things that we look at as kind of established, but you have to understand that nuance of being able to act, posture, behave, um carry yourself, just the way you would walk could um potentially endanger you from being outed in some way or another is not correct.

[00:03:25]>> Through that danger came freedom, something Mitchell says speaks volume even today.

[00:03:30]>> What she was willing to do, navigate, and embrace to achieve that freedom um is is pretty remarkable.

[00:03:39]>> After escaping, the Crafts became outspoken abolitionists, and even after finding safety abroad, they made a surprising choice.

[00:03:47]>> After the Civil War, instead of staying in England where they had settled, they came back not only to the United States but to the American South. They came back determined to operate schools so that they could pass on this important legacy of education to future generations.

[00:04:11]>> A legacy not just of survival but of purpose.

[00:04:15]>> The lessons that Ellen Craft's story have for us today as we contemplate what it means to have reached the 250 mark as a country is that every one of us, no matter what our circumstances, no matter where we are in the United States, what our class, what our religion, what our race, what our ethnicity may be, every one of us is called upon as an American to participate in shaping our national values.

[00:04:51]>> Putting in middle Georgia stands out as a symbol of our past, present, and future and one speech delivered there would go down in history.

[00:05:00]>> Just 2 years after the abolition of slavery, a small wooden-framed church in Dublin stood tall facing racism, violence, and adversity with unwavering strength.

[00:05:13]>> 91 years after the country was founded, a beacon of hope emerged for those who had endured unimaginable hardship.

[00:05:22]>> [music] >> Kerosene lamps that would be pulled down from the ceiling for lighting, >> [music] >> a wood-burning stove for heat.

[00:05:29]>> The original First African Baptist Church was just a few feet [music] from where the current one stands today. The present church, built in 1914, quickly became a sanctuary for African-Americans seeking a safe place [music] to worship.

[00:05:44]That sanctuary was not always safe.

[00:05:46]During the Civil Rights era, violence found its way [music] inside. Shots fired through the windows, the bullet holes still visible today.

[00:05:55]>> Back then, >> [music] >> it wasn't many churches that you could worship in in the black community. And in Dublin in particular, First African Baptist Church was the place that the blacks would come and worship. And over time, it we've seen many more churches emerge and get established. [music] >> Dublin is where the dream began. In 1944, at just 15 years old, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled with his teacher, Miss Sarah Grace Bradley, from Atlanta to Dublin to participate [music] in an essay contest at the First African Baptist Church. His speech, The Negro and the Constitution, voiced his hope for true equality. He won first place, but it was a moment before the speech that would shape his journey and the nation's future.

[00:06:48]>> When they got to a certain point in Dublin, they were able to get on the bus and they were [music] able to sit down where they wanted to sit down. And he and him Miss Bradley sat near the front of the bus, but after they picked up passive more passengers and white passengers, then the bus driver would ask Miss Bradley and the young Martin Luther King if they would get up and move to the back of the bus so the whites could have those seats up there.

[00:07:15]>> King reluctantly moved after being convinced by Miss Bradley.

[00:07:19]>> And he didn't want to move, but Miss Bradley convinced him that this [music] that was just the way the times were then. And it would be safer for them to just honor the bus driver's request and move to the back of the bus.

[00:07:32]>> In 1868, [music] the 14th Amendment granted black Americans equal protection under the law. Two years later, the 15th [music] Amendment gave black men the right to vote, but a lot of white men were unhappy with that, [music] especially in the South. Jim Crow laws soon followed, segregating every aspect of life. While discrimination was seen even outside of the South.

[00:07:55]>> America celebrating 250 years, all of that time was not was not a good time for [music] African-Americans, you know, because, you know, we dealt with slavery and all of that, you know. So, but we gradually over time, you know, the accomplishments that people have made, particularly speaking of African-Americans, we came a long way.

[00:08:20]>> Today, the legacy of the First African Baptist Church and Martin Luther King Jr.'s [music] first speech there is a source of pride for Dublin and all of Middle Georgia.

[00:08:30]>> [music] >> Every year, the city celebrates Dr. King's speech making tradition.

[00:08:33]>> Annually, we have an oratorical speech contest and it held is is held close to [music] the actual date that he gave his first public speech.

