By Special to the Daily World
In commemoration of the High’s newest exhibition, “Radcliffe Bailey: Memory as Medicine,” the High Museum of Art, together with the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, is hosting a tribute to Georgia Dickens to honor her years of dedicated service to the citizens of Fulton County as an educator and a community volunteer.
Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves will preside over the ceremony on Saturday, July 2, at 9:30 a.m. in the Robinson Atrium of the High Museum of Art. The event is happening concurrently with the museum’s Fulton Free Saturday, when residents of Fulton County are admitted free of charge with proof of residence.
Georgia Nelle Smith Dickens, nicknamed “Gee Gee,” was born on Dec. 24, 1920, in Atlanta. Graduating from Spelman College in 1942, Dickens began her career as a teacher in Albany, Ga., at Madison High School. Returning to Atlanta, she went to work with the Atlanta Public School System at Young Street and Grove Park Elementary Schools.
In 1982 Dickens retired from teaching and became a dedicated community volunteer, the role for which she is most known throughout Greater Atlanta. Her community service volunteer efforts include Gate City Day Nursery Association Auxiliary president; Alliance Children’s Theater Guild, vice president of membership and Hostess Committee chair; Atlanta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, chairperson of Arts and Letters Committee; National Black Arts Festival, chairperson of Volunteers and Visual Arts committees; High Museum of Art, volunteer docent for the Jacob Lawrence and Picasso exhibitions and member of the Community Relations Committee. She also chaired the United Negro College Fund Telethon and co-chaired the Volunteers Telephone Committee and the National Democratic Convention.
Her membership in community organizations includes Girl Friends Atlanta Chapter, charter member; Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of 100 Black Women, charter member; National Smart Set Atlanta Chapter, charter member; Spelman College Alumni Association; and the National Political Congress of Black Women.
Dickens has received numerous awards for her service, including the Golden Girls of Spelman College; “Women Looking Ahead” Community Service Award; Ambassador’s Award from Essence Magazine; Certificate of Achievement from the Carter Center; President’s Award from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc; Outstanding Service Award from Atlanta Public Schools; Outstanding Volunteer from the United Negro College Fund Telethon; the Alumnae Achievement Award in Civic Service from Spelman College; and the National Visionary Leadership Award.
As a member of Friendship Baptist Church, Dickens gave her time to the UpLifters Club and remains an active member of Friendship to this day. She is widowed with one son, Robert D. Dickens Jr., and has two grandsons, Kevin and Alex.
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