Celebrating Black History Month ...
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.
The road to progress has been long, elusive, challenging, and slow. Still, we remain relentless in pursuit of a beloved community where our collective focus is on our togetherness and not our separateness. We are still sifting through unhealed historical harms to remove things hindering our progress. As we learn, let's also intentionally open doors for others and leave the world a better place than we found it.
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Please join us in
HONORING REV. DR. WILLIE T. EDMONDSON
Mayor of the City of LaGrange, Georgia
On behalf of Racial Trustbuilding, we want to express sincere condolences to the family of Mayor Edmondson, the City of LaGrange Council and staff, Lakes Dunson Robertson Funeral Home staff, Bethlehem Baptist Church Family, the Faith community, and the many friends and acquaintances that mourn the loss of our dear brother.
As the first African American mayor of LaGrange, Georgia, it is essential to acknowledge Mayor Edmondson’s significant contributions and trailblazing leadership that paved the way for progress and representation in the community in such a short time.
As we honor the legacy of this remarkable man, we reflect on his dedication to public service, his commitment to equality and fairness, and his passion for creating a more inclusive and equitable community for all. He hit the ground running hard to fulfill his promises to LaGrange's citizens.
The impact of Mayor Edmondson goes beyond politics; it symbolizes resilience, hope, and the power of breaking barriers. His leadership serves as a beacon of inspiration for future generations, reminding us of the importance of diversity, unity, and collaboration in building a stronger and more harmonious community. Let us carry forward the spirit of trustbuilding, empathy, and understanding as we continue the work of LaGrange United, creating a brighter future for all.
In honoring the memory of Mayor Edmondson, let us not only celebrate his achievements but also reaffirm our commitment to upholding his values of compassion, fairness, and unity. May his legacy serve as a guiding light in our quest for true unity in our community where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. May we all "Walk the Walk."
Chalton Askew, Executive Director
Trustbuilding, Inc.
The story of Black History Month begins in Chicago during the summer of 1915. An alumnus of the University of Chicago with many friends in the city, Carter G. Woodson traveled from Washington, D.C. to participate in a national celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation sponsored by the state of Illinois. Thousands of African Americans travelled from across the country to see exhibits highlighting the progress their people had made since the destruction of slavery. Awarded a doctorate in Harvard three years earlier, Woodson joined the other exhibitors with a black history display. Despite being held at the Coliseum, the site of the 1912 Republican convention, an overflow crowd of six to twelve thousand waited outside for their turn to view the exhibits. Inspired by the three-week celebration, Woodson decided to form an organization to promote the scientific study of black life and history before leaving town. On September 9th, Woodson met at the Wabash YMCA with A. L. Jackson and three others and formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH).
He hoped that others would popularize the findings that he and other black intellectuals would publish in The Journal of Negro History, which he established in 1916. As early as 1920, Woodson urged black civic organizations to promote the achievements that researchers were uncovering. A graduate member of Omega Psi Phi, he urged his fraternity brothers to take up the work. In 1924, they responded with the creation of Negro History and Literature Week, which they renamed Negro Achievement Week. Their outreach was significant, but Woodson desired greater impact. As he told an audience of Hampton Institute students, “We are going back to that beautiful history and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.” In 1925, he decided that the Association had to shoulder the responsibility. Going forward it would both create and popularize knowledge about the black past. He sent out a press release announcing Negro History Week in February, 1926.
Cultural Education Tip:
This is an interesting article on the use of the terms 'Slave' or 'Enslaved'
READ THE ARTICLE HERE
A Moment in Black History . . .
Spotlighting a few notable African Americans who broke through the color line and made remarkable accomplishments despite the barriers in place to prevent them. One unique thing about them is they were all born in LaGrange, Georgia.
They are forerunners of which we can all draw inspiration.
Georgia Burke (February 27, 1878 — November 28, 1985) was an American actress who had performed on television, radio, and Broadway theatre between the 1930s and the 1960s. In 1934 Burke made her debut in Broadway in They Shall Not Die, and in 1944 she won a Donaldson Award as the third choice for Best Supporting Actress in Edward Chodorov's play, Decision. Burke had performed in the 1952 U.S. State Department-sponsored international production of Porgy and Bess and had taken a role as a nurse in the radio program When a Girl Marries, which had been broadcast for 18 years. She had also performed in the 1944 Broadway production of Anna Lucasta and its second film counterpart in 1958.
Burke has been credited as one of the early appearances of the "stereotyped humorous black maid" in entertainment since her appearance in the radio soap opera Betty and Bob.
She died in 1985 at the age of 107, at the De Witt Nursing Home in Manhattan.
Louis Tompkins Wright, MD, FACS,
1891-1952
Born in LaGrange, GA, Louis Tompkins Wright, MD, FACS, was exposed to the harsh realities of being African American in the southern United States during a turbulent, racially charged time in U.S. history. But Dr. Wright was also exposed to the presence of achievement within his own family. His father, Ceah Ketcham Wright, MD, was born a slave, but pursued education and received a medical degree—as valedictorian of his class—from Meharry Medical School, Nashville, TN. After Dr. Louis Wright’s father died, his mother, Lula, remarried another African American physician, William Fletcher Penn, MD, who was the first African American medical graduate from Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Horace Taliaferro Ward
(July 29, 1927 – April 23, 2016)
was a lawyer, state legislator, and judge in Georgia. He became known for his efforts to challenge the racially discriminatory practices at the University of Georgia School of Law and was the first African American to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Ward was born in LaGrange, Georgia. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Morehouse College in 1949. He received a Master of Arts from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1950. He received a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 1959. He was an instructor at the Arkansas AM&N College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) from 1950 to 1951. He was an instructor at Alabama State College from 1951 to 1953.
EVELYN WYNONA MOORE LIPMAN 1923 - 1999
Evelyn Wynona Moore was born in LaGrange, Georgia in 1923, the daughter of John Wesley Moore, Sr. and Annabelle Torian Moore. Her parents met as students at Clark College in Atlanta, and her father owned a pharmacy and worked as a bricklayer. She and her siblings (John Jr., Eloise, and Donald) were educated at public schools in LaGrange and were also taught by their mother at home. She finished high school at the age of sixteen and went on to attend Talladega College, where she was a French major.
Evelyn Wynona Lipman (née Moore; 1923 – May 9, 1999) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented the 29th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate. Lipman became the first African-American woman to be elected to the Senate when she won her seat in 1971, and her 27 years of service made her the Senate's longest-serving member at the time of her death.
WILLIAM F. PICKARD, PH.D
Someone you might want to know: Entrepreneur William Pickard was born to William Pickard and Victoria Woodyard on January 28, 1941, in LaGrange, Georgia. He is featured in LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce Troup Trends February 2024 Edition.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Troup County School System
Exceptional Education Department
Don't miss the Resource Expo this Thurs (2/22) at 5:30pm! Open to the public! Individuals and families with any disability are welcome to come and learn about supports & services available to Troup County residents. Many are provided at NO cost! 30 agencies will be present!