[00:08:45]>> King's legacy lives on in Dublin. Visit [music] Dublin partners with the church throughout the year, welcoming visitors to experience the history.

[00:08:53]>> We partner with the church three times a year [music] in April, February, April, and August, to allow people to come in, [music] participate in the Readers Theater, listen to the story not just of MLK giving his first speech here [music] in Dublin when he was 15, but also other civil rights stories from across the nation, and others from here in Dublin.

[00:09:13]So, [music] it's just a time to learn some history, to be immersed in >> [music] >> the culture, and to really just meet people even here in the church that worked with MLK [music] later on in life.

[00:09:26]>> Just across the street is the Martin Luther King Monument Park, another space for reflection [music] and connection.

[00:09:33]>> It's an audio box there that retells um speech that King gave when he was 15 years old here in Dublin and a couple other stories on the audio box. So, it's really a place where you can just sit and immerse yourself in the history that happened [music] right in this location.

[00:09:47]>> For Deacon Jerry Davis, working at the church is a privilege [music] and an honor.

[00:09:52]>> Not just be a place where uh you would make history, uh but you could be a part of history.

[00:10:03]>> Later in the broadcast, we'll take you to a local hub for historic black entertainers that continues to stand as a cultural landmark [music] and a hub for creativity.

[00:10:14]>> And we'll take you to a state historic site that's preserved life on a working farm from slavery through the Industrial [music] Revolution. Stay with us.

[00:10:23]>> You're watching Georgia's American Journey, 250 [music] years celebrating Juneteenth National Independence Day.

[00:10:31]>> Historic sites across Georgia are offering a deeper look into the state's past. One location in middle Georgia is preserving more than a century of history showing how agriculture, labor, and daily life evolved through some of the nation's most defining moments.

[00:10:49]>> At the Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site, history isn't just remembered, it's still standing. From slavery and the Civil War to industrial change, the site captures generations of life from slavery to freedom and the struggle for equality.

[00:11:05]>> There are two complete farms here from different eras and that really allows us to tell the story of Georgia's agricultural history spanning over 125 years. Uh we have all of the original structures from those two farms and all the artifacts that go along with that.

[00:11:19]So, the farm equipment, the steam engines, the furniture, all of those things that really tell the story of who lived here and how they lived.

[00:11:26]>> What makes Jarrell Plantation unique is its rare preservation. Two farms offering a side-by-side look at how farming and family life changed over time.

[00:11:36]>> One of the things that we really focus on here is um the the breadth of agricultural history in Georgia. So, everything from those early years where there were a lot of enslaved people who were um doing a lot of the cotton farming labor here, but also we look at that evolution at the turn of the century when steam-powered equipment came into being and and that really changed how people were farming um to the the arrival of the cotton boll weevil and how people had to change industries all together here.

[00:12:01]>> That history begins with enslaved labor and stretches into a new era of mechanization, which steam-powered equipment transformed how crops were grown and processed. But, the story here isn't just about progress. It's also about hardship, resilience, and change.

[00:12:17]>> One of the ways that we really are able to focus in on the earliest history of the site is through our uh Juneteenth program. We do a program from slavery to freedom in middle Georgia and it allows us to tell the story of the people who lived here and and how they lived in middle Georgia during those years of slavery, but also how their lives changed after slavery in those years of reconstruction.

[00:12:37]>> Through programs like Juneteenth, the site works to tell a fuller story, one that includes the lives of enslaved people and their transition to freedom after the Civil War. One of those stories is that of Prince Clark, an enslaved man whose experience reflects both the brutality of slavery and the uncertainty of war.

[00:12:56]>> Prince Clark, who was a slave, and when the Union troops came through, they uh uh asked him to show them where the meat was hidden, where the fam- And he showed them, but they didn't dig down deep enough to get to it. So, they thought he had lied to them. So, they strung him up by his thumbs and he passed out eventually.

[00:13:20]>> He survived and after the war, he eventually gained his freedom and returned years later as a paid laborer.

[00:13:27]For descendants like Phil Haynes, these stories are personal and essential to understanding the full picture of Southern history.

[00:13:34]>> I want them to take away that this represented what a lot of Georgians uh did, what their experience was, what they accomplished, and really a lot of people probably throughout the South.

