WCCF News (2/2020): What’s Happening at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

Copyright (c) 2020

#MTCChangesLives

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This is a collection of news briefs I compiled for The Woodville Republican (Woodville, Miss.). The collection is set to appear as a quarter-page ad on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF), Woodville, where I serve as chaplain, is publishing its news in this format each quarter in the local newspaper.

What’s Happening at

Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

Pickett named Employee of the Month 

WCCF recognized Officer Richard Pickett as Employee of the Month for January. Human Resource Manager Kelly Pomeroy thanked him for his “dedication and a job well done.” Pickett has been employed at the facility since October 2015.

WCCF Forming Prison Bands

Executive Administrative Michelle Higginbotham is leading a new program that will feature bands formed by the men incarcerated at the facility. Higginbotham. WCCF has purchased instruments. Higginbotham is auditioning singers and musicians. She hopes to have at least one band organized and performing by March. “This is an excellent program,” Higginbotham said. “The men will be able to write music, script lyrics and express themselves through all genres of music.”

Alcohol & Drug Classes Graduate

Ten students in the Short Term Alcohol & Drug program graduated on December 10, 2019. They were followed by 18 students in the Long Term A&D program who graduated on January 15. In addition to Certificates of Completion, all of the students received incentive care bags, according to Substance Abuse Counselors Angela Coleman. “Three of the students had already made parole and would be released pending the completion of the class,” she said. “Those students were extremely excited and look forward to returning home.”

Staff Becomes Certified Firearm Instructors

Several WCCF staff members, including one from Marshall County Correctional Facility (MCCF), are now certified firearm instructors. They are, from left: Captain Micheal Anderson, Lieutenant Kirsten McCloud (MCCF), Lieutenant Harry Dawson, Training Lieutenant LaTonya Malone, CERT Sergeant Charles Pointe, and Instructor Dwayne Anthony. All of them attended the Total Control Training Institute in Yazoo, where they completed 40 hours of training in the Firearm Instructor Survival Training Course and the Shotgun Instructor Survival Training Course.

Christmas Care Packages Distributed

WCCF staff handed out care packages to 900 men for the Christmas holiday season. The packages, which are distributed each year, contained hygiene items, candy, and literature.

Christmas Concert Held By Sanctuary Choir

The Sanctuary Choir of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Natchez, held a Christmas Concert at the facility in December 2019. The annual event was coordinated by Deacon Frank Hill Jr. and Alvin Shelby, minister of music. The Rev. Wilsonni Johnson served as guest speaker. WCCF staff and offenders attended the event.

New Arts & Crafts Program Launched

Recreational Specialist Emily Guth said that she and the men housed at WCCF are excited about a new hobby craft program. “It’s in the beginning stages,” said Guth, who serves as director of the program. “We want to get men from each zone into the classroom where they can learn to draw and paint.”

New Program: ‘Thinking For A Change’

WCCF is introducing a new integrated cognitive behavior change program called “Thinking for a Change.” The program is being facilitated by Warehouse Supervisor Ruby Dixon, Zone Sergeant Tiffany Ware, Substance Abuse Counselor Angela Coleman, and Re-entry Coordinator Keyla Williams.

Reentry Program Receives Visit by Win Job Center Specialist

The WCCF Reentry Program is working to assist incarcerated men with a successful transition to their community. On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, the offenders met with an Employment Specialist from WIN Job Center. The WIN Job Center has important resources that provide job placement assistance, job and skill training, career counseling and referral to many other valuable services.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.

F.F. Bosworth and Thoro Harris: A moment in Black History

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020

#FFBosworth
#BosworthMatters
#ThoroHarris

Thoro Harris
Songwriter, Composer, Publisher
(1874 - 1955)
Photo from Cyberhymnal

Much has been written about F.F. Bosworth's relationship with prominent revivalists and Pentecostal church leaders. However, very little has been written about his work with African Americans. A famous photo shows a picture of him in a group with William J. Seymour. As it turns out, Seymour was one of only a few well-known blacks that Bosworth came to know. Another prominent and highly respected person of color that played a role in his ministry was Thoro Harris. Harris was a hymnist whose writing and publishing brought him name recognition and success. He and Bosworth shared a love for music. The two worked together during the 1920s.

