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Process to Print: Celebrating African American Illustrators
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Jime Wimmer, [email protected]
or The Massie Heritage Center | Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
In partnership with SCBWI Southern Breeze Region, with a grant sponsored by SCBWI
Process to Print: Celebrating African American Illustrators: Honors African American Illustrators for Black History Month 2026 and the Massie Heritage Center, Savannah, GA — February 2–28, 2026
This event is made possible by a grant from SCBWI and the Authors Coalition of America.
Savannah, GA — The Massie Heritage Center, in collaboration with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Southern Breeze Region, will host “Process to Print,” a dynamic pop-up exhibition in celebration of Black History Month 2026. This special exhibition highlights the creativity, process, and storytelling of African American illustrators whose work continues to inspire readers and artists across generations. Each participating illustrator will be featured on a banner showcasing their biography and step-by-step creative process—from concept sketch to published illustration.
The exhibition runs February 2–28, 2026, with paid museum admission. The Artist Talk and Book Signing event will be held on Friday, February 27, 4:30 pm-6 pm and will be free and open to the public.
In partnership with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS), the program will include school visits, a juried student art and writing competition, and community outreach to encourage young creators to see themselves reflected in the stories they read and the art they create.
Community Engagement and Educational Outreach Books & Banners Exhibition:
Open to the public throughout February 2026 at the Massie Heritage Center with a museum entrance admission rate.
Artist Talk & Signing: R. Gregory Christie, TeMika Grooms, and Laura Freeman: 4pm-6:30pm Friday, February 27, 2026 (Free to the public)
Student Art & Writing Competition:
Juried by participating artists; selected works displayed alongside the main exhibition.
School Outreach: In collaboration with SCCPSS, offering field trips, classroom discussions, and creative workshops.
About the Event Partners:
The Massie Heritage Center serves as one of Savannah’s oldest and most beloved cultural landmarks, promoting heritage education through interactive exhibitions and programs.
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Southern Breeze Region, represents Georgia, Alabama, and Florida Panhandle, fostering community among writers and illustrators dedicated to children’s literature. This exhibition was made possible with a grant from SCBWI.
Event Details/Exhibition Dates: February 2–28, 2026
Location: Massie Heritage Center, 207 E. Gordon Street, Savannah, GA
Admission and Hours: Please visit massie.sccpss.com/visit
Featured National and Regional Illustrators
In Honor & Remembrance: Floyd Cooper (January 8, 1956–July 15, 2021) https://floydcooper.net
From 1988 through 2021, Cooper illustrated over 100 books and authored several of his own, centering Black history and everyday childhood with grace and narrative depth.
His honors include the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (2009; posthumously 2022 for Unspeakable), CSK Illustrator Honors (1994, 1995, 1999), a Caldecott Honor (2022), and a Sibert Honor (2022) for Unspeakable. Remembered as a generous mentor and community builder, Cooper’s legacy endures in the artists he inspired and in picture books that recover erased histories with tenderness, truth, and light.
James E. Ransome https://jamesransome.com
Children’s Literature Legacy Award recipient, illustrator of over seventy-five books, including many Coretta Scott King Award winners.
TeMika Grooms http://www.temikatheartist.com
Georgia-based writer and illustrator creating stories that affirm every child’s ability to see themselves as the hero. Books include Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready!, A Century for Caroline, and We're in This Together: Leo’s Lunch Box by Raphael G. Warnock.
R. Gregory Christie https://www.rgregorychristie.com
Award-winning illustrator and author with over 60 books, Caldecott Honor, NAACP Image Award, and six Coretta Scott King Awards. His art is guided by rhythm and emotion.
Laura Freeman https://www.lfreemanart.com
NAACP Image Award and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor recipient. Known for Hidden Figures and her vivid, research-driven approach to biography illustration.
Rashad Doucet https://rashaddoucet.artstation.com
Eisner-winning cartoonist known for Pax Samson, Art Club, and Wish I Was a Baller. His style blends anime, comics, and heartfelt storytelling.
Pat Cummings https://www.patcummings.com
Celebrated illustrator and mentor known for emotionally rich picture books. Works primarily in watercolor, gouache, and oil, often incorporating digital techniques.
Steven S. Walker https://stevenwalkerstudios.com
Award-winning illustrator and painter whose compositions draw inspiration from cinematic framing, emphasizing dynamic viewpoints and light, are on display with mastery in Rosa’s Bus
Ebony Glenn https://www.ebonyglenn.com
Atlanta-based illustrator known for Mommy’s Khimar, Flying High, and Sir Morien, capturing warmth, joy, and cultural representation in her art.
Jennifer Mack-Watkins https://www.JenniferMWatkins.com
Jennifer Mack-Watkins is an award-winning artist and printmaker whose solo show, Children of the Sun, was exhibited at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center in Vermont and was featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and Essence. She was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. She runs her studio practice from New York and Atlanta, Georgia.
Artist Talk & Signing with R. Gregory Christie, TeMika Grooms, and Laura Freeman: 4pm-6:30pm Friday, February 27, 2026 (Free to the public)
Student Art & Writing Competition: Juried by participating artists; selected works displayed alongside the main exhibition. In collaboration with SCCPSS, offering field trips, classroom discussions, and creative workshops. Awards are sponsored by our local art venues Starlandia and Blick