Celebrating Black History Month 2021 Honoring Local Icons

Top right: 

Eddie Ponds

Publisher of  the Drum Newspapers

Top Left

Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison

Professor, Music Supervisor, Assistant Principal, and Community Activist

Second Row Left End

Ann  A. Smith

Represents the 5th Congressional District, Retired School Educator, Former member of  

Tangipahoa Parish School Board District A

Second Row Right End

Harold Smith

First African American elected as mayor of Kentwood, La

Former Educator

Third Row, Left End

Bobby Cyprian

Civil Rights Leader

Third Row, Right End

Collis Temple, Sr.

Principal and Educator

O.W. Dillon School

Third Person

Lemar  F. Marshall

Former City Councilmember,  District 4, Hammond, LA 

Advocate for STEM Education in Tangipahoa Parish

Fourth Person

Major Coleman

Former Member-At-Large

Police Jury Association

Board of Director for the Southeast Community Health System

Robert Parker

Singer known for his 1966 song "Barefootin" He was introduced into the

Louisiana Music Hall of Fame 2007

Mrs. Shirley Cross

Educator, Graduate of Tuskegee Institute

Left Second to the End

Jo-Ann Lewis Frazier

Community Activist 

Right End

Irma Thompson Gordon

Former Educator and the First African-American Woman elected as mayor of Kentwood

Gloria Gordon Brumfield

One of the first African American student to Desegregate the Schools in St. Helena Parish

Alvin Holden

Voter Right Leader in Hammond, Louisiana, Founding members of the Tangipahoa Parish Voter League, and organization that fought to obtain the right to vote and equal treatment for African Americans. He was the first African American to register to vote in parish.

Dr. Willard Vernon and Mrs. Alma Harrison Vernon

Educators and Community Advocates

Community Organizers, Educators. Dr. Willard built the Good Samaritan Nursing Home. Mrs. Alma Harrison Vernon, received and Appreciation in recognition of her important contribution to ongoing fight against hatred and intolerance in America. 

Wilbert Dangerfield

The first African American elected as Councilman for District 1 in Hammond, LA.

Bobby Carter

First African American Deputy of the City of Hammond

Fred and Vernia McCoy

Botton Right

Former Educators in Tangipahoa Parish and Civil Rights Leaders

 

Black Cemeteries

Our Ancestors Owned Land and Property

Willie Williams: African American Scientist Grew Up Near Amite, Louisiana

Willie Williams, Jr. 

Willie was born March 24, 1947 in Independence, Louisiana to Willie and Leaner Williams. He was  a Professor of Physics,  at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Science degree, at Southern University, Baton Rouge, and his Master of Science degree, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree, Iowa State University. Willie grew up on a farm near Amite, Louisiana. He attended Wood Chapel School, when he went to a higher grade he attended a new school and in the ninth grade he enrolled at Helena High School in Greensburg.

Source: Distinguished African American Scientist of the 20th Century

A Riot Near Tickfaw Involving African Americans

Causey, R. J. Correspondence, 1863 September 25-November 19. 4 items. Location: Misc.:C. Letters from Causey's wife comment on a riot near Tickfaw involving African Americans, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana; Confederate farm taxes; and transportation difficulties of sending cotton to Baton Rouge. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2133. sourcea: LSU Libraries Special Collection Findig Aid

Alexander Bookter Succession Papers, 1805

Bookter, Alexander. Succession Papers, 1805 May 10. 1 item (9 leaves). Location: Misc:B. Slaveholder of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Slaves and other property were seized and sold at public sale after the death of Alexander Bookter by the Sheriff of St. Helena Parish for the payment of Bookter's debts. Affidavits of Ann Liles, William Liles, and John Mink regarding ownership of slaves and other property in the estate of Alexander Bookter. Signed by Spanish commandant of Louisiana, Carlos de Grand-Pre. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4514. Source: LSU Libraries and Special Collection

Free Bob's Daughter Georgiana Vernon Sanders

Georgiana was born around 1869 in Mississippi to Robert "Free Bob" Vernon and Catherine Tuckson Vernon. Her siblings were; Rily, Willis, Luella, Isaac, James, John, Florence, Samuel, and Stamps. She was married to Cass Sanders. 

According to the 1910 United States Federal Census she was a mulatto. She and Cass had nine children and during the time the census was taken, eight was living.  Their children were; Bango, Mammie, Jesse, Frank, Toby, Busby, Shadrak,  Earl, and Sarah.

Mrs. Grace Belvins Walker is the granddaughter of Georgiana. She recalled the days she lived with her grandmother. The days of delicious home cooked meals, her walks to church and school with her sister. "We had family living all around us," said Mrs.Walker. 

I enjoyed listening to her tell stories about her childhood growing up in Vernon Town. She is the 3rd great granddaughter of Robert "Free Bob" Vernon. I asked her how  do she feel about the legacy Free Bob left?  She said the older she gets, she have a better appreciation for her Vernon history.  Free Bob left each one of his seventeen children one hundred acres each. He donated land for a school, church and the cemetery. Mrs.Walker just want to see the history past down from generation to generation. I must say that she is certainly doing her part. 

The pictures she's holding is her maternal grandmother Georgiana. I have so many questions I want to asks her about growing up in Vernon Town. She is passing the history down to her son and daughter. Her daughter is working on a project to archive Mrs. Walker rich collection of photographs, church programs, family obituaries and other family material. 

Georgiana Vernon Sanders
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

From pine straw to to basket weaving the skilled hands of Robert Vernon, Jr.

