Deeply Rooted with Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston

collage of landscape images, along with people important in Black History

Deeply Rooted
with Storyteller
Charlotte Blake
Alston

Take a Powerful Journey from Home

While the onsite Voices in the Landscape exhibition in our Gardens has concluded, you can still embark on a beautifully poignant journey with storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston as she honors and celebrates the strength, resilience, and contributions of the African American community through the lens of horticulture and the power of story. Through a series of 10 stops—that you can experience virtually from home—surround yourself in her moving spoken word.

Hear an ancient Zulu creation myth paired with the oldest plant on Earth in the Conservatory; lean in to the story of the significance and symbolism of woods and meadows at the Lookout Loft Treehouse; call out the name of an ancestor in remembrance at the Large Lake while a traditional spiritual soothes your soul; and much more. Scroll down to discover Charlotte’s powerful voice as she leads you through the landscape, ending with a bonus track exclusive for our virtual guests. Each audio recording ranges between three and eight minutes in length.

Voices in the Landscape is an Accessible Experience

—Accessible Exhibition Guide
This guide provides important information for people who are blind/low vision and/or experiencing hearing loss, so they can fully participate in and enjoy this Voices in the Landscape program.

Thank you to our accessibility partner, Art-Reach.

The Power of Story

an empty arbor next to a a tall evergreen and a tree with bare branches, against a wintry sky — Rose Arbor

Begin your Voices in the Landscape experience with the artist's statement and a vision of what’s to come.
Listen now:

Roots of African American Gardening

a hedge of tall evergreens is backed by a line of leafless branches against a cloudy sky — Compartment Gardens

Slip through an opening in the hedge to explore our hidden compartment gardens and discover the history of African American gardening traditions.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

The Ancestor Tree

brown seed cones nestled between a moss-covered tree branch and trunk — Small Lake

Facing the Atlas cedar—native to the Atlas Mountains in Algeria and Morocco—a village’s longtime tradition of planting a tree in their ancestor forest is challenged.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

To Speak of Water

the watery reflection of leafless branches against a blue sky — Large Lake

At the Large Lake, soothe your soul with a traditional spiritual and call out the name of an ancestor in remembrance.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

A Walk with Frederick Douglass

closeup of a wooden walkway with meadow and farmhouse in background — Meadow Boardwalk

Along the Meadow Boardwalk, find yourself on the grounds of Cedar Hill, where Douglass would retreat, rest, and restore.
Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Safety and Solace in the Woods

closeup of wooden walkway and railing — Lookout Loft Treehouse

Here, amid the quiet of the Lookout Loft Treehouse, experience a place of shelter, of protection, of comfort.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Making a Connection

large green compound leaves surround large golden cones in a circular pattern — East Conservatory

In the East Conservatory, an ancient Zulu creation myth meets one of the planet’s most ancient plants.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Beauty and Brilliance of Nature

a bird-of-paradise in bloom with blue and gold petals — Orangery

A strikingly vibrant flower with a transformative symbol awaits here in the Main Conservatory, where its story takes flight.
Listen now:
Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

A Horticultural Icon

layers of pink and blue blossoms edge a green indoor lawn backed by vine-covered columns — Orangery

Immerse yourself in the life and immeasurable impact of “The Plant Doctor” George Washington Carver, here amid the varied plants of the Main Conservatory.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

The Legacy Continues

bare trees cast long shadows on a green lawn against a partly cloudy sky — Cow Lot

Conclude your Voices in the Landscape experience with this reflection of nurturing, of gratefulness, of growth.
Listen now:

The Meetinghouse

black & white image of a simple white structure with tall windows and peaked roof — Bonus Track

At this bonus stop, outside of the Longwood property and exclusively for our virtual experience, learn about the powerful voices that have rung within this historic structure, and the messages that have traveled far beyond.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

About the Artist

Charlotte
Blake Alston

Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, narrator, singer, and librettist who performs in schools, universities, museums, and concert venues throughout North America and abroad. A highly sought after storyteller, she is committed to perpetuating the African and African American oral storytelling traditions.

Read Charlotte’s full bio

Voices in the Landscape: Deeply Rooted with Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston
Texts: by Charlotte Blake Alston, Copyright © Charlotte Blake Alston, January 2021
Photos: Images of Frederick Douglass and George Washington Carver courtesy of Library of Congress. Photo of Charlotte Blake Alston by Deborah Boardman. Voices in the Landscape location photography by Hank Davis. Meetinghouse photo courtesy of the Chester County Historical Society.