The Beacon, one of Mississippi’s oldest newspapers, has published continuously since 1849. That’s 167 years and more than 8,600 editions. Harold Long has had his hands on more than a third of those weekly papers.
This week Long, a Macon native, is celebrating 60 years at The Beacon. Next week he will celebrate his 80th birthday.
It was October, 1956, just months after graduating high school, that Harold’s father told him about a job opening he’d heard about at The Beacon office. “He brought me down here and we talked to Mr. Brooke Ferris and Mr. Jim Robbins and they hired me on the spot,” he said. “I’ve been here ever since.”
Long said he’s enjoyed having a close view with the newspaper recording the community’s history for so long. Except for a couple months in 2001 when he was recuperating from heart surgery, he has had his hands on each and every copy of the paper published since 1956. With the weekly editions of The Beacon, and The Shopper (since 1993) that’s more than 4,300 weekly editions and more than 15 million copies of the two publications.
Long is believed to be the longest-serving newspaper employee in Mississippi. He was honored by the Mississippi Press Association at their convention 10 years ago when he recorded his 50-year anniversary.
Early on, he learned to operate the paper’s printing press and job printing presses. Along with the weekly edition, he helped print thousands of envelopes, funeral programs, business cards, and business forms. After The Beacon abandoned job printing in the early 90’s he concentrated on the circulation of paper and The Shopper. He still works a busy schedule at the paper making sure both publications make it to mail boxes and newsstands. He enjoys being the face of the paper for the many Noxubee Countians he encounters each week.
Celia Stevens Dewoody worked with Long for a number of years. Now living in Arkansas, she remembers him as patient, kind, and faithful friend. “Just hearing his name makes me smile and makes me homesick for my days at The Beacon. My friend Harold Long and I solved many of the world’s problems over the years while working side-by-side slipping mountains of inserts into The Shopper. I congratulate him on his unbelievable 60 years at our hometown paper, but I also want to thank him for his sure and steady example of what a Christian is.” She added: “The Bible says the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. If you know Harold Long, you see all of those things gently glowing in his life.”
Macon native Mike Ferris, now a Tupelo attorney, grew up in The Beacon office. His father, Brooke, was editor and a partner in the newspaper during the time Long was hired. “My sister and my brothers have a deep appreciation for Harold, not only for his years of dedication to the newspaper, but mainly for his love of our father,” he said. “They had a special relationship.”
While The Beacon has been a big part of his life the past 60 years, it’s not the most important. He’s a devoted lifelong member of Macedonia M.B. Church where he’s served as a Deacon for many years. And, then there’s his family. He and the former Ruth Nicholson celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2013 and they’ve raised three smart and talented daughters and made sure they all graduated from Mississippi State University. Jennifer Williams serves as the principal at Virgil Jones Elementary in Brooksville; Nicol Long is on the teaching staff at B.F. Liddell Elementary in Macon; and Sharion Walker is on the staff at the Arrington Assisted Living facility in Columbus.
He’s been a devoted fan for many years to the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball club, and the Pittsburg Steelers football club. While he’s suffered along with all of those for many years, there have been great moments, championships, and lots of great memories. “I try to remember all the great games and try to forget the bad ones,” he said.
Same with the newspaper career. He added, “There have been a lot of trying times, lots of pressure and deadlines, and changes in technology and equipment, but there’s been one constant — I’ve loved having ink in my blood.”
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