The Spirit of Sankofa: A Call to Remembrance and a Blueprint for Resilience

About this event

Presented as the Hannibal Square Heritage Center’s inaugural Black History Month exhibition, The Spirit of Sankofa: A Call to Remembrance and a Blueprint for Resilience explores the West African concept of Sankofa, meaning “to go back and retrieve,” as a framework for understanding how the past shapes the present. Through a community call for artists, historical interpretation, oral histories, and contemporary works of art, the exhibition connects the history of Hannibal Square with broader narratives of American democracy, identity, and civic life. The exhibition is accompanied by scholar-led conversations featuring Dr. Ruth Edwards, Dr. Kibibi Mack Shelton, and Dr. Fon Gordon, interpretive walking tours led by Jasmine Harris and Chief Historian Fairolyn Livingston, and a new documentary featuring community leaders Mary Daniels, Fairolyn Livingston, and other longtime West Winter Park residents. Together, these experiences create a rich public humanities program honoring the history and enduring legacy of Hannibal Square.