Georgia's history is deeply entwined with several pivotal points in African-American history, and that connection is made to great effect at Macon's Tubman African American Museum. Art, history and culture all convene to create a compelling focal point that is underscored by the facility's 14 galleries, a library and a museum that are all dedicated to spotlighting African-American achievements. One of the most noteworthy attractions is a tribute to the museum's namesake, Ms. Tubman who was known as “The Black Moses” as well as one of the leaders of the underground railroad during the Civil War. Among the many fascinating items and exhibits, the museum is home to one of the country's most extensive collections of historical African memorabilia.
Whether it's a musical performance, a dramatic production or a graceful ballet recital, the magnitude of each musical note and movement of each of the figures on stage will become even more dramatic when you see it at Macon's Grand Opera House. This entertainment venue holds much historic significance within its walls. Performers as diverse as Will Rogers, Sandra Berndardt, and Harry Houdini have all spent time in the limelight here as the have dazzled audiences with their unique talents. The structure was originally built in 1884 and still features one of the largest stages in the South.
Revisit the site of some of Macon's most classic performances when you step into the classic beauty of the Douglass Theater. This venue and attraction dates all the way back to the 1920s when it was an African-American movie and vaudeville hall. Later, in the 1960s, such iconic performers as Otis Redding and Ray Charles graced its impressively large stage. Amazingly, the theater is still in operation and takes great pride in maintaining its role in promoting the African-American experience in the areas of music, film and theater.
Echoes of the Civil War still resound in Macon at the historically-rich Cannonball House and Museum. See where an actual cannonball plummeted through the exterior of a white-columned Greek Revival-styled home that eventually stood as a symbol of the nation's struggle against itself. The house is directly adjacent to the Macon Confederate Museum that features actual weapons used in the Civil War, photos, artifacts, uniforms, and crystal and china pieces from the period.