Maybe it was the stories he heard at family gatherings, or it could’ve been the interesting biographies he read. It might even have had something to do with his great social studies teachers.
Whatever the impetus, Corey Rogers found his passion in learning from the past and translating it for the future. He works as the historian at Augusta’s Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History.
MORE: Laney Museum Celebrates 30 Years
“People in my position are often referred to as curator,” he said. “I wear many different hats. I do a little bit of everything.”
Rogers has been at the museum since August 2004. He’s a speaker, has worked with art projects such as the Golden Blocks initiative and has coordinated day camps among his many tasks.
At left, Corey Rogers gives a “Golden Blocks” tour. Photo courtesy RedWolf Advertising.
Rogers said he has always been interested in history, especially the history of his hometown. He attended Terrace Manor Elementary School and graduated from John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. He has a bachelor’s degree from South Carolina State University and a master’s degree from Georgia Southern University.
He vividly remembers an elementary school project focusing on World War II and the Georgia scrapbook project which is almost a rite of passage for Davidson middle school students.
“I still have that scrapbook,” he said.
[adrotate banner=”22″]
While in college, he did internships at Duke University and the Augusta Museum of History. It was the one at the Augusta museum that had the most impact. He met men such as Judge John Ruffin, longtime educator Dr. Isaiah “Ike” Washington, Dr. James Carter and former councilman Grady Abrams.
Hearing their stories led Rogers to want to know more about his community and preserve its history for generations to come.
He’s often asked to speak especially during Black History Month, but the focus of his speeches aren’t figures such as Rosa Parks or Malcolm X. Instead, he chooses to highlight black leaders closer to home. Black Augustans have made their mark not only on the city, but on the nation as a whole. Lucy Craft Laney and the Rev. C.T. Walker may have called the district that bears their name home, but what they did was felt beyond Phillips Street and Laney-Walker Boulevard, according to Rogers.
While he’s not a schoolteacher, Rogers does instruct children through museum programs. He sees today’s children as having a greater comprehension of history than he did at their age.
“I’m amazed at the knowledge they have at a younger age,” he said.
MORE: New Acquisitions Form Latest Exhibition at the Morris Museum of Art
Many have grown up in a “history culture,” he said.
Other parts of his job include giving tours of the Laney home.
He doesn’t leave his love of history once he goes home at night. He often does historical tours of the neighborhood on weekends.
The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Tours are available by appointment. For more information, call (706) 724-3576.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
[adrotate banner=”48″]
