Wilkinson prison brings Freedom Rider and Civil Rights Pioneer Joan Trumpauer Mulholland to Southwest Mississippi

She speaks at local high school and the prison

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Photos by Michelle Childres Higginbotham 
Copyright (c) 2019

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#JoanTrumpauer
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Freedom Rider and Civil Rights Pioneer Joan Trumpauer Mulholland signing autographs for students at Wilkinson County High School on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019.

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WOODVILLE, Miss. -- Civil rights pioneer Joan Trumpauer Mulholland came to southwest Mississippi this week with a message of love, unity, and social justice. Her visit was sponsored by MTC/Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) of Woodville. Her son, Loki Mulholland, an Emmy-winning filmmaker from Utah, joined her on the trip.

Loki said their visit to WCCF was special. "The inmates were incredible,” he said. “They were well-informed, thoroughly engaged and appreciative. They wanted to learn and weren't going to let their circumstance define who they are. We speak all over the country and while this was the most unique situation we've ever presented at it was also one of the most rewarding. We are truly grateful for the time we had at MTC in Woodville."

Warden Scott Middlebrooks described the day’s program as “the largest and most historic” event held at the WCCF. “So often we hear about the negative instead of the positive things that happen in a facility,” he said. “This is one example of something positive.”

Meeting at Wilkinson County High School

From Left: Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, Chaplain, Michelle Higginbotham, Charles E. Johnson, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, Dr. Derrick Morgan, principal, and Loki Mulholland.

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Special guests for the 11 a.m. program Tuesday included Commissioner Pelicia Hall of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Rep. Angela Cockerham, Senator Tammy Witherspoon, Mayor Keshia Stewart Ford, and the Rev. Dr. Ed King. Other guests included history professors from Alcorn State University and officials from MDOC.

The idea for the visit originated with the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP), a community service group made up of WCCF staff. The group wanted to do something special for Moody’s birthday, which is September 15, according to Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, WCCF chaplain who serves as the AMHP chairman. Trumpauer’s birthday is September 14. She is 78.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland

School and prison visit

On Monday, the day Trumpauer arrived, she toured Moody’s hometown of Centreville. The former Freedom Rider spoke at Wilkinson County High School on Tuesday at 9 .am. She addressed nearly 300 students – 9th through 12th grade -- in the school’s gym and signed autographs.

Trumpauer encouraged the students to step out and make a difference. “It’s up to each of us to make a difference,” she said. “I saw something was wrong and decided to do something about it. Go find your cause, whatever that might be. Get some friends together and go solve it.”

Dr. Derrick Morgan, the high school principal, said it was an honor to have the civil rights icon at the high school. The students, he said, had been reading about her for a couple of weeks and were excited about meeting her.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland reviews a pencil sketch of the iconic photo of the 1963 Woolworth's Sit-in that was drawn by a man incarcerated at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF). She came to the prison because she wanted to meet the young man who drew the image. His name and photo are withheld for security reasons.

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At 11 a.m., Trumpauer spoke at WCCF, addressing an audience of 90 people that included community leaders and WCCF staff. She addressed WCCF offenders at a 2 p.m. program.

In each of her presentations, Trumpauer talked about the famous photo of the Woolworth’s Sit-in in Jackson in May 1963, where she is seated between Anne Moody and John Salter. Moody died in 2015 and Salter died earlier this year. Trumpauer gave a behind-the-scene narrative of what transpired that day and what it means for today’s generation.

“When we arrived at the counter, all hell was breaking loose,” she recalled. The mob of white students began calling them names and then launched an all-out assault on the peaceful demonstrators at the counter, she explained.

Trumpauer noted the importance of the news media that day, and the photo of the incident that was taken by Fred Blackwell. She said the photo went all over the world, and as a result of it appearing in newspapers, people’s hearts were changed. “That’s the power of the press,” she said.

