Samuel Harden, Deacon of Defense, recalls death of Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker

By Roscoe Barnes III
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright© 2017
 
#AnneMoody

Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

Samuel Harden, a civil rights-era Deacon of Defense and Justice, looks at the spot where Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker, was murdered by the KKK the night of Feb. 28, 1964, on East Poor House Road, near Woodville, Miss. Walker had turned off Highway 61 and was driving his car south when it came over the hill (seen in the background). The KKK, armed with multiple weapons, were waiting at the bottom of the hill. They fired into his car until he died.

 ----------------------------------------------

When I first met Mr. Samuel Harden in June this year, he said he was a deacon back in the 1960s. I assumed he was talking about ministry in a church. So I acknowledged his service and said it was a blessing.

I didn’t think much of it until later that night when I was conducting research on the death of Clifton Walker, the uncle of civil rights pioneer Anne Moody. Walker was murdered by the KKK on Feb. 28, 1964 on East Poor House Road, a few miles north of Woodville, Miss. Walker was the brother of Emma, the second wife of Anne’s dad, Fred Moody. During my research, I discovered Harden was not merely a deacon in a church during that time, but a deacon who helped to defend the people working for civil rights in southwest Mississippi. Officially, he was a member of the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Yes, he was a civil rights hero and warrior for freedom and justice.

Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

Samuel Harden, a civil rights-era Deacon of Defense and Justice, recalls the killing of Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker, in 1964.

__________________ 

Harden, who is now 83, was shot during an incident in 1966 (details forthcoming). He opened his shirt and showed me the scar just below his neck. He said he was shot in the collarbone and the bullet came out through his back. He said the injury affected the use of his right hand.

After a brief conversation about civil rights history, Harden took me to the place on East Poor House Road where Walker was murdered. The road is now covered with gravel. Harden knew Walker and his entire family. He lived only a short distance from the Walkers.

Harden said everybody was talking about the killing at the time. On the Saturday following Walker's murder, Harden drove down the dirt road to see Walker’s car which had been riddled with bullets. According to Harden, a number of rumors about the cause of the killing soon spread throughout the area. Although some people felt it was related to civil rights activities, many believed it was because of a relationship with a white woman. Harden believes it was the latter. “I went to every NAACP meeting and I never saw him there,” Harden said. He did not believe Walker was active with the civil rights movement.

Walker’s case was reopened decades later, but no one was ever brought to justice for his death (See Clarion Ledger article). 

References:

Deacons for Defense and Justice

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/deacons-defense-and-justice

Deacons for Defense provided protection when no one else would

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/02/06/deacons-of-defense-robert-hicks/78955042/

KKK Ambush Killing of Clifton Walker Goes Unpunished

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/journeytojustice/2014/08/29/kkk-killing-clifton-walker-unpunished/14814923/

Law and Local Activism: Uncovering the Civil

Rights History of Chambers v. Mississippi

http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4199&context=californialawreview

Pages 460 to 470

--------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:
Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Felicia Williams, Anne Moody's cousin, wins seat on Centreville Board of Aldermen

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

#AnneMoody

Civil rights pioneer Anne Moody would be proud of her cousin, Felicia Williams, who recently won election in their hometown to serve as a member of the Centreville Board of Aldermen. Williams has said her mother and Moody's mother, "Too Sweet," were the children of two brothers.

As a newly elected official, Williams will serve Ward 1 in her community. During her campaign, Williams emphasized her commitment to "strong leadership, strong family values, and a change we can trust." She noted that "she is dedicated to her work, determined, and hard-working."

Williams explained that she has a strong desire for the young people in her community. She described family values as being the "backbone that shapes" the community.

Since winning the election, Williams has continued to work hard in Centreville. She said recently: "I am in the process of stuffing backpacks for my church. I always find some area that I can give back to the community." Stay tuned for more news about this rising star.

Elect Felicia Williams

For

Alderman Ward 1

She is running for this position because she loves this community. She has the background and experiences necessary to successfully address the current and future challenges of this office.

She is a native of Centreville, MS, and have lived in this area her entire life. She is the daughter of Estella Ray and the Late Calvin Ray Jr. She has one daughter, Emily Powell.

She is a 1994 graduate of Wilkinson County High School.

She studied Law Enforcement at Southwest Community College (1994-95).

