Savannah: The Remarkable Life of a Greek Immigrant Becomes an Exhibition at the Civil Rights Museum

Apostolos Evangelinos astatine the Crown Candy Kitchen connected West Broad Street. Credit: Maria Giannikou

The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum successful Savannah, Georgia hosts a imperishable accumulation dedicated to Apostolos Evangelinos, a Greek immigrant. The accumulation presents his communicative alongside paintings by his granddaughter, Maria Giannikou, inspired by his life.

Evangelinos’ communicative is not simply that of an migrant journey. It represents a surviving illustration of courage, dignity, and profound humanity. From Lesvos to the United States, his beingness intersected with pivotal moments successful history. Throughout his journey, helium confronted war, racism, and challenging motivation decisions.

Today, the depository revives his representation done this exhibition, whereby the creation of his granddaughter connects the past with the present. The accumulation presents much than a azygous man’s story. It reflects an full era, reminding visitors that humanity tin go an enactment of absorption adjacent successful the darkest circumstances.

The accumulation highlights the beingness of the Greek immigrant who traveled from Mytilene, began anew successful Savannah, and yet returned to his homeland. Throughout his life, Evangelinos defended humanity itself, arsenic good arsenic the close to self-determination and diversity.

Years aft his death, his granddaughter, Maria Giannikou, met Professor Myrsini Mamoli. This gathering began a probe travel into Evangelinos’ beingness successful the United States.

Greek migration to the United States

Apostolos Evangelinos was calved connected June 30, 1888 successful Plagia of Plomari and spent his aboriginal years successful Asia Minor. In Phocaea, his household owned saltworks and ran concern activities that shaped his aboriginal path.

At the property of eighteen, helium decided to question to America successful hunt of a amended life. In 1907, helium near Piraeus and arrived astatine Ellis Island, wherever helium remained for astir a month. The Statue of Liberty stood determination arsenic a awesome of anticipation for immigrants. Years later, the Greek diaspora funded a akin statue successful the larboard of Mytilene.

In 1922, helium worked with his member Alexander astatine Alexander Candy Co in Savannah. In 1924, helium opened his ain confectionery, Crown Candy Kitchen, connected West Broad Street.

The struggles of a Greek immigrant: From Lesvos, Greece to Savannah, Georgia

In his aboriginal years, Evangelinos worked arsenic a hired worker successful the US Army successful bid to gain money. However, his top challenges laic elsewhere.

Several African Americans were employed successful Evangelinos’ business. At that time, the Ku Klux Klan, the historically largest far-right enactment successful the United States, was active, utilizing unit and intimidation against African Americans and different number groups.

Apostolos Evangelinos with his woman Aglaia and their children, Marika, Konstantinos, Vloutina Valentina, and Olga. Credit: Maria Giannikou

Some individuals approached Evangelinos and offered him wealth to articulation the Ku Klux Klan, but helium refused. As a result, the Greek migrant received threats and yet abandoned his businesses successful Savannah, Georgia. For astir 2 years, his whereabouts remained unknown. At the property of 48, helium returned to his homeland, wherever helium aboriginal started a household and passed distant successful 1987 astatine the property of 99.

The location Evangelinos built connected the Gulf of Gera connected Lesvos with the 4 eucalyptus trees helium planted successful beforehand of it, 1 for each of his children. Credit: Maria Giannikou

Evangelinos’ bequest of humanity

The bequest Apostolos Evangelinos near down implicit his 99 years of beingness tin beryllium summed up successful 1 word: humanity. He supported his birthplace, Plagia of Plomari, financially whenever determination was a need. He was among the Greek immigrants who sent wealth to assistance physique homes for refugees of the Asia Minor Catastrophe.

In 1912, helium arrived to Lesvos on with different businessmen who had closed their shops, traveled connected the “MARTHA WASHINGTON,” and took portion successful the Lesbian Phalanx, warring the Turks for the liberation of the island. This is besides evidenced by his photograph successful which helium is depicted wearing the azygous of the Lesbian Phalanx and bearing the inscription “Soldier Apostolos.”

Evangelinos arsenic a worker successful the azygous of the Lesbian Phalanx. Credit: Maria Giannikou

It is peculiarly noteworthy that his humanity and kindness saved him from execution during World War II, erstwhile Nazi forces were operating connected Lesvos. At that time, helium owned a boat, which helium allowed others to usage for sportfishing truthful their families could person thing to eat, arsenic hunger was claiming lives. His lone information was that the oars beryllium returned each nighttime to forestall the vessel from being utilized for different purposes.

Some individuals utilized the vessel to fly to the Middle East. Evangelinos was arrested by German forces arsenic an accomplice. When helium was informed that his punishment would beryllium execution, helium exclaimed, “Oh my God.” Upon proceeding this phrase, the Germans asked whether helium had immoderate transportation to England—at the time, Germany and Great Britain were enemies. He replied that helium knew English due to the fact that helium had lived for years successful Savannah.

Through the speech that followed, it was discovered that Evangelinos had been a tenant of the German officer’s aunt and that helium had helped her whenever she needed assistance. Thus, the assistance helium had offered her for years yet saved his life.

Greek migrant Apostolos Evangelinos astatine the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum successful Savannah

Years aft Apostolos Evangelinos’ death, his granddaughter, Maria Giannikou, happened to conscionable Professor Myrsini Mamoli at the University of Atlanta. This brushwood proved pivotal, arsenic Mamoli began probe and acceptable retired to hint Apostolos Evangelinos’ footsteps successful the US.

The gathering wherever Evangelinos’ Crown Candy Kitchen was located connected West Broad Street past and now. Credit: Maria Giannikou

She discovered that each the buildings connected West Broad Street had been demolished but for one: the gathering that present houses the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum. On the crushed level of this gathering erstwhile stood Evangelinos’ Crown Candy Kitchen, portion the archetypal level housed a bank.

“Civil Rights depository arsenic l ideate it was successful the past.” Painting by Maria Giannikou from the “Infinity Mirror” collection.

Maria Giannikou came into interaction with the museum’s director, Vaughnette Goode-Walker, who is simply a historiographer and author. It was past announced that a imperishable accumulation would beryllium established featuring the beingness of Apostolos Evangelinos on with Giannikou’s works.

“The opening of the journey,” coating by Maria Giannikou from the “Infinity Mirror” collection.

The paintings are portion of the accumulation “INFINITY MIRROR” which was presented successful Paris successful 2023 and aboriginal traveled with the enactment of the Greek Consulate successful Savannah, Georgia.

“The vibrance of West Broad Street astir the Union Station,” coating by Maria Giannikou from the “Infinity Mirror” collection.

As the creator explains, the rubric of the accumulation serves arsenic a reminder of the reflector of our lives, symbolizing each those individuals who person brought america to the contiguous and of whom we are a continuation. It is the communicative of each those who sought a amended beingness and faced racism, war, hard labor, and fear, overmuch similar the Greek migrant Evangelinos who had settled down successful Savannah, Georgia but yet returned to his homeland.