Savannah African Art Museum’s (SAAM) Founding Director and Curator Billie Stultz gave an insightful presentation to the Richmond Hill Exchange Club on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

Stultz’s presentation focused on SAAM’s mission, the different cultures represented in the museum, the folklore behind one of Stultz’s favorite pieces in the museum, and the launch of the newest exhibit, ROOTS: Hair-Culture-History, Exploring the Hair & Cultures of West & Central Africa.

“SAAM has been working non-stop since the pandemic started to provide the public with virtual options so they can interact with the museum and have a sense of normalcy in these isolated times,” Stultz told Exchange members. “Despite COVID-19, we want to continue providing everyone with the opportunities to learn more on the intricate, unique cultures of Africa.”

The ROOTS exhibit will be in the museum starting from Feb. 10 through the rest of the year. During February, SAAM will also offer two workshops: “Tracing Your Roots – Tips and Resources” for tracing one’s lineage and “Honoring Our Ancestors,” which shows the various ways African culture honors their ancestors with an introduction to Lauri Lyons’ historical social justice initiative, ‘Rest with Honor’. SAAM also offers virtual online tours daily (Monday - Friday, excluding holidays) through Facebook Live, Zoom and YouTube.

Savannah African Art Museum is a nonprofit institution that introduces all audiences to African art and culture. Their mission is to provide engaging experiences that educate and start conversations about the power, diversity, and spirituality of African art.