Bosworth used Harris' services to publish the songbook, Revival Flame: Bosworth Campaign Special. The extent of Bosworth’s relationship with Harris is not known. However, given the quality of the book published, it appears that he fully endorsed the ministry of Harris. The book consists of 138 pages. While 12 of the songs included were written or arranged by B.B. Bosworth, most were written by Harris. The significance of the Bosworths’ relationship with Harris is underscored by the fact that just over a decade earlier, F.F. suffered a severe beating for preaching to blacks in Hearne, Texas. Also, during the 1920s, segregation was actively practiced in the United States.

Harris, who has also been called a Pentecostal gospel songwriter and composer, was born on March 31, 1874 in Washington, D.C. His mother was white and his father was black. Historian Dale H. Simmons described Harris as a child prodigy whose compositions in the Methodist Holiness style found appreciation among Pentecostals. According to Darrin J. Rodgers, director of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, Harris "was well-loved across the racial and theological divides within the Holiness and Pentecostal movements."

In his article, "Remembering the Assemblies of God’s Black Heritage," Rodgers noted Harris' success in working with different church groups. He explained that Harris "moved seamlessly in both white and black circles, as well as in both Holiness and Pentecostal churches." Harris, he wrote, "made a substantial impact on Assemblies of God hymnody in its early decades."

Historian Estrelda Y. Alexander suggested Harris' work was also respected by Aimee Simple McPherson, who often featured the singing of Negro spirituals in her church. In Alexander's book, The Dictionary of Pan-African Pentecostalism, Volume One (Cascade Books, 2018), she wrote about Harris' contribution to McPherson's ministry. She observed: "McPherson's regard for prolific African-American hymn writer, Thoro Harris, led her to work with him to compose at least two hymnals for the congregation."

Harris died on March 27, 1955 in Eureka Springs, Ark. He was 80 years old.

Photo from WorthPoint

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Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: bosworth25.

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Follow the Bosworth Matters blog! 

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For more information:

Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters

'Christ the Healer' Teaching Series

#FFBosworth

Charity Christian Church, 915 Morgan St, Martinsville, Va. is hosting a teaching series on the book “Christ The Healer,” by F.F. Bosworth, at 7 p.m. each Tuesday for the months of February and March. The Rev. Ramona Martin is the facilitator for these sessions.
Source: martinsvillebulletin.com

#ChurchHistory #FFBosworth #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMatters

Bosworth Meme: Billy Graham Comparison

#FFBosworth

#BosworthMatters #BosworthMention #ChurchHistory #ChristTheHealer

Michelle Higginbotham Promoted to Executive Administrative Assistant

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

Copyright (c) 2020

#MTCChangesLives

Michelle Higginbotham

 WOODVILLE, Miss. – Michelle Higginbotham is the new executive administrative assistant for Warden Scott Middlebrooks at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF).

“She does a phenomenal job every day,” said Middlebrooks. “I look forward to her contributions as my new executive administrative assistant.”

Higginbotham has been employed at the facility since January 2019. She previously worked as the Sergeant Investigator. Before that, she worked as a Disciplinary Clerk and Mailroom Clerk.

“I am excited about my promotion!” Higginbotham said. “I’m grateful to Warden Scott Middlebrooks for recognizing my accomplishments in the past year by promoting me to this position. I look forward to the continued success of our team.”

Deputy Warden of Program George Castro said Higginbotham has proven to be a great asset to WCCF. “In addition to being reliable, she is multi-talented, and always prompt,” he said. “She brings professionalism and passion to her job. I’m sure she will be excellent in her new position.”

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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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.

Rev. Nelson Fears, a Former Inmate, Brings Message of Hope to Wilkinson Prison

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

Copyright (c) 2020

#MTCChangesLives

Rev. Nelson Fears, left, and Warden Scott Middlebrooks

WOODVILLE, Miss. – The Rev. Nelson Fears, a former inmate in the federal prison system, has a special message for men doing time. He believes that they can find hope in the middle of hopeless situations.

