The St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, Inc. (SJHF)

The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. (SJHF) founded in 1975, is an African American cultural and educational institution deeply rooted in the historic Hayti community of Durham, North Carolina. SJHF is dedicated to advancing cultural understanding through diverse programs that examine the experiences of Americans of African descent – locally, nationally and globally. The Foundation is committed to preserving, restoring and developing the Hayti Heritage Center, the former St. Joseph’s AME Church, a National Historic Landmark, as a cultural and economic anchor to the greater Durham community.

St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit, charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

The events in this section are directly sponsored by the Hayti Heritage Center or the St. Joseph's Historic Foundation


Jessie & Lucy

jessielucyThe Hayti Heritage Center and Gdavis Productions present Garrett Davis’ “Jessie & Lucy.”  The very funny stage play written by award winning playwright Garrett Davis, features Tony Award nominee Samantha McSwain, Darren McGill and Davis.

Jessie & Lucy will take you down memory lane to the 60′s when times were beginning to get better for African Americans. Jessie, a shoeshine man in downtown Atlanta, makes enough money to pay rent in their modest home that his wife Lucy keeps clean while talking on the phone all day.

They have a love – hate relationship and after 40 years of marriage Jessie still has not gotten Lucy a wedding ring.  Well his time is up and Lucy wants a ring.  Jessie vows to get it, but how he goes about it will have you rolling in the isles with laughter.  Jessie & Lucy is a love story that will fill your heart with laughter amidst the sounds of the Motown era.

This production was featured at ARTSCAPE and was the headliner for the 2011 DC Black Theater Festival.

The performance will be held at the Hayti Heritage Center (804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham), in the historic St. Joseph’s Performance Hall, on February 24th at 4pm.