Promise Land Heritage Association
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615-707-2130
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4324 Hwy 48 N.
Charlotte, TN 37036
Organization Details

Programs

Budget
$12,000.00
Description
Periodically the PLHA receives opportunities to host traveling exhibitions. The exhibitions come from various sources including the Smithsonian, Museum on Main, Tennessee State Museum, Universities (i.e., MTSU-CHP, TSU, etc.) and other historic sites. These exhibitions are usually sponsored by organizations (i.e., Humanities Tennessee, educational institutes or corporations) or by specific grant funded programs. In addition to sponsorship often additional funding is necessary for associated programming. The exhibitions are opened to the public and during its tenure at the site, special programs or events may be offered to enhance attraction to the site. Careful attention is made to assure accessibility to the site and area of the exhibit.
Program Successes
An example of the success can be seen in our first exhibition entitled "From the Emancipation 1863 to Civil Rights Movement 1963". That exhibition came to the PLHA Site in 2013 and was sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, the National Endowment of Humanities, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of History. It brought a much attention from diverse populations and from a range of fields including education, history, and media. People from beyond the immediate area visited the site for the first time to see it. We were able to establish enduring relationship with organizations such as the Tennessee Humanities and the Tennessee State Museum as a result of the exhibit. These relationships have contributed to serving as a host for other exhibits and many other opportunities for our organization.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
The traveling exhibits have been successful to attracting media attention. In addition, they have allowed the development of long-term programs or results. This includes contributing the sites video programming. They have also contributed to favorable attention from prospective grant funding sources and sponsorship from government and corporate entities.
Short-term Success
The traveling exhibits offer opportunities for people of all economic backgrounds to see them. With the site being located in a rural, low to middle income area, it offers an opportunity for many to see the exhibits who may not be able to travel to the cities or museums where they originated (i.e., Nashville or Washington, D.C.).
Program Success Monitored By
The success of this program is monitored by tracking the number of people who come to see it; by their feedback; their return and support and by media response.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee as well as other areas throughout the United States
Budget
$6,400.00
Description
The Promise Land Festival, held annually, celebrates the heritage of this Charlotte community settled by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period. The primary purpose of the event is to bring about awareness of the historical significance of the community and to foster support for its preservation, including the restoration and maintenance of the remaining community icons: the historic Promise Land School (now a museum) and the Church (scheduled for restoration). The event is held on the grounds surrounding the school and church buildings. This annual festival includes musical and dance performances; living history demonstrations and reenactments; arts and craft exhibits; special recognitions; health and fitness information booths; silent auction; a parade of hats (for healthy hearts), and a gospel concert. There is a variety of food concessions and non-food vendors. The festival is well-attended by both Promise Land descendants and visitors from Middle Tennessee.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities  -  
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
This event entered its 22 year as an annual program offered by the PLHA. It has grown significantly since its start in 2000. It serves as a major program offered by the PLHA.
Program Areas Served
The Mid-Cumberland Region and beyond
Budget
$5,000.00
Description
The Promise Land Historic Site offer organized tours and field visits by appointment throughout the year. In the past year 2015 to 2016 we have had 45 guided tours of the site. We receive traveling exhibitions from organizations including the Smithsonian and Gilder Lehrman Institutes; Tennessee State Museum; and universities i.e. Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee State Universities. These exhibitions help to attract visitors to our site and significantly boost traffic to the site. We also host field trips for schools which often involves special programming i.e. contracting professional actors and re-enactors; hiring technical support for staging and sound; and rental of tents, portable toilets and extra equipment.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Program Areas Served
Mid-Cumberland Region and beyond

CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments

The Promise Land Community Festival is the most widely known program of the PLHA. This event receives much member, state and local involvement and support. This has enabled its growth and expansion over the past nineteen years. The PLHA has no paid staff. One individual serving as Executive Director, volunteers time and personal resources as she works out of her home office to provide managerial, administrative and organizational services for the PLHA. The volunteer Executive Director coordinates all programs with the members, officer and Board for the PLHA including the festival. It is estimated that nearly 5,240 hours are volunteered annually by PLHA members, friends and associates. There nearly 360 volunteer hours are devoted during the festival. In addition, to volunteer services the festival is supported by grants and corporate support. This makes it possible to implement the festival, however, the profits to the PLHA from this event is usually less than $6,000 after expenses.Proceeds from the festival go to support the maintenance and upkeep of the property and other projects. We appreciate the volunteer and in kind support received from the members and the community. We believe that once the restoration is completed including set up of the expansion building; and the museum is opened to receiving groups and the expansion building becomes a community center opened to the public, this will provide and additional revenue for the PLHA. We recognize that it will take some time before these facilities will generate enough funds to compensate staff. However, we see this in the future. We further believe that funding may be more available to programs (i.e. museum projects, etc.) than they are for building and expansion. But until we reach this point we are greatly in need of financial support to get us to our vision.