Sunday May 17th Celebration Koinonia Farm through the Eyes of Pebble Folks: Then and Now
Led by Rev. Susan Manning
Barbara Atkinson with Gary and Jennifer Culp (on Zoom) present this Sunday’s program about Koinonia Farm in Georgia. The name Koinonia, a Greek word which means “community, fellowship” exemplifies the principle of its name. Founded in 1942 by white Baptist minister Clarence Jordan and his wife Florence, they envisioned white and black people working together in harmony and treated as equals. As the Civil Rights movement began to grow a few years later, Koinonia Farm became the target of racist fear among white folks in SW Georgia. They were targeted with dangerous violence, threats, investigations and raids by the KKK. Boycotts of their farm products and retribution for townspeople who supplied them and forced them to shift to mail-order goods, shipping to more supportive buyers and Pebble people have been recently ordering as well.
The Culps lived and volunteered at Koinonia Farm in 1981/2 for a year. Gary will tell the story of their sojourn. This included acquaintance with local residents Jimmy and Roslynn Carter, and an invitation that led to connection between Koinonia and the newly-founded Habitat for Humanity. They will join us on Zoom from Sayulita in Mexico and Vashon Island WA.
Aaron and Jason Culp with President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter
Barbara and her sister Sue Atkinson visited Koinonia Farm this past January (taking the Midnight Train to/from Georgia) and were warmly welcomed. She will speak about their visit and show photos. Her talk will also touch on connections with other communities such as Bryn Gweled Homesteads, where Barbara resides. BG was founded in 1940 with a similar vision of racial equity and living in harmony in Bucks County during that era of change and resistance in the Northeast. BGers have been purchasing Koinonia products for 8 decades.
For more information click here: https://koinoniafarm.org/
Sue and Barbara Atkinson