As the month of February is flying by and February is Black History Month, I am going to include some memories here of the rich African American Heritage of southern Hamilton County. Until I was in seventh grade, the schools, along with most social services, were segregated in our part of the world.
That changed in school in the year 1970-71 when the all-Black school, Carver Elementary, was closed, and African American students came over to South Hamilton Elementary, effectively doubling the school population. Some early African American educators included the late E.W. Graham, Sadie Turner, Sallie Reddick, Rosa Roundtree, Dorothy L. Bryant, Mary McKire, Ruby Williams, Eleanor Lumpkin Bradley, Rev. Charles Graham, Barbara Edwards and Ernestine Johnson.
The school year 1971-72 saw a desegregated sports program, the South Hamilton Red Devils football team led by late coaches Charlie Harrison and Waylon Bush, and boys and girls basketball teams and cheerleaders squad.
Some other firsts included the late Willie Turner being the town's first African American councilman and the late John Graham being the first African American Mayor of White Springs. Brenda Graham became the first African American principal of South Hamilton Elementary in 1993. Jeanette Udell became one of the first African Americans to register to vote in Precinct 3 elections. The late Lawrence "Jim" Udell taught auto mechanics at Hamilton County High School and, in addition, was one of the very first African Americans to own his business, Auto Repair and Maintenance, in White Springs. The late Queenie Fisher was the first African American to operate her own tourism business with Queenie's Bone Yard, located on the far south end of town just east of Carver School.
There are many other firsts I know I have missed, but during this month of February, let's all celebrate the diversity and richness of our culture here Around the Banks of the Suwannee.
From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you a good week.