She completed a diploma program in Diesel Truck Driving at Southwest Community College (2002).

She is currently enrolled at Ashford University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.

She started a non-profit organization called “Community Action” with Amite County 2^nd District. Supervisor in 2004, which was responsible for teaching Job Skills and Basic Skills to girls and boys age 8-18.

She served as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in Centreville from 2008-2010.

She was a Truck Driver for Swift Transportation for several years. For over 10 years she traveled the continental United States working in the Nuclear Industry. In this Industry she worked as a Senior General Foreman for Chicago Bridge and Iron (Laborers Local #1177), a Senior Decontamination Technician for DZ Atlantic, and a Junior Radiation Protection Technician for Bartlett Nuclear. During those years she frequently spent time in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Connecticut servicing PSEG, Entergy, and the East Coast Area. After returning here in 2015, she became employed at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville, MS, where she now serves as a Captain.

She is currently a member of the Nathaniel Baptist Church here in Centreville, MS.

She is a member of OES, Rising Stars #50 of Liberty, MS.

She is a Volunteer for Red Cross of America (Southern Mississippi Region).

She is a Girl Scout Troop Leader for Troop 3700 of Centreville, MS.

She serves as PTA (Parent Teacher Association) President at Finch Elementary.

She serves as Community Representative for AJFC Head Start for both Centreville and Woodville Centers and is a Policy Council Board Member.

She is dedicated to her work, determined, and hard-working, has a strong desire for the youth in this community, believe in family values and that it is the backbone that shapes our communities. She also believes that strong leadership is what our communities need and that it is time for a change.

One June 6, 2017, Be the Change, Vote for a Respected Community Leader, One with Strong Family Values, Strong Leadership, and A Change We can Trust.  

 ----------------------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 3

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17

This is the third and final part of Anne Moody's timeline. I recently shared it on some of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

1980 – She reads from her works, “Mr. Death” and “Bobo,” for Caedmon in New York.

1984 – She gives a 90-minute class presentation at Tougaloo College titled, Anne Moody: My Life Since Coming of Age.

1985 – She presents a reading of her work at Tougaloo College on February 18. She is interviewed by Debra Spencer on February 19 in the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Building. She is joined by her son, Sasha Strauss.

1991 – While living in New York City, she experiences a medical situation that requires the help of John Salter (Hunter Gray), her former Tougaloo professor.

1994 – She encounters a situation in New York City wherein she fears losing her freedom and once again she reaches out to John Salter who comes to her rescue.

1996 – She gives phone interviews from April through July to M. J. O’Brien, who would later publish the book, We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired (University Press of Mississippi, 2013). She lives for a short time on the campus of Tougaloo College.

1999 – Her friend in the movement, C.O. Chinn, is honored for his contributions in the civil rights movement. Canton declares May 2, 1999, as “C.O. Chinn Day.”

2012 – Emory University acquires her personal collection of papers. Collection consists of diaries, letters, photographs, and ephemera.

2013 – State officials unveil a historical marker commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the sit-in at Woolworth’s store in Jackson, Miss. Anne does not attend the ceremony. She is mentioned throughout the book, We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired (University Press of Mississippi, 2013). A short clip of her is featured in the documentary, An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Trumpauer (2013).

2015 – She dies on Thursday, February 5, in her home in the small rural town of Gloster, Miss., in Amite County. Her sister, Adline, tells the Associated Press that she had dementia for several years and that she had stopped eating two days before her death. U.S. Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announces her death in a statement on his website. Her death is reported in major newspapers, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, etc.

Her remains are cremated. A celebration of her life is observed on Saturday, February 14 at the Homochitto Association Development Center near Gloster.

2016 -- Her childhood home on the corner of Hospital Road and Fort Street in Centreville is flooded in August and sustains major damage.

2017 – The Committee for the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) is formed in March by the staff of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF), Woodville, in recognition of Women’s History Month. (Note: WCCF is managed by the Management & Training Corporation of Utah). AMHP’s mission is to honor, promote, and help preserve the legacy of Anne Moody. On May 4, the committee opens Twitter account for @AnneMoodyHP.