Glyniss Vernon Gordon
Hand weaved basket
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Robert was born in 1854 in Rankin, Mississippi, where he was of seventeenth children of Robert "Free Bob" Vernon, Sr. He entered into marriage on two occasions, fathering children with both of his wives. One of his spouses was Elizabeth Stokes, with whom he was wed on January 20, 1887, in Tangipahoa, Louisiana. Elizabeth was born on February 11, 1866in Roseland, Louisiana, and died on March 18, 1938. Robert and Elizabeth had ten children: Ely, Willis, Hugh, Nellie, Jannie, Nancy, Lettie, Ruby, Mary, and Linsey Vernon.

Robert passed away in 1949 and was laid to rest in the Mt. Canaan Baptist Church Cemetery. In addition to his role as a preacher, he had a passion for crafting baskets and chairs. To learn more about the Vernon family, I conducted an interview with Mrs. Grace Belvins Walker, who is Robert's great-niece. Her grandmother, Georgiana, and Robert were siblings. During my visit to her home, Mrs. Walker presented several family heirlooms to me and her cousin, Glyniss Vernon Gordon. Among these cherished items were a syrup pitcher and baskets woven by Robert himself.

Mrs. Walker shared with Glyniss that these baskets were crafted by their second great-grandfather, Robert. This was Glyniss's first opportunity to see the baskets in person. Notably, Mrs. Walker emphasized that while the heirlooms could be admired, they were not to be removed from her home. As one of the Vernon family griots, Mrs. Walker is a repository of detailed and engaging family stories, which she recounts with great care and vividness. I found her narratives to be both captivating and deeply informative.

Robert died in 1949; he's buried in Mt. Canaan Baptist Church Cemetery. Robert was a preacher, and he enjoyed weaving baskets and chairs. I went to Mrs. Grace Belvins Walker for an interview about the Vernon family. Robert was her great uncle, her grandmother Georgiana and Robert were sister and brother.  When I got to her house, she had a few family heirlooms to show me and her cousin Glyniss Vernon Gordon. One of the  family heirlooms was a syrup pitcher and baskets.

She informed Glyniss that her second great-grandfather, Robert, was responsible for weaving the baskets, marking Glyniss's first opportunity to see them in person. Mrs. Walker emphasized that while Glyniss could look at the baskets, they were not to be removed from the house under any circumstances. As one of the Vernon family griots, Mrs. Walker holds a significant role in preserving and sharing the family's oral history. I find her detailed and captivating family stories to be something I could sit and listen to for hours.

Richardson Funeral Home, Amite Donated Funeral Programs to Nurturing Our...

The Headstone of Ella Long

Ella Long
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

                                 

Ella Long was the daughter of Oden and Sarah Long.  Ella lived in Ward 1 in the Village of Tangipahoa. According to the 1940 United States Federal Census, she was a widow and her birthplace was Louisiana. She was a house cleaner for a private family.  Her father Oden was born in Mississippi in 1853. Her siblings are; Lizza, Flora, Florence, Chann, William, George, Jessie, Martha, Thomas, Clarence and Catherine.

Ella was born in 1876 and died in 1968. She's buried in Tangipahoa-Quinn Brown Cemetery in Tangipahoa Parish. 

From GU272 to Descendants of Jesuit Enslaved Ancestors

Jasper & Josephine Richardson Harrell, Sr.

Nurturing Our Roots- Family is A Gift

A Tribute to Our Mother Isabel Harrell Cook

Nurturing Our Roots Genealogy Oral History Collection

Our Story, Our History in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes

Our History " Our Story"

Free Bob's Legacy

Oliver C. Rogers Founder of Cashier Magic City Bank in Hattiesburg, Miss

Oliver C. Rogers

Oliver was born in Hattiesburg, Perry, Mississippi on May 1871. His mother's birthplace was Virginia and his father's birthplace was Mississippi according the 1900 United States Federal Census.  He was reared in Jasper County, Ms. 

According to the 1880 United States Census, Oliver lived in the home with his mother Mary and his sibling. His sibling were; Lucy, Moody, Henrietta, Columbus, John, and Tammie. Mary's parents were from South Carolina. 

Oliver was one of six children born to he is mother. After his father died, Oliver had to work hard to help support his mother and family. He worked hard in the heat and cold very proudly to take some of the burden off of his mother. He had a deep love for. education and took on the challenge of walking over miles to a night school near his home. This is were he received his literary training. 

At the age of twenty-years old Oliver worked on a farm earned five dollars a month. He held that position for fives. He only missed three days of works during the entire time of employment on the farmer. He saved part of his money and upon arrival to Hattiesburg he had forty-dollars and he increased his money by good investments and good managements to fifty-thousands. He felt that his wife, Mrs. Roger  was behind is success.

He, his wife, and children resided in Chicago until his death on August 28, 1960. They were parents of; Vinnie,  Dr. David Charles Rodgers.

Source

Multa In Parvo by I. W. Crawford

Enslaved People Sold at Sheriff's Sale in East Feliciana Parish 1856

Source
The Feliciana Democrat (Clinton, Louisiana)
April 19, 1856

The State of Louisiana, Parish, of East Feliciana., 7th District Court. No 167. If your ancestors belonged to Aletha Shropshire of East Feliciana. Here is a list of twenty-five people on that was been sold that day;

Negro man Tim, Ben, Frank, Bill, Isaam, Aaron, woman Such, Miranda, girls; Henrietta, Mary, Lucinda, woman Sal, girl Lavilla, little Lucy, woman Emily, little Harriett, boy Edmund, girls Louisa and Fatima, boy Simon, woman Hannah, boy, John, girl Phillis. 

Fatima is a female name given of Arabic origin used throughout the Muslim world. I wonder if this name was passed down through her African ancestors.