“God’s Secret Chair” Art Exhibit Invites Participants into a Powerful Encounter with Stories of Faith and Freedom

"God's Secret Chair" Art Exhibit Invites Participants into a Powerful Encounter with Stories of Faith and Freedom

St. Davids, PA- What if a simple act of sitting down and listening could open a deeper encounter with history?

From September 4 - October 11, 2026, Christians for Social Action at Palmer Seminary of Eastern University will present God's Secret Chair as part of the National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life.

Designed by artist Shabazz Larkin and featuring narration by Jemar Tisby, God's Secret Chair is a simple but powerful experience: a handcrafted chair where visitors are invited to sit and listen. Through embedded audio, the chair shares the stories of lesser-known Black historical figures - stories shaped by faith, perseverance, and quiet influence that have often gone unheard.

"I designed God's Secret Chair to feel like a place where secrets are whispered - a quiet invitation to be still and listen," said Larkin. "The chair becomes a vessel for stories history has too often forgotten, the everyday acts of faith and love that carry truth and courage. In a world that moves quickly, this piece asks us to slow down, to sit, and to remember that nothing sacred is ever truly lost."

At the heart of the installation are three stories that invite listeners into moments often left out of the historical record:

• Anna Murray Douglass, a free Black woman whose courage and quiet determination made Frederick Douglass's escape from slavery possible, and who went on to sustain a home that supported abolitionist work and the Underground Railroad. Her story highlights the unseen labor and spiritual strength that undergird movements for freedom.
• Prathia Hall, a civil rights leader, preacher, and theologian whose prayer at a 1962 vigil for burned Black churches included the refrain "I have a dream." These words would later echo in the speech that became a defining moment in American history.
• The Savannah Colloquy of 1865, where a group of Black ministers, led by Garrison Frazier, articulated a vision for freedom rooted not in charity but in land, autonomy, and dignity, thus giving rise to the promise later known as "40 acres and a mule."

Together, these stories illuminate how faith has shaped movements for justice not only through well-known figures, but through everyday acts of courage, leadership, and endurance that often remain hidden from view.

The art installation in Eastern University's Templeton Hall, near Clemens Auditorium, is part of Christians for Social Action's broader Storytellers Collective, an initiative designed to surface stories of gospel hope from communities whose voices are often underrepresented. Through music, writing, and immersive experiences, the Collective seeks to create space for stories that shape both imagination and action.

Rather than presenting history at a distance, God's Secret Chair offers an embodied experience that invites reflection not only on the past, but on the present moment and the stories still unfolding.

The installation is open to the Eastern University community, alumni, and guests, and available through October 11, 2026.

Schedule a 30 minute time slot in the chair

Questions? Please email Bethanie Henderson at [email protected].