On June 5, the Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors approves request by AMHP to name a portion of Highway 24 East “Anne Moody Highway.” On June 12, WCCF hosts a special program to honor Anne Moody. Her brother, the Rev. Fred Moody Jr., is the guest speaker. On June 15, the Centreville Board of Aldermen approves request by AMHP to rename Fort Street “Anne Moody Street.” The board also approves AMHP’s request for a proclamation to be issued for “Anne Moody Day,” which would be celebrated on her birthday, September 15.

----------------------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 2

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17)

I recently shared this document on a couple of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

1964 – On February 28, her uncle, Clifton Walker, is reportedly murdered by a white mob on East Poor House Road, which is located a few miles north of Woodville. Walker was the brother of Emma, the second wife of Anne’s dad, Fred Moody.

She works for the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) in the town of Canton, Miss., during what is called “Freedom Summer.” In June, she meets with Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney, all members of CORE, one week before they go missing and are later found dead, having been murdered by the local Klansmen. June 21, the day they went missing, is reported as the date of their deaths.

She graduates from Tougaloo College with a B.S. degree. She leaves the state of Mississippi. She speaks at United Auto Workers (UAW) convention in Atlantic City and becomes a popular speaker. She meets famous baseball player Jackie Robinson, who encourages her to write a book about her experiences. On August 4, the bodies of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney are found in a dam near Philadelphia, Miss. Between August and December, she assists Jackie Robinson with his fundraising efforts to build the Chaney-Goodman‐Schwerner Memorial Center.

She works as civil rights project coordinator for Cornell University’s School of Labor Relations until 1967.

1965 – She begins writing Coming of Age in Mississippi following encouragement from Jackie Robinson.

1966 – She meets Austin Straus, a white Jewish poet and a graduate student at New York University (NYU), and falls in love. They live together for one year.

1967 – She marries Austin Straus on March 9. She becomes a counselor for New York City’s poverty program. She completes the book, Coming of Age in Mississippi.

1968 – Her book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, is published by Dial. The book is described as an “autobiography of growing up poor and black in the rural south.” It is released in December. The hardcover edition features a photograph of her taken by her husband. The photograph appears on the back cover of the book.

1969 – She travels the country promoting Coming of Age in Mississippi. She appears on numerous TV shows. On April 3, she appears on The Merv Griffin Show. By August, she is exhausted. Coming of Age in Mississippi receives the Brotherhood Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews, and the Best Book of the Year Award from the National Library Association. She is published in Mademoiselle in January. Her article notes her frustration with the civil rights movement.

1970 -- Coming of Age in Mississippi is published in Germany by Fischer-Verlag. Heinrich Ball, a Nobel prize-winner, writes the Foreword. He and his wife translate the book, and it soon becomes a bestseller in Germany. Anne is honored with a silver medal from Mademoiselle. The recognition is part of the magazine’s “New Hopes for the Seventies: 25 to Watch” feature.

1971 – Her son, Sasha Strauss, is born.

1972 – She and her family move to Berlin, where they live until 1974. She receives a German Academic Exchange Service grant – a full-time scholarship from the city of Berlin and a large house. She works as an artist-in-residence in Berlin.

1973 – Her friend in the movement, George Raymond Jr., dies of a heart attack on March 8 at the age of 30 in New Orleans. Raymond was a Freedom Rider and CORE leader.

1974 – She returns to the United States. She learns of a friend, Chinn, being convicted of murder and serving time at Parchman. She returns to Mississippi.

1975 – Her book, Mr. Death: Four Stories, is published by Harper & Row; (1st edition).

1976 – She returns to Mississippi for the second time because her mother is dying. She begins work on a sequel to Coming of Age in Mississippi, titled, Farewell to Too Sweet. Her mother, Too Sweet, dies.

1977 – She and her husband are divorced after 10 years of marriage.

----------------------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 1

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17)

I recently shared this document on a couple of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

Note: In presenting this timeline, it is important to note that in the telling of her story, Anne Moody changed the actual names of many people mentioned in the book. These changes included the names of some of her family members.

#AnneMoody

1940 – Anne Moody is born as Essie Mae Moody on September 15 to Fred and Elmira “Too Sweet” Williams Moody near the small town of Centreville, Mississippi, in Wilkinson County.

1952 – She is 12 and in the 6^th grade when she and her family move into a house in Ash Quarters near Highway 24 in Centreville. The house is built by her stepdad, Leroy Jefferson. (In her book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, her stepdad is called Raymond.)