[00:13:49]Um especially when they didn't have um any free labor.

[00:13:56]They just they had to do it all themselves and they made it work.

[00:14:02]>> Jarrell Plantation is now a state historic site and also preserves the nearby Griswoldville Battlefield, one of the few Civil War sites in the area.

[00:14:11]Officials say events and educational programs throughout the year continue to connect visitors with Georgia's past ahead of America's 250th anniversary.

[00:14:21]Stay with us.

[00:14:22]>> A historic theater in Macon became a powerful response to segregation, creating opportunity, building wealth, and amplifying black voices at a time when access was limited across the South.

[00:14:36]>> The Douglass Theatre didn't just reflect history, it helped change it.

[00:14:40]Standing in downtown Macon for more than a century, the Douglass Theatre tells a story rooted in resilience and cultural impact. At a time when segregation restricted access to public spaces, the theater became a vital hub for African-American life.

[00:14:55]>> It gave uh afforded black people access where they didn't have access to other places. When you think about segregation in 1921, limited spaces where African-Americans could go and feel safe and thrive, and so the Douglass provided that platform where artists could come, share their creativity, and feel safe while doing it.

[00:15:15]>> Named after Charles Henry Douglass, the venue gave black performers a stage and black audiences a place to gather, celebrate, and belong. Over time, it became a launching pad for legendary talent.

[00:15:27]>> I think everyone knows that Otis Redding, uh, this was his stomping ground here where it catapulted him and he launched as he kept winning the teenage party. And then you have the James Brown, um, the Little Richards, uh, you have the Cab Calloways, the Ma Raineys, the Bessie Smiths, all of them flowed through the, uh, Douglas.

[00:15:47]>> From rising stars to global icons, the Douglas Theatre helped shape the sound of American music. But behind the scenes, its success was driven by vision and partnership.

[00:15:58]>> Charles Henry Douglas, uh, you know, started the theater. He and his wife, Fannie Appling Douglas, which people don't talk about a lot. Uh, you know, Mr. Douglas died in 1940, but his wife ran the theater for 30 years after he died, from 1940 to 1971. And it was during her era that it became a mecca of black entertainment.

[00:16:17]>> After the death of the founder, Charles Henry Douglas, his wife carried the theater forward, ensuring its growth during some of the most challenging decades in American history.

[00:16:26]>> He was Macon's first African-American millionaire.

[00:16:29]Uh, and so when you think about that and how he was able to navigate during, uh, an intense time of racial segregation.

[00:16:37]You know, I can't even think back to 1921. When you think back to 1921, how did a black man have so much power? But you know, I say it always comes in twos.

[00:16:46]So it wasn't just him, it was him and his wife. Um, and Mrs. Fannie Appling Douglas, who's actually connected to the Appling family, uh, where her brother was, uh, Professor Peter G. Appling, where there's actually a middle school named after him.

[00:16:57]>> Together, they built more than a business. They built a legacy that still resonates today.

[00:17:02]>> The Douglas serves as a beacon of what Macon can be. And it also represents the history of Macon. When we talk about, uh, our city in general, um, when it comes to black entrepreneurship, when it comes to black arts, when it comes to even preserving black stories. The Douglas is a place for good stories and a place where we're able to continue the legacy of of making.

[00:17:27]>> Now the theater continues that mission by investing in the next generation.

[00:17:31]>> One of the things that we do is that we engage the youth where they're at. And so we have our hip-hop summit that Vincent Muhammad hosts every year. We also have our summer camps where we teach the students about tech, um, theater tech as well as, uh, the arts in the theater. And so really what we do is we meet them where they're at. Instead of trying to tell them about history and make history the main focus, we make, um, understanding them the main focus and allow history to kind of find its place within the things that they love.

[00:17:58]>> Leaders say that the power of the space goes beyond performance.

[00:18:02]>> For arts, arts always brings people together. I think art is freedom. So art don't see color, race, gender. Art is art. And so when you think of a performing arts in a space like this, it's a cultural treasure. And so it's important for a place with making being in the deep south, uh, during that time back in the day like when it was heavy racial tensions and how this could be a space where that could provide solidarity across the community.