“You’ve got to trust what you can’t see,” he said. “When you do better, and give respect to others, your situation will get better. Yes, there are benefits to making good choices.”

That’s the message that Fears delivered recently during a visit at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF). The Alabama-based pastor shared his personal testimony and a message of encouragement with 50 men incarcerated at the facility.

Ultimately, he said, it was his acceptance of Christ that made the biggest difference in his life. That acceptance helped him to change his mind and his behavior, he said.

Fears is a native of Valley, Ala. and the pastor of Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church in Salem, Ala. He served more than 15 years in federal prison. Interestingly, he spent some of those years working as an orderly for Warden Scott Middlebrooks, who is now the warden of WCCF.

According to Middlebrooks, Fears is a good man who really cares about people. It was for this reason, among others, that he brought him to Woodville as a guest speaker. He suggested Fears has a message that is relevant, practical, and meaningful to the WCCF population.

“Our guys need to hear what he has to say,” Middlebrooks said. “He’s been where they are. So they can relate to what he says about life in prison.”

Most of the men who came out to hear Fears are participants in a new WCCF initiative known as “Thinking for a Change.” It is an integrated, cognitive behavioral change program for offenders. Some of the men are preparing to go home.

During his 40-minute talk, Fears quoted what is called the “golden rule” as he highlighted the importance of showing respect. “When you give respect, you will get respect,” he said. “The way you carry yourself will make the man next door respect you.”

Fears noted the respect that “you give to other folks will take you a long way.”

Rev. Nelson Fears addressing audience at
Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

When men are doing time, they often feel lost and all alone, Fears said. Sometimes they feel discouraged. But it’s important for them to keep believing and keep doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking, he said. Eventually, something good will come their way.

In his case, it was after 16 years of incarceration. He received a letter from the court saying he would be released. At first, he said, it seemed too good to be true. The news shook him. And as he thought about his freedom, his mind flooded with thoughts about his family. On the day that he left prison, he saw his family waiting to pick him up.

“When I left home, my son was one,” he said. “Now he’s 17 and standing there taller than me. But thanks to God, my family was united. We stood there and hugged each other and just cried.”

Fears went on to rebuild his family. He found a job and soon became a supervisor. He eventually became a pastor. “I once was lost and at my lowest, but now I’m a well-respected man in my community,” he said.

Fears told the men: “Whatever you’re going to do in life, remember it starts today. If you’re not going to do it today, you’re not going to do it when you get out.”

Rev. Nelson Fears with Saheed Davis

Several men said they enjoyed the presentation, and they thanked Fears for coming. One said he wept as Fears spoke.

“It was a message of hope from somebody that’s been where we’re at,” said Christopher Myers. He explained that Fear’s point about respecting others resonated with him in a special way. “Sometimes you have to respect others even when they’re not respecting you,” he said.

Warden Middlebrooks followed the presentation with a few words of encouragement. “I’m a firm believer that good things come to good people,” he said to the men. “The choice is yours. You’ve got to make the right choice.”

Fears encouraged the men to never give up. “Keep your heads up,” he said. “Keep pushing forward.”

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WCCF houses 950 male offenders. It is privately managed by MTC or Management & Training Corporation of Utah.

Rev. Nelson Fears with Glen Conley II

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.

A Visit to Anne Moody's Resting Place

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

Today (2/8/20) I visited the burial site of Anne Moody. She is resting beside her mother in the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Centreville, MS. Moody is always on my mind. I was driving along Highway 24 when I looked over at the gravesite and saw flowers near her grave. I stopped and took this picture.

#AnneMoody #ComingOfAgeinMississippi #CivilRights #PublicHistory #Mississippi #BlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #BlkTwitterstorians #Twitterstorians

For more information, visit: http://roscoereporting.blogspot.com/2018/07/anne-moodys-final-resting-place.html