1953 – She is 13 when she is baptized in September by Reverend Tyson of Mount Pleasant church, located off of Highway 24 between Centreville and Woodville. She begins working for Linda Jean Jenkins.

1954 – She is 14 and in the 8^th grade when she is crowned the homecoming queen of Willis High School (historically black school) in November. Her name is officially changed from “Essie Mae Moody” to “Annie Moody” because of an error on her birth certificate. Her stepdad rents land on the former military camp site, Camp Van Dorm, where he digs up grenades and bombs while plowing with a mule.

1955 – She is 14 (soon to be 15) when she learns of the death of Emmett Till, who is lynched in Mississippi on August 28 at the age of 14. This horrific event becomes a turning point in her life. She is filled with shock and anger.

1956 – She is shaken by the murders of the Taplin family. Eight to nine people were reportedly all burned to death in a house fire on the northwest corner of East Highland Street and South Gordon Street in Centreville. She is 15 when she goes to Baton Rouge, La., for the summer, leaving home for the first time, and stays with her Uncle Ed. She returns to Centreville and becomes a Math tutor for several white teenagers in the home of Mrs. Burke, the mother of Linda Jean Jenkins. She stops working for Mrs. Burke and soon starts working for Mrs. Marcia Hunt, one of the owners of Hunt and Taylor Ladies Shop in Centreville.

1957 – She goes to New Orleans, La., for the summer and works for a month in a chicken factory, which she hates. She returns home to Centreville. She is 17 when she leaves home following a conflict with her stepdad and moves to Woodville, Miss., to live with her dad and his wife, Emma. She attends Johnson High School (historically black school) in Woodville.

1959 – She is awarded a basketball scholarship to attend Natchez Junior College in Natchez, Miss. She graduates from Johnson High School and returns to New Orleans for the summer two days later. On August 14, Samuel O’Quinn, a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, successful businessman and dad of 11, is murdered near Centreville reportedly because of his interest in the NAACP and civil rights. She begins freshman year at Natchez Junior College On August 27, the Rev. Harrison D. Dupree and his family flee their home in Fort Adams (located 19 miles west of Woodville) to escape being lynched by a white mob.

1960 – She is attending Natchez Junior College when she experiences her first kiss.

1961 – She returns to New Orleans after leaving Natchez Junior College. She receives full scholarship to attend Tougaloo College. She starts attending Tougaloo College where she decides to become a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Medgar Evers, NAACP leader, speaks at the college.

1962 – During the summer, she meets Joan Trumpauer, a white student at Tougaloo, who is also secretary for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Anne Moody and a friend stage a sit-in on a Trailways bus without approval of any organization. They are threatened and rescued.

1963 – On May 28, she participates in sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Jackson. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers is assassinated on June 12. On June 13, she visits Jackson State College to recruit students for the movement and is later arrested. She attends Evers’ funeral on June 15. She participates in the historic March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28.

On September 15 – her 23^rd birthday – she learns of four girls being killed at the 16^th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., when the church is bombed. This event becomes another turning point for Anne that results in her questioning her faith and the nonviolent movement.

On Friday, November 22, she is working in a restaurant in New Orleans when she learns of President Kennedy being shot and killed.

----------------------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Promoting Anne Moody: How to Keep Her Legacy Alive

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

I recently shared this document on a couple of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com ( https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5134810.v1 )

#AnneMoody

This is an overview of the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) and its plans to promote and help preserve the legacy of Anne Moody (1940 - 2015). Moody was a civil rights pioneer and the famous author of Coming of Age in Mississippi. She grew up in Centreville, Miss., where she overcame poverty, racism, persecution, and the threats of death. She became a respected leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

This document presents a list of practical ideas adapted by AMHP for promoting Moody's history. The ideas include promotional work through schools, churches, the local community, government agencies, social media, and the news media. In addition to honoring her with a street and highway bearing her name, AMHP plans call for having a proclamation issued for “Anne Moody Day.”

As AMHP chairman, I have said the promotional campaign is about “history, education and tourism.” Current and future generations need to know Moody’s story.

Note: Readers are encouraged to follow updates on Ms. Moody’s history by following @AnneMoodyHP on Twitter. 