[00:18:32]>> That sense of unity through the arts is what continues to define the Douglas Theatre today. It's a symbol of connection, progress, and possibility, not just for Macon, but for the country as a whole.

[00:18:43]>> When I think about America and its long history, I think the Douglas is a representation and honestly, um, an alliteration of the the story of America. When you talk about a man coming from nothing and creating something and then creating a a cultural hub, um, that's the story of America.

[00:19:05]People came here, um, with nothing and tried to create something.

[00:19:11]>> The Douglas Theatre continues to serve as both a historic landmark and a living space for culture and connection. Its legacy underscores how entrepreneurship, art, and community leadership help expand access and opportunity, shaping a more inclusive American story.

[00:19:28]>> For another look at these stories and a full Georgia's American Journey series, [music] be sure to check out 41nbc.com.

[00:19:35]>> You can also find these [music] videos on all of the 41 NBC streaming apps, including for Roku, Apple, and Fire TV.

[00:19:42]Just search 41 NBC.

[00:19:45]>> This is a 41 NBC News [music] Special Report.

[00:19:49]Georgia's American Journey 250 years celebrating [music] Juneteenth National Independence Day.

[00:19:59]>> Juneteenth reminds us that freedom in America has never been a single moment.

[00:20:04]It has been a journey marked by struggle, faith, resilience, and the determination of people who kept moving forward.

[00:20:13]>> In this half hour, we continue looking at the stories that connect Middle Georgia to that larger American journey.

[00:20:21]>> From the days of Reconstruction to today, historically black colleges and universities have played a major role in expanding opportunity across the country.

[00:20:30]>> At Fort Valley State University, a legacy rooted in opportunity, education, and service continues to shape Georgia and the nation.

[00:20:39]>> Just 30 years after the end of the Civil War, Fort Valley State University was founded by men and women who believed education could change the future for African Americans in Georgia. Today, the university stands as one of the state's most historic HBCUs and a symbol of resilience, opportunity, and empowerment.

[00:20:58]>> I've always been impressed by the founders of this institution.

[00:21:05]If you really think about it, 1895, you're talking about not very many years that they were in slavery slavery.

[00:21:14]And so, as a matter of fact, some of the founders were actually born in slavery at that particular time.

[00:21:22]>> University leaders say that the people who built Fort Valley State University understood education would be key to opening doors for future generations.

[00:21:31]>> As I try to walk through this, I try to say in my mind think about what it must have been like for African-Americans just coming out of the Civil War.

[00:21:45]I can imagine that you know, them sitting around and saying, "You know, if our kids are to to be anything, they really need to be educated."

[00:21:58]>> But building that future came with major obstacles. During segregation, historically black institutions often face limited funding and systemic racism.

[00:22:07]>> The challenges we have faced have been that we are an historically black university in a state that initially was focused only on education for individuals who did not look like us.

[00:22:22]So, the first issue we faced would have been systemic racism.

[00:22:28]How we overcame that is that we've always been a people to be self-resilient.

[00:22:34]>> That resilience can still be seen across campus today. Fort Valley State is Georgia's only 1890 land grant institution, and some of its earliest buildings were literally built by the people who studied and worked there.

[00:22:47]>> Some of the buildings on this campus were raised from the foundation up by our scholars, by the faculty, by the staff.

[00:22:57]>> The university's roots trace back to its founders, including John W. Davis who helped create a place of higher learning for African Americans at a time when opportunities were rare.

[00:23:08]>> The leadership started with John W.

[00:23:10]Davison, who is our premier founder. So, from there, wanting to establish an institution for individuals who are of African-American descent, black descent, the leadership started with him.

[00:23:25]>> More than a century later, Fort Valley State's impact can be found far beyond Peach County. Its graduates have gone on to lead cities, corporations, and government offices across the country.

[00:23:36]>> We have individuals who are running corporations, running countries.

[00:23:41]Our one of our former alumni, Ms. Barbara Williams, was formerly the mayor of Fort Valley city. We have other individuals who are senators, who are representatives, who are leading in governmental and judicial positions.

[00:23:59]>> As America prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, university leaders say that Fort Valley State represents a powerful chapter in the nation's story.

