SPECIAL EVENT: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOHN CHAVIS

Celebrate the life and legacy of John Chavis on Saturday, July 11 at 2:00p.m. at the Raleigh City Museum.  John Chavis, born into freedom, lived during a time when African Americans had few opportunities for advancement.  Chavis served in the Revolutionary War, attended Princeton University, was a Presbyterian minister, and taught white and free African American children here in Raleigh in the early 1800s.  To celebrate his life, join us as we welcome broadcast journalist Melvin McCray, who will show a 30-minute documentary on Chavis’ life.  McCray’s extensive resume includes 28 years as an editor for ABC News, a reporter for Time magazine, an adjunct journalism professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, and much more.  With a passion for history and John Chavis, McCray will discuss the process of filming historical documentaries and will entertain questions from the public following the film viewing. 

      This program is free and is part of a larger rededication ceremony during which the new John Chavis historic maker will be unveiled at its East Street location on Saturday, July 11 at 11:30a.m.  Prior to the unveiling will be light refreshments and a presentation with Melvin McCray at 10:00a.m. at the Chavis Center on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The Raleigh City Museum is located in the Historic Briggs Building at 220 Fayetteville Street.  The museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm and Saturday, 1:00pm-4:00pm.  Admission to the museum and programs is free.  The permanent exhibits are, It Started With One Thousand Acres: Raleigh and its People, Raleigh’s City Flag: 100 Years, and Let Us March On: Raleigh’s Journey Towards Civil Rights.  The museum’s temporary exhibit, Portraits of Raleigh: Images of a City and Her People will run through the fall of 2009.