(1940-2015)

Promoting Anne Moody

A 21-Point Plan for Sharing Her Story, Honoring 

Her Memory, and Keeping Her Legacy Alive

The Anne Moody History Project

“Keeping Her Legacy Alive”

The Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) was established in March 2017 by the staff of MTC/Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) as a community service endeavor in public history for Wilkinson and Amite Counties. Its aim is to honor Ms. Moody by promoting and helping to preserve her legacy as a noted author, civil rights pioneer, and historical figure in Mississippi.

Ms. Moody, born Essie Mae Moody on Sept. 15, 1940, was a civil rights activist and the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi (Dial, 1968). She was reared in Centreville, Miss., and later moved to Woodville, Miss.  When she died on Feb. 5, 2015, she was living in Gloster, Miss.

Our Mission

The AMHP’s mission is to honor Ms. Moody’s memory and keep her legacy alive through programs and activities that educate the public about her achievements as a civil rights activist, her work as an author, and her life history as a native of Mississippi. The AMHP seeks to be a source of learning for students, churches (and other religious institutions), and the general public on the significance of Ms. Moody’s historic contributions. In this capacity, it is believed, the AMHP can help to foster a better understanding of race relations and diversity in the south and other parts of the United States.

Honoring Anne Moody

The AMHP has outlined a number of ways to honor Ms. Moody’s legacy. Below is the 21-point plan that it intends to follow in order to achieve its mission in promoting -- and helping to preserve -- her life history and her contributions as a writer and civil rights activist. This plan will be revised occasionally as the need arises.

1. Have a street and highway named in her honor

* The Centreville street where she grew up (and where her family now lives), could be named, “Anne Moody Street.”

UPDATE: On Thursday, June 15, 2017, the Centreville Board of Alderman approved AMHP’s request for a resolution to rename Fort Street, “Anne Moody Street.”

* Highway 24 East from Woodville to Gloster could be named, “Anne Moody Highway.”

UPDATE: On Monday, June 5, 2017, the Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors approved AMHP’s request for a resolution to name a portion of Highway 24 East “Anne Moody Highway.” The matter will now go to Mississippi State Rep. Angela Cockerham for approval on the state level.

2. Have a day named in her honor

* A request for a proclamation for “Anne Moody Day” will be presented to the Centreville Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

 UPDATE: On Thursday, June 15, 2017, the Centreville Board of Aldermen approved AMHP’s request for a proclamation to be issued for “Anne Moody Day,” which will be observed on her birthday, September 15.

3. Erect or post historical markers

* The marker could present a brief statement about Anne Moody’s historic achievements.

* The marker could be located in a number of places in Centreville, including a street, Highway 24, or near her family’s home.

4. Post a sign or billboard in Centreville, Miss.

* A sign could have the words, “Welcome to Centreville, Home of Civil Rights Pioneer Anne Moody.”

5. Post a sign or billboard in Woodville, Miss.

* A sign could have the words, “Visit Centreville, Miss., Home of Civil Rights Pioneer Anne Moody.”

6. Acquire Anne Moody Collection

* The family of Anne Moody will be asked to donate some of her personal property to the African American Museum or Woodville Public Library, both in Woodville, Miss., for special exhibits.

7. Establish online presence

* A website will be created as the home base and central hub for all things related to Anne Moody’s history.

 UPDATE: The AnneMoody.org domain was acquired on April 17, 2017.

 * Accounts will be opened for social media websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Accounts may include academic websites.

 UPDATE: Account for Twitter was opened on May 4, 2017. Twitter handle is: @AnneMoodyHP

 * A blog will be used to post news, updates, photos, and commentary.

8. Have her childhood home listed as historic property

* The building, located on the corner of Fort Street and Hospital Road, may be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 * Meetings will be held with the Moody/Jefferson family members to determine their interest in placing the home on the national register.

9. Record oral histories

* Audio and video recordings will be made of Anne Moody’s immediate family members and friends.

* All recordings will be preserved.

10. Create historic monument/plaque for Centreville Park

* Monument will be made of brick or stone, etc.

* Monument will include an image of Anne Moody and her book, along with a brief biography.

11. Create portrait (painting or drawing) of Anne Moody

* The art work may be done by a student, offender, or professional artist.

* The art work may be done in oil, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, or pen and ink.

* The art work will be donated to a government facility, library, school or museum.

12. Work with elected officials and government agencies

* Advice and ideas will be sought for effective ways to share Anne Moody’s story using government resources.

