New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Sawyerville will honor local individuals for Black History Month with a program entitled “African American and the Arts.” The program will be held this Sunday, Feb. 11 at 11:00 a.m.
Receiving an award for Lifetime achievement will be the late Oda Elizabeth Tubbs Williams. Williams was one of nine children born to the Eunice and Brazzie Tubbs in Greensboro, AL. Hailing from a musical family, her love for music blossomed into a legacy that spans over four generations and counting.
Oda was a graduate of Alabama Lutheran College with an Associate Degree in Nutrition. She was employed with Hale County Board of Education, as Lunchroom Manager for many years.
Although singing began in her household with her family, church is where Oda honed her skills. She was a member of the Family Gospel Singers. She was the lead singer and manager for the E. B. Tubbs Singers including her sisters and later her daughters, nieces, and granddaughters.
She became a wellknown soloist all over the Black Belt area and known most for her rendition of the Blind Boys of Alabama’s gospel classic, “AMEN.” Oda loved the Lord and she loved to sing. She instilled the love of God, the importance of praising Him and the power of prayer in her children and grandchildren.
April, 2012, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. During her battle, she faithfully served God through her voice and songs of praise. She continued to encourage and uplift others while going through her own “storm.”
Even though her voice is still, her legacy still lives on in her husband Daniel; children, Eleanor, Merritt, Andretta and other family members.
Receiving the Outstanding Literary Arts Award will be Salaam Green. reen is proudly born and bred in the Black Belt of Alabama. She is a 2018 New Economy’s Fellow, Freelance Writer, Deep South Storyteller, Poet, and Master Healer. She is the founder of Literary Healing Arts & Red Couch Writers, Rural Organizer, Artist in Resident for Arts in Medicine, Green is a graduate of Greensboro Public School East, Class of 1994. She grew up “reading under an old tree” in Greensboro, Alabama. Green advocates for mental healing through writing, an artist-in-residence with UAB Arts in Medicine, a certified Listener Poet. Through the Listener Poet program, the poets hold space for people to share whatever is on their minds, which is reflected to them through a custom poem.
She is the founder and director of Literary Healing Arts and a Road Scholar for the Alabama Humanities Alliance. A certified trainer for the Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation initiative, Green also leads “Write to Heal” workshops — a series of seminars geared at instructing both individuals and organizations in using poetry, writing and storytelling to reclaim their voices and transform their lives.
The city of Birmingham has named writer and educator Salaam Green as its first poet laureate. This prestigious position recognizes Ms. Green’s outstanding contributions to the literary arts and her commitment to fostering a deeper appreciation for poetry within communities. Green is an award-winning poet and author whose work has appeared in The Birmingham Times, Alabama Arts Journal, Scalawag, Bust, Feminist Review, Black Youth Project, Elephant Journal, Southern Women’s Review, AL.com, Birmingham Arts Journal and more.
