Current Historical Marker Projects:
The Kemper County Trio -
Scooba, Mississippi
Here, using Artissa Williams' words, we recount the beginning of the Kemper County case: "The nightmare of the Brown v. Mississippi, also known as the Kemper County Trio Case, began with the gruesome murder of 60-year-old white planter Raymond Stuart of Giles, Mississippi (which is six miles east of Scooba). Stuart was found in his home dying of ax wounds. This murder angered residents of Giles, Scooba, Dekalb and Meridian and began the nightmare for Ed Brown, Henry Shields, and Arthur Ellington."
This case is an example of injustice that garnered national attention due to the gross negligence of the Mississippi courts. Grid North Historical Productions is in the process of petitioning the Mississippi Supreme Court to vacate the sentences of the three black sharecroppers due to the confessions being coerced by brutal beatings and whippings. We are creating a historical marker to commemorate this case and all of the lives that were impacted for so long - the Trio, the attornies, family and friends. We want the world to remember their story.
The Jeff Long Historical Marker - Carrollton, Georgia
Until 1963, the college [University of West Georgia - then West Georgia College - in Carrollton, Georgia] did not admit African-American students. In 1955 and 1956 Jeff Long, a teacher at Carver High School, encouraged students to apply for admission to West Georgia. Every senior applied, and every student was denied admission on the basis of their race. President Boyd racially integrated the campus in 1963. The first Black student was Lillian Williams, a mother or 4 and teacher in the non-integrated Carroll County School System. In 2002, President Sethna apologized to the Carver class of 1955. A scholarship fund has been started for descendants of the Carver students who were denied admission. There is also a scholarship in the name of Lillian Williams, for any mothers who want to start or continue their education. (Wikipedia)
Mrs. Lillian Williams attended the same church as Don and Don's mother, Gladys North, was a member of Jeff Long's Carver High School group of graduates that applied to UWG but was denied. She was able to attend the university since de-segregation was instituted. She became a substitute teacher and then a teacher. Don North, Founder and President of Grid North Historical Productions, is a 1980 University of West Georgia graduate, following his mother's footsteps.
Don met with Corlis Long Hudson, Jeff Long's daughter, for permission to erect a Georgia historical marker that would honor her father on the grounds of the University of West Georgia.
Corporal James Henry Gooding:
"Are We Labourers or Soldiers?"
James Henry Gooding was born in a slave in 1838 North Carolina. His father purchased the family's freedom and moved to New York City. As a young boy, Gooding was enrolled in the Quaker Freeman School where he received a classical education and excelled as a prominent writer of literature. In 1856, Gooding would settled down in New Bedford Massachusetts where worked on a whaling ship in a variety of positions. At that time the whaling industry hired African Americans Men on equal footing with white men. He later marry Ellen Allen at the Seamen's Bethel Church in New Bedford, MA. By 1863, President Lincoln called for 180, 000.00 black soldiers to join the Union army and Navy. Gooding enlisted in 54th Massachusetts Infantry, Company C. Over the next twelve months, he would write letters about life in a black Regiment that would give a descriptive life in a black Regiment which were published in his hometown Mercury Newspaper. Gooding would serve in several military battles and campaigns such as: Fort Wagner, South Carolina, Vicksburg Campaign and The Battle of Olsutee, Florida where he was wounded and captured. He would later be imprisoned at Andersonville where he died and buried at Andersonville Confederate Prison, in Georgia. During his service, Corporal Gooding would write a letter to President Lincoln contesting that black soldiers and sailors were were paid three dollars less than white soldiers. Gooding's letter question the president, ("Are Laborers or Are we Soldiers").
By 1864, Lincoln would issue an executive order to pay all union soldiers and sailors equal pay per.
It is an honor for Grid North Historical Productions to erect a historical marker honoring Corporal Gooding.
"I believe we are here... to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for ALL PEOPLE to enjoy FREEDOM."
~ Rosa Parks
What Is The
Historical Marker Project?