* Funding/grants will be sought for various aspects of the project.

13. Work with the news media

* Stories/press releases will be shared with the press (local, regional, national)

* Interviews will be given to the press (local, regional, national)

* Photographs and videos will be share with the press.

14. Establish education outreach

* Syllabus based on Coming of Age in Mississippi will be created and shared with classroom teachers/professors.

* Representatives of AMHP will visit schools K-12

* Representatives of AMHP will visit colleges and universities.

* Schools will be asked to include the book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, in their classroom discussions.

* Copies of the book will be donated to selected schools.

15. Distribute promotional products

* Various products, such as pens, caps, key chains, T-shirts, bumper stickers, etc., will be used to share and promote Anne Moody’s history.

 * A logo will be designed using Anne Moody’s name, her image (or something related to her history) and her favorite color.

16. Create Anne Moody calendar

* A chronological timeline based on Anne Moody’s life history and other key moments in Black History will be used to identify important dates for the Anne Moody Calendar.

 * Images of Anne Moody and events related to her story will be sprinkled throughout the calendar.

17. Hold Anne Moody Tours

* Key places/sites in Anne Moody’s life history will be identified in Woodville and Centreville.

* The tours will be held during special events in Natchez and Woodville and other selected times during the year.

* A van or other suitable vehicle will be used to provide tours to the key sites. A fee may be charged.

18. Engage Academic Community

* Research on Anne Moody will be on-going.

* Efforts will be made to present papers at academic conferences.

* Efforts will be made to publish books and articles in academic journals.

19. Release publications

* Popular books will be written and published about Anne Moody’s history.

* Brochures and booklets will be written and published, and distributed as promotional tools.

20. Participate in prison outreach

* Special Anne Moody program will be held at least once a year in jails and prisons.

 UPDATE: Special Anne Moody program was held on June 12, 2017, at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, Woodville, Miss.

 * Anne Moody book club will be organized for offenders and/or correctional staff.

 UPDATE: Offenders at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility began reading Coming of Age in Mississippi in May 2017.

21. Work with restaurants and eateries

* Promotional table mats will be created for special occasions or on-going events related to Anne Moody.

* Establishments will be asked to serve her favorite meal (red beans and rice with fried chicken) on Anne Moody Day.

 ----------------------------------------------------------

Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Centreville, Wilkinson County honor civil rights pioneer

I am ecstatic about this news. I’m also grateful to the Centreville Board of Aldermen and the Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors. Special thanks to Mayor Larry Lee. 

#AnneMoody #Tougaloo

 --------------------------------

Enterprise-Journal 

6/20/17

Centreville, Wilkinson County honor civil rights pioneer

Town renames street for Moody, 

highway designation sought

Centreville officials recently named a street after hometown author and civil rights activists Anne Moody, and Wilkinson County authorities are trying to rename a portion of Highway 24 after her.

Centreville aldermen renamed Fort Street, the location of Moody’s childhood home, in her honor.

Aldermen also approved a proclamation recognizing Sept. 15 — Moody’s birthday — as Anne Moody Day.

“I think it’s a good thing to honor a person such as Anne Moody who was dedicated and made sacrifices for others,” Centreville Mayor Larry Lee said. “She fought for a good cause and she put her life on the line in the struggle for freedom and civil rights.”

Wilkinson County supervisors on June 5 approved a resolution to name Highway 24 from the Highway 61 intersection in Woodville, east to the Amite County line in Centreville as “Anne Moody Highway.”

Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia, whose district includes Wilkinson County, will introduce legislation for approval on the state level.

Moody, who died in 2015, was a civil rights activist and the author of “Coming of Age in Mississippi.”

She was born in Wilkinson County, reared in Centreville, lived briefly in Woodville and spent her final years in Gloster.

The requests to name the street and highway after her came from the Anne Moody History Project, which was established in March by the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, a private prison in Woodville.

Prison Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III, who chairs the committee, said the aim of the project is “to promote and help preserve” Moody’s legacy.

“As a committee, we appreciate the value and the historic significance of Ms. Moody’s legacy and what it means for this community as well as future generations,” he said.

 The prison held a program to honor Moody on June 12, with guest speakers including Moody’s brother, the Rev. Fred Moody Jr. of Gloster and Dr. Stephanie Scott-Sullivan.