Raised in Southwest Atlanta, Abra Lee was surrounded by green thumbs in her own family, but she never imagined that a career in gardening would be in her future.
Lee, a horticulturist, author and speaker who has served as the arborist for the city of Atlanta and the municipality’s parks department, will speak in an “‘Ethel Day’ Symposium: Unearthed History of Black Garden Clubs in America” at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 21, as part of Morris Arboretum's Earth Day celebration events. In fact, even though Earth Day is officially Friday, April 22, the Arboretum is celebrating all month long with environmentally-focused and family-oriented events, classes and tours.
Lee, who has also served as a horticulture fellow in the Longwood Gardens Leadership Program in Chester County, is currently focused on researching and writing about Black American garden history for conquerthesoil.com, and she is presently under contract with Timber Press for her first book on the history of Black Americans in horticulture.
“There's this false narrative that, ‘Oh, so many Black people didn't want to go back into agricultural horticulture because of slavery.’ And that's just simply not true. If you look at my story, my parents didn't hesitate when I wanted to major in horticulture (at Auburn University),” she said. “My dad understood the curriculum I was following, and my mom grew up on a family farm that owns their land. They were very supportive.”
Lee is a horticulturist by trade, but farming and gardening are in her DNA. Her father served as the director of parks for the city of Atlanta, and her mother grew up on their family’s farm in Barnesville, Ga. Her family in many ways inspired her journey into horticulture. “[Growing up in a farming family] influenced where I am now because I have this deep appreciation and respect for rural gardeners in rural agriculture,” she said. “I learned how to garden in school, and that’s a very big difference from my mama, uncles, great-aunts and cousins, who grew up on a farm. They're the ones I really learned from.”
In her presentation on Earth Day at Morris Arboretum, Lee will point out that African American gardeners have contributed to the gardening paradigm and the beautification movement for centuries. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Negro Garden Club of Virginia, which was a pivotal moment for African American gardeners and their efforts to organize. Part of the symposium’s name, “Ethel Day,” honors Ethel Early Clark, one of the founding members of the club.
According to Lee, the 90th anniversary of that organization is significant because “it was a group of women, hidden in plain sight, making an impact on the landscape of the United States through their work in beautification,” she said. “They did this for decades and decades and continue to do the work today.”
That work involved lectures, flower shows, tours, institutes, discussions, annual conventions, exhibitions, demonstrations, contests and monthly meetings, Lee said.
“They propagated and divided plants, designed landscapes, improved streets, planted trees and shrubs along roadsides and at the entrances to new highways in their community,” she said. “In vacant lots and alleys, weeds were eliminated throughout neighborhoods in the cities. The women organized local beautification campaigns and planted the grounds at post offices, schools, churches and other public places.”
Lee points out that Black people were brought to the Americas in bondage in part because they were exceptional cultivators of the soil. “Many Black people feel a spiritual connection to the land, as they should,” she said.
“In my work, I have overwhelmingly seen Black joy as it relates to agriculture and horticulture,” she said. “It brings exuberance to so many. In fact, my parents were 100% supportive of my career choice because they could see a path for me to be wildly successful in this field, even when I couldn't see it.”
Other Earth Day events at Morris Arboretum include: “How Trees Speak to Us: The Human/Tree Connection” on Friday, April 22, noon to 1 p.m. This free virtual event, a moderated panel discussion, will offer perspectives on this topic from professionals in horticulture.
“Going Native: Gardening with Native Plants and Wildflowers” is offered on location Saturday, April 23, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
“A Garden Highlights Tour: A Focus on the Environment” will take place on location during weekends at 1 p.m.
For more information: morrisarboretum.org. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com
