A simple, but strong-willed man, George Curry Jr. knew in order to create equality within his community, he had to make change.
Curry, affectionately known as “Mane” to his family and close friends, passed away Thursday at age 90.
A dairy farmer, Curry was the first Black person elected to the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors, serving District 5 for 28 years. Throughout his seven terms, his main focus was to ensure fellow Black citizens in Oktibbeha County were receiving equal treatment to their white counterparts and could not only survive, but thrive.
“There was a growing sentiment among people in his district that they were being underserved,” District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer told The Dispatch. “Mr. Curry took it upon himself … to run. It was, of course, a very difficult journey during that time because Oktibbeha County had not progressed as much as it has now. Therefore, you had a sentiment out there that was very reluctant and resistant to a Black man in that position.”
Entering the political ring
After working decades as a farmer, Curry was approached by colleagues and friends to run for District 5 supervisor in the late 1970s. Even with no previous experience in politics, he won.
While he may have been soft-spoken, he always “carried a big stick,” said Curry’s granddaughter, Keina Tate.
“He kind of was asked to run by the community,” she said. “People thought he would be influential and help them with the issues that they were having in the community when they weren’t being heard.”
Heavily involved in the NAACP and civil rights movement, Curry’s goal throughout his years of service was to make sure Black citizens were treated fairly and adequately.
Two of Curry’s main priorities were infrastructure and road maintenance. Tate said at one point during his tenure, the only roads paved in the county were roads predominantly occupied by white people, but he worked to get other roads in the Black-occupied roads paved. There were times Curry would take county equipment out to particular areas and work on the roads himself because he cared about his constituents and wanted things provided for them.
Curry also worked to eliminate gerrymandering in the county voting maps. He pushed through measures that redrew district lines to give Black people fairer representation.
Establishing himself as an entrepreneur, Curry also purchased various properties across the county and state not only for himself but for others. He truly cared about the wellbeing of people and believed the best way to help another person was to provide shelter to them, Tate said. He would provide individuals with places to live at times but also assisted them in paying rent, mortgage or leases.
Trainer, who looked to Curry as a mentor, said Curry paved the way for Black men like him to become elected officials in Oktibbeha County. Serving two terms together, Trainer said Curry was a sounding board to him, showing him how to do his best to serve the people’s needs.
“He really opened the doors for Black elected officials in the county,” Trainer said. “Right now we have three Black men on the board. He worked hard to let people know that their vote really makes a difference.”
Curry was respected by all sides — Black and white — Trainer said. He did the “behind the scenes work,” never performing tasks for credit but from the goodness of his heart.
A legacy of ‘giving’
Curry’s family will hold a memorial service in his honor 11 a.m. Saturday at Unity Park in Starkville. All are welcome to attend.
Tate said there was no one who could compare to Curry. Everybody looked to him for help, and he always made sure to carry out those needs.
“He always taught me to make sure that you leave something for another person,” she said. “Don’t always make things about yourself, but make sure that you leave a door open for another person to walk through.”
Trainer said Curry was one of a kind and truly left his legacy on Oktibbeha County.
“His life is summarized by service and giving it all he had and all he had he gave, and it was time for him to go from labor to reward,” Trainer said. “I thank God that we had the chance to know him, and we’ll forever remember him and look forward to sharing in his legacy.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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