[00:24:07]>> In regard to how have we represented and how do we reflect the the nation's 250th anniversary, we are demonstrative of that because you go from enslavement and we're one of the few institutions of African-American few HBCUs in which we were established by individuals who had recently come out of enslavement. So, that in itself shows the story of empowerment.

[00:24:38]>> Fort Valley State University continues to serve thousands of students today, more than 130 years after its founding.

[00:24:47]>> In Macon, a school was renamed John R.

[00:24:50]Lewis Elementary School shortly after the iconic leader's passing in July of 2020. The school stands as a symbol of progress.

[00:25:00]>> Once African-Americans were denied the right to read or write and later to share classrooms with white students, now the name of a black civil rights leader is proudly displayed on the building.

[00:25:12]>> Today we look at John R. Lewis Elementary School, a living testament of change and hope.

[00:25:19]>> You're talking about a man who here [music] in Troy, Alabama back in 1957, applied for admission to Troy University, [music] that's you know, that's located here in Troy. He was denied admission because of the color of his skin. [music] >> After being denied admission, Lewis wrote to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[00:25:38]sharing his struggle. King invited him to meet. He suggested that Lewis could [music] sue the university for discrimination, though this would put his family at serious risk. [music] >> Look how far we've come because of the work that he's put in day in and day out throughout his entire life and how fortunate we are to have still [music] benefit from that to this day.

[00:26:00]>> Jerrick Lewis, nephew of the late John Lewis and executive director [music] of the John R. Lewis Legacy Institute, says his uncle gave us all the blueprints to succeed, to achieve greatness and to speak up.

[00:26:14]>> He always say, you know, hey, your vote is the most powerful non-violent tool that you carry in this world.

[00:26:22]>> While a student in college, Lewis became [music] an activist in the civil rights movement, organizing students at segregated lunch counters in Nashville.

[00:26:30]He championed the idea of getting into {quotes} good trouble, necessary trouble, to create change, a model he would carry for his entire life. Despite facing violence nearly [music] at every turn, Lewis stood firm in his commitment to non-violence. At 21, he became the first freedom writer assaulted in Rock Hill, South [music] Carolina when two white men attacked him for trying to enter a [music] whites-only waiting room.

[00:26:56]>> For me, he was such a nonviolent man.

[00:27:00]You know, and [music] and I always want kids to know always tell kids that like this was stuff that they trained for.

[00:27:06]You know, this [music] wasn't just you know something that they woke up and said, "You know what? We're going to be nonviolent." No, they knew they was going to be faced with difficult situations [music] in life, so they prepared for that. They trained themselves to face those >> [music] >> hardships in life.

[00:27:21]>> In the midst of a fight for change, John R. Lewis never lost sight of the next generation.

[00:27:27]>> [music] >> He poured his wisdom and passion into young people, teaching them that reading was a pathway [music] to freedom.

[00:27:34]>> My uncle was a big reader.

[00:27:36]He believed in reading.

[00:27:38]Um, as a young man here in Troy, I mean, he would often [music] skip out on his farm duties to go and read. Then his siblings would you know, would take up his slack, [music] would take up his part and allow him to further his education.

[00:27:51]>> At John R. Lewis Elementary School, Principal Adrian Hurley walks the halls with a purpose.

[00:27:57]>> [music] >> She wants every student to feel inspired by the name above their school entrance.

[00:28:02]>> [music] >> A name that stands for courage and excellence.

[00:28:05]>> John R. Lewis was a young man who excelled in school, and here at John R.

[00:28:11]Lewis we um, ask our students every day to show what they know. And when they do that, that means being here present every day, being um, engaged in their academics.

[00:28:23]>> When I'm going through Atlanta, when I'm going through Macon, and I see murals of my uncle, and you know, and I and I constantly hear people talking about getting into good trouble. You know, I mean, that just it just puts a smile on my face.

[00:28:36]>> For Principal Hurley, the idea of good trouble isn't just a saying, it's a daily challenge she sets for her students.

[00:28:43]>> Here at John R. Lewis, good trouble is doing well in school, showing up every day, and leading not only in school, but in the community.

[00:28:54]>> In 1981, John Lewis was elected to the Atlanta City Council, where he served until 1986.

