In-Person Event | November 20, 2025 | 2:00 p.m. EST
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Dr. Lemuel Patterson, [email protected]
Savannah Yamacraw Branch, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) to Install New Officers
Monthly meeting to include updates on historic Cuyler-Brownsville homes.
The Savannah-Yamacraw Branch of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH) announces installation of its newly elected officers. The ceremony, which will be conducted by Chatham County Superior Court Judge Christopher Middleton, will take place Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 2:00 PM, at Senior Citizens, Inc./The Learning Center, 3025 Bull Street, Savannah, GA.
The newly elected officers include:
- Dr. Freddie Gilyard, President
- Mrs. Carolyn Blackshear, Vice President
- Dr. Chundra Creekmur, Secretary
- Ms. Karen Bluestone, Assistant Secretary
- Dr. Patricia Patterson, Treasurer
- Dr. Bruce Cohen, Parliamentarian
- Mrs. Beverly Davis, Chaplain
- The Honorable Dr. Otis S. Johnson,– Historian
In addition to the installation of officers, the ASALH Branch will also hear a presentation from Mrs. Susan Adler, director of programs at Civis, Savannah, along with Juan Uzcategui, development coordinator at Civis, Savannah. They will be sharing information on efforts focused on the restoration of the historic houses of artist Virginia Kiah and W.W. Law, as well as other projects within the Cuyler-Brownsville Community.
Membership in ASALH is open to anyone with an interest in preserving and sharing African American history and culture. The November 20 installation and meeting are free and open to the public.
About the Savannah Yamacraw Branch of ASALH
The Savannah Yamacraw Branch of ASALH was founded in 1977 by civil rights leader W.W. Law. As a branch of the national ASALH organization, the branch is committed to the celebration and study of African American history. ASALH, founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926, established African American History Month as a means to honor and recognize the contributions and history of African Americans. The ASALH 2026 theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” which reflects on the ways Black history has been honored in the past and considers its ongoing significance.