Trumpauer also highlighted “nonviolence” as a means to affect change. “Nonviolence is the answer,” she said, “If it was good enough for Mahatma Gandhi, it should be good enough for us.”

MDOC Commissioner Pelicia Hall presented Joan Trumpauer Mulholland with a Commissioner's Coin.

Special presentations

Commissioner Hall, who spoke at the 11 a.m. program, presented Trumpauer with a “Commissioner’s Coin.” “When you receive a Commissioner’s Coin, you have gone over and above the call of duty,” Hall told Trumpauer.  “You have done well. Thank you for all that you have done.”

Hall said Trumpauer’s visit “will undoubtedly shed light and inspire unity among those who are fortunate enough to hear your story.” “Your lifelong message of love, justice and equality provides us with news that quenches our thirst for critical change in the right direction,” she said.

Hall said she was amazed by Trumpauer’s accomplishments. “I take pleasure in knowing that because of your notable sacrifice, your place in history is both crystalized and secured with all of the accolades that you so earnestly deserve,” she said. Hall thanked her for “being vocal about the things that matter and for being a voice for those who could not speak for themselves.”

From left: Dr. Jim Rosenblatt, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, MDOC Commissioner Pelicia Hall. The Rev. Dr. Ed King is seated.

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Cockerham, who serves the 96th District, which includes Adams, Amite, Pike and Wilkinson counties, presented Trumpauer with a framed proclamation. Cockerham stated: “It is most fitting and appropriate to recognize the indomitable spirit and selfless nature of such an iconic figure and living legend as Mrs. Mulholland, whose zealous commitment to civic engagement is a vestige of inspiration rooted in the transformative history of these United States, particularly, the state of Mississippi.”

Mayor Ford presented the civil rights champion with a “Key to the City of Woodville.” Ford noted that she and the town of Woodville were proud to recognize Trumpauer for her contributions to the Movement and the history of Mississippi. Ford explained the “key” is given for “outstanding civic contributions.”

“Ms. Mulholland, your presence today in the city is, for us, a moment of joy, not only for us who are here gathered together, but for the city,” Ford said. “We are honoring you with the city key, which means, traditionally, that from today you are one of us, you are a citizen of Woodville, so I hope that you will accept this key to our city.”

Warden Middlebrooks said that God has a destiny for everybody and that “Ms. Mulholland is certainly fulfilling God’s plan for her life.”

From left: Deputy Warden of Operations Gabriel Walker, MDOC Commissioner Pelicia Hall, Warden Scott Middlebrooks, Deputy Warden of Programs George Castro, and Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, Chaplain

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In her talk to the men incarcerated at WCCF, Trumpauer answered questions about history, violence and progress. She told of how blacks where once threatened -- and sometimes assaulted -- when they tried to vote. They were often intimidated and they knew their homes could be bombed, she said. “Today,” she said, “the laws have changed, but we still got a lot of hearts that need to change.”

When a question was raised about leaving old stories in the past and not stirring things up, she replied: “We don’t want to forget the past, but we need to keep moving forward. Those who forget the past, as the saying goes, are condemned to repeat it.”

Her son, Loki, suggested there is currently a “real deficit in the country when it comes to learning American history.” It’s been white-washed, he said, adding his mother’s story needs to be told. “We live in such a divided country and her story is very unifying. It demonstrates that when we reach outside of our comfort zones we can truly work together to solve those problems that impact all of us,” he said.

From left: Deputy Warden of Programs George Castro, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, and Warden Scott Middlebrooks. The Rev. Dr. Ed King is seated.

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Loki Mulholland is the founder and executive director of the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation, based in Lehi, Utah. Founded in 2014, the foundation exists to end racism through education.

WCCF is a maximum security facility that houses 950 male offenders. It is privately managed by the Management & Training Corporation (MTC) of Utah.

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Want to know MORE about Anne Moody?

Visit here to see the timeline of important

events in her 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, Ph.D. 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