[00:29:01]>> [music] >> Just 2 years later, he made history again, winning a seat in the US House of Representatives for Georgia's [music] 5th Congressional District. Lewis would be elected 18 more times. [music] For his nephew, Jeric Lewis, when he hears America is marking its 250th anniversary, >> It gives me the chills.

[00:29:21]Right? It gives me the chills. [music] It shows you how long people have been fighting.

[00:29:27]Right? 250 years. [music] >> And the fight continues. For Jeric, one of the biggest lessons his uncle taught him is the power of patience, [music] both in this fight and in the world.

[00:29:41]>> You never give up. I mean, so there's times where we going to have moments where it feels like, "Hey, you know what? Like, this isn't working." You know? But, if you look at my uncle, like, he didn't give up.

[00:29:51]Him and and other foot soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement, they didn't give up. They they put their life on the line for us.

[00:29:58]They marched for us. My uncle got his skull fractured for us.

[00:30:05]>> Before the world knew him as the architect of rock and roll, Little Richard was a young man from Macon with a sound that changed music forever.

[00:30:14]Coming up, how his roots in Pleasant Hill helped shape a legacy that [music] brought people together across racial lines all over the world.

[00:30:21]>> Plus, how Otis Redding's soulful sound, lasting legacy, and Middle Georgia's roots helped shape American music and inspired generations. Stay with us.

[00:30:31]>> You're watching Georgia's [music] American Journey, 250 years, celebrating Juneteenth National Independence Day.

[00:30:40]>> From gospel roots in to international fame, Otis Redding helped shape soul music during a transformative era in American history.

[00:30:50]>> His voice carried messages of love, unity, and hope while also putting Macon on the map as one of the most influential music cities in the country.

[00:30:59]It's time now to go to the Otis Redding Center of the Arts to see how Redding's legacy continues inspiring a new generation.

[00:31:06]The unmistakable sound of Otis Redding helped define soul music in the 1960s, but for many in Macon, his legacy reaches far beyond the stage.

[00:31:15]>> His sound resonated resonated with people because he always talked about loving each other, um, being together with you each each other, taking care of each other, educating each other. Um, and I think that's what makes his music so special, and it's timeless because we still need those messages today. Messages of love and hope and make sure we get educated and take care of our own, and that's what his music means.

[00:31:40]>> Raised in Macon, Redding blended gospel roots with raw emotion, creating music that crossed racial and cultural divides during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.

[00:31:51]>> Music has just always been that thing that can bring people together regardless cuz music doesn't have a race, it doesn't have a age, it doesn't have a religious background, it doesn't have a socioeconomic standing. Um, it's just that thing that kind of brings us all together regardless of of where you're from.

[00:32:09]>> That impact helped turn Macon into a city recognized around the world for its musical influence.

[00:32:15]>> Macon has just been one of those melting pots of of soul and passionate music.

[00:32:21]Um, and it's funny because everywhere that I've traveled, when I tell people that I'm from Macon, they're like, "Oh, yeah, I've heard of Macon."

[00:32:29]And you're like, "Really? You've heard of Macon?" And they're like, "Yeah, I know Otis Redding and Little Richard and the Allman Brothers." And you're like, "Wow." You know, even when we think that Macon is our own little bubble, people know about this place and people people recognize the power of music that has come from here."

[00:32:46]>> Now, decades after his passing, the Redding family is working to ensure his influence continues through the Otis Redding Foundation and the Otis Redding Center for the Arts.

[00:32:56]>> This is what they dreamed of. They dreamed of a place where kids could come and explore themselves and be creative.

[00:33:02]Um and most importantly, understand the importance of music and the arts and how it ties to everyday living.

[00:33:09]>> For Justin Andrews, Redding's grandson, preserving the music also means helping people understand the man behind it.

[00:33:15]>> Cuz everybody knows the music, but I want I think, you know, once people understand who Otis Redding was as a person, then they understand the music and then he's a lot more relatable and then all those new fans come in and and become Otis Redding fans for life.

[00:33:28]>> While his songs became global hits, those closest to him say his greatest impact may still be the inspiration he leaves behind for future generations.

[00:33:37]>> We want those kids to come in here and gain self-empowerment. If this is what you want to do, we've got every path to lead you to that, but most importantly, we want you to feel good about yourself.

