Montgomery History Online Presentation on ‘I Have Started for Canaan: Telling the Sugarland Story’ Available on Monday, May 9

At its height, the African American town of Sugarland in the northwest corner of Montgomery County was home to a church, a school, a store, a post office and a practice hall for the town band. ‘I Have Started for Canaan: Telling the Sugarland Story,” a Montgomery History presentation that will be available starting Monday, May 9, will provide an opportunity for the team behind a new book that traces the history of the town to discuss its 150 years of history.

The presentation focuses on a history conference panel discussion featuring Gwendora Hebron Reese, Suzanne Johnson and Jeff Sypeck. They talk about the Sugarland community they came to know through documents, photos, artifacts and interviews. Those combine to provide a candid and enlightening look at rural African American life.

‘I Have Started for Canaan: Telling the Sugarland Story” will be available for viewing through May 16. No registration is required.

The panel also will describe ongoing preservation efforts and speculate about some of the intriguing historical questions that remain to be explored about Sugarland.

To view the presentation starting May 9, go to » WATCH (montgomeryhistory.org).