KENNESAW, Ga. | May 7, 2026

Students in the Master Craftsman concentration within the School of Art and Design at the Kennesaw State University Robert S. Geer Family College of the Arts unveiled a newly commissioned sculpture this week at the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History as part of the museum’s ongoing Silenced Voices initiative.

The large-scale installation was created through a partnership between the Geer College of the Arts Master Craftsman program and the Kennesaw Museum Foundation. Dedicated during a public ceremony attended by community leaders, museum supporters, faculty and students, the sculpture explores the founding story of Friendship Baptist Church by emancipated Black Americans during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
 
The sculpture, modeled after a Reconstruction-era railroad boxcar, commemorates the church’s earliest days, when members gathered in a donated railcar because Black Georgians were prohibited from owning property at the time. Inside the sculpture are cast bronze figures representing the congregation and the community that formed around it.

 
“This project gave students the opportunity to create work with both technical complexity and deep historical meaning,” said Allen Peterson, Lecturer of Sculpture and Master Craftsman Program Coordinator at KSU’s School of Art and Design. “It reflects exactly what the Master Craftsman program is designed to do — connect students with real-world public art experiences while engaging meaningfully with community partners.”
 
The dedication ceremony featured welcome remarks from Kennesaw City Mayor Derek Easterling, as well as comments from Dr. Richard Banz, Executive Director of the Southern Museum, about the museum’s broader Silenced Voices initiative, which seeks to highlight stories historically overlooked in traditional Civil War narratives.
 
Student team leader Callahan Roberson also spoke during the ceremony, reflecting on the collaborative design and fabrication process behind the installation.

During the planning phase, students met with present-day members of Friendship Baptist Church to gather input and perspective that would help guide the storytelling and design of the sculpture. Among those consulted was Mr. Curtis Evans, who attended the dedication ceremony alongside another church parishioner.

The collaboration reflected a core principle of responsible public art practice: engaging directly with the communities whose histories are being represented.

“The story behind the work is really powerful,” Roberson said. “It connects railroads, Reconstruction, education, faith and community in a way that feels deeply relevant today.”
 
The project originated through a multi-round proposal process between Master Craftsman students and museum leadership. Students first developed individual concepts before refining and combining ideas through several rounds of presentations and client feedback, ultimately producing the final selected design.
 
According to Roberson, the experience offered students direct exposure to the realities of professional public art practice — from concept development and client collaboration to fabrication, installation and community engagement.
 
“I think it’s one of the best opportunities fine arts students can have,” he said of the Master Craftsman program. “It’s a direct pathway to public work.”

 
The installation now becomes part of the Southern Museum’s permanent interpretive experience exploring the role of railroads during and after the Civil War. The museum’s Silenced Voices initiative broadens that narrative by sharing stories that have historically gone unheard, creating a more inclusive understanding of the region’s history.
 
As one of the largest comprehensive arts programs in the Southeast within a public research university, the Geer College of the Arts continues to create opportunities for students to engage in ambitious, community-centered creative work that extends beyond the classroom and into the cultural life of the region.

 

~Photography by Mary-Kathryn Lopez