Donation from Georgia Power enables creation of a children’s area at VSU’s Copeland African American Museum

Designed to encourage participation and inspire a love of learning through hands-on activities and fun, the Copeland African American Museum’s Children’s emPOWERment Zone recently went from concept to reality thanks to a $50,000 donation from Georgia Power. Photoed from left to right are Dr. Karin Pafford Hartman, dean of the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration; Roy Copeland, collector of historical artifacts and museum founder; Lindsay Hill, senior vice president of human resources at Georgia Power and VSU alumna; and Joe Brownlee, southwest regional director of Georgia Power and VSU alumna. Georgia Power previously donated $25,000 to support the Copeland African American Museum and its efforts to preserve and promote the stories of African Americans.

VALDOSTA – Work has begun on the long-planned and highly anticipated Children’s emPOWERment Zone at Valdosta State University’s Copeland African American Museum.

Designed to encourage engagement and instill a love of learning through hands-on activities and fun, the Copeland African American Museum’s Children’s emPOWERment Zone recently went from concept to reality thanks to a $50,000 donation from Georgia Power.

“This generous donation will allow us to create an interactive space where children can explore the excellence, resilience, bravery and determination of some very important people and their contributions,” said Dr. Amy Watson, the museum’s marketing coordinator. “The exhibits are designed to be educational while also being fun, colorful and engaging. The space will highlight a specially curated mix of important Black Americans who have changed our culture through science, art, music, business and sports. While the space will not exclusively focus on Georgians, we are placing a special emphasis on notable Georgians so that future generations will build both their knowledge and sense of pride.”

The Copeland African American Museum’s Children’s emPOWERment Zone is scheduled to open during Black History Month in February 2025.

“As we create spaces and programs to become the preeminent destination in South Georgia, this is a very important component,” Watson explained. “When children come to the Copeland African American Museum, we want to engage all of their senses. We want them to be able to touch, see, move and hear these important people and their contributions.”

In 2016, Roy and Cheryl Copeland donated their entire collection of African American memorabilia to VSU’s Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration. A few years later, that gift inspired the creation of the Copeland African American Museum, a destination for those seeking inspiration, knowledge, a change in perspective, and conversation.

The Copeland African American Museum first opened its doors in January 2020, and today it continues to welcome visitors from diverse backgrounds and perspectives who are eager to see the African American memorabilia on display, share ideas and experiences, and be inspired to learn more about why African American history matters to everyone.

For the Copelands, it’s a dream come true. They’ve spent the last 30-plus years building a legacy that encourages people of all ages and ethnicities to examine, research and analyze the innovative, creative and intelligent contributions of African Americans throughout history – and to remember, recognize and celebrate those contributions throughout the year.

Spanning more than 150 years of history, the Copeland African American Museum’s collection includes more than 100 pieces that the Copelands began collecting in 1989, when Cheryl Copeland surprised Roy Copeland with a set of signed Muhammad Ali boxing gloves for Christmas. She selected a unique piece of history for him each year, and soon the couple began collecting even more African American memorabilia at live auctions, online auctions, flea markets, antique stores, and more.

“Preserving and displaying these many items of historical and cultural significance at an academic institution such as Valdosta State University is critical for children and youth,” said Joe Brownlee, Georgia Power’s Southwest Regional Director and a former VSU student. “Not only does it honor the rich heritage and contributions of African Americans, it also gives young people a tangible connection to their heritage, fostering pride, understanding and a deeper appreciation for the diversity of our shared history.”

Georgia Power previously donated $25,000 to support the Copeland African American Museum and its efforts to preserve and promote the stories of African Americans.

“The museum is growing steadily and out-of-town traffic continues to increase,” Watson added. “Our visitor numbers are now in the thousands instead of hundreds. We have become members of the National Parks Civil Rights Network and that has helped us gain more visibility. Visitors now come from a greater number of states. Last semester, a visitor told us he heard about the Copeland African American Museum from someone at his church in Kansas City, Missouri. Donations like this are critical to ensuring we can provide our visitors with a great experience that exceeds their expectations and rivals other nationally recognized museums.”

VSU’s Copeland African American Museum underwent an expansion and renovation in 2022, nearly quadrupling its space. This included the addition of new exhibits and the creation of a space for visitors to reflect on the history of the black experience from slavery to the 13th century.^th Amendment to the United States Constitution that abolished slavery and forced labor. This transformative experience offers visitors the opportunity to learn about and engage with some challenging aspects of America’s past.

On the web:
https://copelandaam.org/