From the Museum to Main Street: Hannibal Lokumbe Meets with BCAACC to Plan a June Walk of Love

Bastrop County African American Cultural Center & Freedom Colony Museum | Partnership Conversation with Hannibal Lokumbe | June Event

Bastrop’s story is still being written—by the descendants who keep showing up, by elders who carry memory, by young people brave enough to stand in purpose, and by artists who refuse to let tragedy be the last word. That spirit was unmistakable during Hannibal Lokumbe’s visit to the Bastrop County African American Cultural Center & Freedom Colony Museum (BCAACC/FCM), where he met with local leaders to explore a partnership ahead of his upcoming June performance.

The meeting was practical, heartfelt, and forward-looking. Lokumbe came not only to share the vision behind his work, but also to clearly outline what support would be needed from the museum and community partners to make the project successful. While final details will be confirmed at a later date, the day’s conversation offered a strong foundation and a shared sense of purpose.

A work rooted in remembrance—and in love

Lokumbe explained that his upcoming performance centers on a sacred remembrance: a work he wrote in honor of the nine lives taken during the Charleston church massacre—an anniversary that marks ten years this summer. He spoke with reverence about the scope of the project and the spiritual intention behind it: not to stir revenge, not to sensationalize tragedy, but to honor the “saints,” to confront sorrow with dignity, and to lift a community toward healing.

A major visual component of the work includes large panels honoring each of the nine individuals killed—artworks that, in past performances, have drawn people into silence, tears, and reflection. Lokumbe described moments from previous cities where even passersby—people coming out of bars or directing traffic—stopped and wept as the procession moved quietly through public streets.

It is not, he emphasized, a performance built on anger. It is built on love, grace, and the possibility of transformation.

“The Walk of Love”: a partnership request to the museum

At the center of the meeting was a direct request: Lokumbe asked the museum to help spearhead the Walk of Love, a community procession of silence, prayer, and meditation that will lead into the June performance.

He proposed that the Walk begin at the local Pual Quinn AME Church—“a place of great importance for our history”—and proceed through downtown Bastrop to the performance site at Calvary Church. The Walk, he noted, is not meant to be complicated or costly; it is meant to be organized with care.

In clear terms, he explained what he hoped the museum would support. Lokumbe emphasized that he is already visiting churches and meeting community members to extend the invitation. He shared that he would provide a list of places he has visited to avoid duplication, and welcomed the museum’s help in aligning outreach.

A promise for the youth—and a seat at the front

One of the most powerful moments of the meeting centered on the role of youth.

Lokumbe described four young women he calls “scribes,” who represent the spirit of the four girls killed in the Birmingham church bombing. These scribes are not symbolic decoration. They are central to the performance structure—so central, he explained, that the piece does not move forward until they speak.

He shared his desire to cast young women who are mature and confident enough to lead, and to include respected youth leaders—especially young men—who can model courage and participation for peers who might otherwise dismiss the work as “too emotional,” “too soft,” or “not for them.”

The message was clear: our babies need to see elders in white. Elders need to see our babies leading. That exchange—across generations—is part of the healing.

“Tired of the hatred—join us on a Walk of Love”

One line stood out as both invitation and challenge. As discussion turned toward flyers and community messaging, Lokumbe shared a simple phrase that shall become the heart of the promotion:

“Tired of the hatred? Join us on a Walk of Love.”

It’s a sentence that fits Bastrop’s moment—because this work isn’t only about Charleston. It’s about what we do with grief, with memory, with history, and with one another.

A partnership still forming—details to come

At this stage, not every detail is finalized. That was stated clearly in the meeting. Final timing, RSVP structure, volunteer roles, and the full event schedule will be confirmed later as planning continues.

But what is already clear is the shared intention: a partnership rooted in responsibility, community engagement, and cultural care.

Lokumbe’s visit was not a performance—it was a planning table. And for the museum, it was an opportunity to help lead a public act of dignity: honoring the past, gathering the present, and guiding the next generation toward a future where love is not a slogan, but a practice.

Final details will be shared as they are confirmed.