“Black history is our history.”
Chuck Yarborough, history teacher at Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, was emphatic about the importance of the Black History Month ceremony in front of the Lowndes County Courthouse on Saturday morning.
“Looking at Black history, our history, reminds us of the contributions, the courage and the resiliency of all who have come before us in this community, in this state and in this nation,” Yarborough said to an audience of about 30 people. “And those contributions, that courage, that resiliency, reminds us to strive to be better.”
There was added meaning to this year’s event. Recently, Columbus and Lowndes officials began discussing how to best remember 12 soldiers killed in World War I who were omitted from the courthouse’s memorial — all Black men from Lowndes County.
In October, MSMS senior Dylan Wiley brought public attention to the matter. During a “Community Read” in front of the courthouse, Wiley, portraying a Black Union soldier from Lowndes County named Charles Williams, read the 12 omitted names and captured the attention of city and county officials. He reprised that performance Saturday.
“Celebrating Black history, World War I soldiers that were not listed in our monuments is the key to our program today,” said District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith. “We want to continue to support our veterans. The city and county have made a pledge to make sure that happens.”
While researching the Eighth of May, Lowndes County’s emancipation day, Yarborough and his students found a Daughters of the American Revolution scrapbook from 1921 that included nine of the 12 names. These names were omitted from the DAR-dedicated monument that was first installed in the Magnolia Bowl in 1933 and moved to the courthouse lawn in 2015. Additional research found evidence of three other names excluded from the memorial.
“During Black History Month, we acknowledge that the history celebrated in our landscape — the story told in our markers and our monuments — is incomplete,” Yarborough said.
Josie Shumake, a representative from Lowndes’ chapter of the DAR, said the organization fully backs the effort to recognize the omitted names.
“Ninety years ago, my grandmother was active in our local DAR,” she said. “She may have been involved in the decisions regarding the design, construction and location of this monument. I do not know. But I do know this — her granddaughter stands here today glad that the national society of the DAR has recognized its responsibilities to address the inequities of the past.”
After the ceremony, Mayor Keith Gaskin told The Dispatch that city and county officials intend to form a committee to determine the most appropriate way to add the names.
“Once we get an idea, then we’ll look to see what the cost is going to be and what the city and county can put in on it,” he said. He added that the Lowndes Community Foundation has pledged financial support for the project.
Not forgotten
To close the ceremony, Wiley portrayed Williams for the fourth time and memorialized Black veterans from Lowndes County. He recited names of 22 Civil War veterans and, once again, the 12 omitted World War I memorial names.
“Today I stand before you a soldier long gone, but certainly not forgotten,” Wiley said. “A testament to the will of strong Black men who fought with resilience for equality, for freedom and for change for our great nation so that we can stand here today.”
After his performance, Wiley told The Dispatch his performance is “a representation of community.”
“If I can speak about change that was positive for Americans coming together, I’m all for it,” he said. “This means more to me than many things. For me to be able to do this, it only gets better for those around me and for those who share the same color as me and those who don’t share the same color as me.”
Kevin Edwards is news editor and reports on Starkville and Oktibbeha County government.
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