JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS ASSOCIATION

Description

The Wren’s Nest is the historic home of Joel Chandler Harris, the journalist who penned the Brer Rabbit tales in the late 19 th century. The Brer Rabbit stories originated in Africa centuries ago. In the United States, the stories were often told by the enslaved people on southern plantations. Harris grew up hearing the Brer Rabbit stories while working on a plantation as a teenager, and then wrote the stories down as an adult. The stories revolutionized children’s literature and helped legitimize African American folklore. Joel Chandler Harris recognized the importance of the oral tradition and the power of capturing an individual’s voice.

The Wren’s Nest is open for tours 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The home has been a museum since 1913, thanks to fundraising efforts by Andrew Carnegie, President Theodore Roosevelt, and the children of Atlanta City Schools.