A rose to the Preservation Society of Columbus, which plans to expand the Downtown Columbus Historic Walking Tour by adding 17 permanent bronze plaques to select buildings along the route. From the theater where the first color movies were screened in Mississippi to the site of a hotel that hosted such celebrities as Doris Day and Will Rogers and a building that housed a livery stable so large it was called “The Horse Mansion,” downtown Columbus has many stories to tell. The bronze plaques will preserve many of the stories that might otherwise be lost to future generations of Columbus citizens. The effort promotes both the walking tour and the city’s history. The plaques are funded by American Rescue Plan Act money Lowndes County designated for tourism. We are eager to broaden our knowledge of Columbus history through this enhanced walking tour.

A rose to Susan Wilder, who resigned from her position as grant writer/administrator for the city of Columbus on Thursday, citing a “toxic work environment, pettiness and utter disrespect” directed toward her. We don’t presume to know the particulars of Wilder’s situation. What we do know is that Wilder has been extremely effective in her role, taking the initiative to pursue grant opportunities that would likely have otherwise gone unnoticed. The city is certainly better off for her service. It is beyond disappointing that the city and Wilder could not have made peace, which would have allowed her to continue her service to the community.

A rose to the R.E. Hunt Museum and Cultural Center, which reopened as part of Friday’s Juneteenth celebration. Museum founder and director Laverne Greene-Leach and her team of volunteers have returned boxes of artifacts that survived the February 2019 EF-3 tornado that devastated the old Hunt High School, where the museum was located. While there are still a few boxes to unpack and display, Greene-Leach said 70% of the original exhibits survived the tornado. The museum plays an extremely important role in preserving Columbus history. As the city’s primary source for information on the history of the Black population in the city, the museum fills a void in our understanding of our community. It helps tell a more complete story of Columbus for current and future generations.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.