Savannah’s Starland District is oozing with vibrant, youthful energy. The city is unique, home to both odes to the past and modern establishments, like pop-up restaurants, art galleries, and unique eateries. Starland District has undergone a big transformation in recent years.
Bridging History and Innovation
Starland, born from the revitalization of the Starland Dairy in 1999 by SCAD grads, has transformed into a vibrant area, with Starland Yard evolving from a dirty parking lot into a social hub for twentysomethings and their furry friends.
Imagine a community where everything is within walking distance—from breakfast at NaRobia’s Grits & Gravy to exploring artifacts at the Savannah African Art Museum and uncovering vinyl treasures at Graveface Records & Curiosities.
Culinary Chronicles of Starland
Starland boasts a unique range of restaurants that fit the district’s artistic spirit. Whether it’s lunch at Tricks BBQ, an OG establishment, or drinks at Moodright’s, a roadhouse full of neon signs and taxidermy animals, you’re in for a fun experience while eating out.
After eating visitors can go to the iconic Back in the Day Bakery with its chunky biscuits and exquisite brownies. The bakery has been a community anchor since 2002, earning accolades from the James Beard Foundation. You can also try Starland Strange & Bazaar, a very pink bubble-tea boutique.
Pioneering Spirit and Contemporary Flavors
Other emerging restaurants include Garage at Victory North, which opened in 2022 and describes itself as a “modern” Southern restaurant, and Brochu’s Family Tradition, a place that sells both fancy seafood and fried chicken.
Despite rising real estate prices, Starland constantly welcomes new establishments. In Starland, each corner holds a story of creativity, resilience, and the pursuit of the strange and beautiful. The neighborhood is a great way to tie the old in with the new.
Henrietta Lacks Will Be Getting a Statue in Her Memory in Roanoke, VA
A statue honoring Henrietta Lacks will be built for her in her hometown, Roanoke, Virginia. Who was she, exactly, and why was she so important? Henrietta was a black woman who passed away in 1951, aged just 31, from cervical cancer. Despite her young age, she managed to contribute to multiple medical breakthroughs, but her tale is pitted with injustices.
Who Was Henrietta Lacks?
When Henrietta Lacks initially showed up at the hospital, she was diagnosed and treated for her cancer. One of Lacks’ treatments included the non-consensual collection of tissue samples. The doctors analyzed them and discovered that they reproduced at a high rate, long after all other cells were outside of their host. These cells ended up being crucial to research and became known as the “HeLa” immortalized cell line.
Henrietta Lacks’ family members didn’t know that her cells were used for research or that they even helped create a multibillion-dollar industry until they tried to track them down to use their DNA and map her genes and help with the contamination of future cell cultures.
The Statue Will Replace an Older One
Unfortunately, the family has yet to get compensation for the use of Lacks’ cells, but a new lawsuit has been filed against the non-consensual act by Thermo Fisher Scientific. Even the hospital thinks that more should have been done to inform her family. At least now, there will be a statue that commemorates Lacks, who never knew how many lives she would save through numerous medical breakthroughs. The statue will replace a monument, a change that was voted for by city officials.
An Initiative based in the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Roanoke Hidden Histories, has raised over $180,000. The money will cover the expenses of the statue and a virtual reality documentary of the history of the town. This will help future generations remember the legacy and history of Henrietta Lacks.