Wilkinson prison welcomes visit by civil rights author, filmmaker

By Roscoe Barnes III

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright © 2017

#AnneMoody

Acting Warden Norris Hogans, center, of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, displays a portrait of civil rights pioneer Anne Moody. The portrait was drawn by Derrick Young, who is incarcerated at the facility. From left to right are filmmaker Taryn Blake, Deputy Warden of Programs Tonya Toomey, Acting Warden Norris Hogans, Miss. State Senator Tammy Witherspoon, and civil rights author M.J. O’Brien.

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Noted civil rights author M.J. O’Brien and filmmaker Taryn Blake recently paid a visit to Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) to meet with its staff and witness a presentation honoring Anne Moody, author of Coming of Age in Mississippi.

O’Brien is the author of We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth's Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired  (University Press of Mississippi, 2013); Blake is a writer and producer whose films include Amiss, A Day in 1951, and Haebangchon: Chapter 1. She and O’Brien are doing research on Moody’s life history.

After touring Centreville, Moody’s hometown, O’Brien and Blake travelled to Woodville, where they made a stop at the prison. During their visit, they met with Acting Warden Norris Hogans and Deputy Warden of Programs Tonya Toomey, who accepted a proclamation honoring Moody from Miss. State Senator Tammy Witherspoon, D-McComb.

O’Brien and Blake also met with members of the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP), which included Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III, Emma Taplin, LaVern Taylor and Ruby Dixon. AMHP is a community service project that was created by WCCF staff for the purpose of promoting and helping to preserve the historic legacy of Moody.

AMHP members assisted O’Brien and Blake with a history tour of Centreville and Woodville. Polly Rosenblatt, manager of the Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Association, gave the visitors a tour of the African American Museum, which has Moody’s photo and books on display.

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Visit here to see the timeline of important

events in Anne Moody’s life history!

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For more information: 

See the Anne Moody page here.

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