[00:33:47]Feel good about your dreams and live out those dreams every single day.

[00:33:51]>> And as America reflects on its 250 years of history, Otis Redding remains one of Middle Georgia's most powerful contributions to the American story. A voice from Macon whose music still brings people together generations later.

[00:34:06]The Otis Redding Center of the Arts recently celebrated its one-year anniversary and continues offering programs focused on music, creativity, and leadership development for students across Middle Georgia.

[00:34:17]>> Organizers say the goal is not only to preserve Otis Redding's legacy, [music] but to inspire the next generation to find their voice and create a legacy of their [music] own. We'll be right back.

[00:34:29]Before he became a global music icon, Little Richard was a young man from Macon's Pleasant Hill neighborhood with a sound the world had never heard before.

[00:34:39]>> His music helped shape rock and roll, break down racial barriers, and bring audiences together during a time when much of America was still divided.

[00:34:49]>> In the heart of Pleasant Hill, a global legacy was born. One that would go on to shape not just music, but the identity of a nation.

[00:34:56]>> When you think about our nation's history, in July of course we will turn 250 years old.

[00:35:01]Uh our nation has not always been free and just, but we always create the narrative of a more perfect union, and building from we the people. Little Richard sprung from we the people of America. And by doing that, he created audiences all around the world that were more integrated.

[00:35:15]>> At a time when segregation defined much of the country, his music created something different.

[00:35:21]>> When Little Richard is performing, you don't think about race. You don't think about we're not supposed to be together. The music just automatically draws you together.

[00:35:32]>> That ability to unite people was felt far beyond the South. At Maple Leaf Gardens, a glimpse of a more unified America playing out on an international stage.

[00:35:42]>> In 1956, he was uh performing at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, and there were about 13,000 in attendance, mostly teenagers. And the police could not contain these kids. It was a racially mixed audience, but they were all dancing on the seats and in the aisles.

[00:36:00]And >> [laughter] >> you know, they were passing out. They went into near trances. It was It was just an incredible experience.

[00:36:07]>> But before the fame, before the crowds, there was a struggle right here in Macon. A young Little Richard was finding his voice, and what started out as frustration became a sound that would change music forever.

[00:36:19]>> He worked at the at the the Greyhound bus station. He washed dishes there.

[00:36:23]Uh because of the racial climate at the time, uh he couldn't say anything back to his bosses. So, that's where "wop bop a lu bop a lot bam boom" came about because that was his way of basically cursing his bosses out when he when they did something that he didn't like.

[00:36:38]>> A sound that didn't just influence artists, it defined a genre.

[00:36:43]>> He definitely just set paved paved the way. He definitely set a bar that was really high for many other acts and what not who were in rock and roll and other genres as well.

[00:36:54]>> And in doing so, he helped strengthen America's voice around the world.

[00:36:58]>> It matters to the larger story of the American identity because there wouldn't be any rock and roll music without Little Richard. He is one of the trendsetters, if you will, without question. He's the architect of rock and roll.

[00:37:10]>> From Pleasant Hill to the world stage, a sound that broke barriers and helped shape a nation.

[00:37:15]>> He added to the narrative of America. He made America's story around the world stronger by his very being. And it came from right here in Pleasant Hill. He sprung right here from Pleasant Hill.

[00:37:25]And that's the American story, that's the American dream. And it was embodied by the young man that came out of this house behind me.

[00:37:33]>> As we close this Juneteenth special, we are reminded that freedom is not just something to remember. It is something to understand, protect, and carry forward.

[00:37:44]>> The stories we've shared today are rooted in history, but they are not locked in the past. [music] They live on our music, our schools and churches, our communities, and in the people who continue to build on the work of those who [music] came before them.

[00:37:58]>> From middle Georgia to the rest of the country, these stories help us see America [music] more fully. Its struggles, its progress, its promise, and its responsibility. Thank you for joining [music] us for Georgia's American Journey, a Juneteenth special.

[00:38:16]>> 250 years of America told through [music] middle Georgia's story. Watch Georgia's American Journey 250 years, Fridays at 6:00 on 41 NBC News and anytime [music] in the 41 NBC app. 41 NBC News, clear, accurate, to the point.