American heritage is woven into every thread of the fabric of the entire world, specifically the United States of America. From the founding ideals of our country to modern day finances, law and art, the influence of diverse American culture is evident. But many of the stories and historical events have not been preserved for the public eye.
It is our intent at Grid North Historical Productions, to reenact the Buffalo Soldier Cavalry, collaborate to create historical documentaries and to create bronze markers in the cities and at sites where historical events that have not been preserved, have happened. Our Historical Markers will weather storms and will stand as a testament to the great, and often times, sacrificial contributions that individual people have made to our great nation. These people's efforts will now be visible and tangible - REAL - for generations to come and serve to inspire future peoples to learn from the accomplishments and determination that their experiences taught their own generations.
Previously Completed
Historical Marker Projects
As we ramp up our efforts to preserve history, we will erect more and more of these beautiful bronze markers that tell the stories of our country and our people. Visit OUR HISTORY to view more details of these amazing pieces of history that we've been blessed to preserve!
The Sergeant Isaac Woodard Marker
On February 12, 1946, Woodard was on a Greyhound Lines bus traveling from Camp Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, where he had been discharged, en route to rejoin his family in North Carolina. When the bus reached a rest stop just outside Augusta, Woodard asked the bus driver if there was time for him to use a restroom. The driver grudgingly acceded to the request after an argument. Woodard returned to his seat from the rest stop without incident, and the bus departed.
The bus stopped in Batesburg (now Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina), near Aiken. Though Woodard had caused no disruption (other than the earlier argument), the driver contacted the local police (including Chief Lynwood Shull), who forcibly removed Woodard from the bus. After demanding to see his discharge papers, a number of Batesburg policemen, including Shull, took Woodard to a nearby alleyway, where they beat him repeatedly with nightsticks, resulting in the loss of his eyesight. They then took Woodard to the town jail and arrested him for disorderly conduct, accusing him of drinking beer in the back of the bus with other soldiers.
On February 2, 1948, Truman sent the first comprehensive civil rights bill to Congress. It incorporated many of the thirty-five recommendations of his commission. In July 1948, over the objection of senior military officers, Truman issued Executive Order 9981, banning racial discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces, and Executive Order 9980 to integrate the federal government. (Facilities had been segregated under President Woodrow Wilson). This was in response to a number of incidents against black veterans, most notably the Woodard case. The armed forces and federal agencies led the way in the United States for integration of the workplace, public facilities, and schools. Over the decades, the decision meant that both institutions benefited from the contributions of minorities.
Visit OUR HISTORY for the details of how Sgt. Woodard's Marker Project came to completion.
"A generation which ignores history has no past and no future."
~ R. Heinlein
Our Advisory Team
For any project to be accomplished, a team has to work together so all of the details are covered. We'd like to thank the following key contributors for lending their talents, time and passions to The Marker Project as our Advisory Team:
Don North
Founder, President & Speaker
Don became an avid researcher while in military leadership for over 21 years. His research and love for African American history has been featured in media such as the New York Times, Stars and Stripes newspaper, USA Today, Atlanta Journal, Times Georgian, CNN, Augusta Chronicles, the AP, Equal Justice Initiative and many more. African American historical military participation became a passion, so his world-reknown traveling Buffalo Soldier group was born!
Don has been a keynote speaker for the NAACP Banquet in Buffalo, New York as well as for Black History Month at Robbins Air Force Base, Warner Robbins, Georgia. The Buffalo Soldier Mounted Cavalry was stationed at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, participated in the Buffalo Soldier Mounted Cavalry Reenactment at Kings Bay Naval Base in Georgia and the Buffalo Soldier Ride in the Gator Bowl Parade in Jacksonville, Florida.
Visit OUR HISTORY for more amazing stories and history!
Dr. Ken Tellis
Vice President -
Historical Development
Dr. Tellis is Associate Dean of Student Success at Tallahassee Community College. He
has studied and researched the Tuskegee Airmen and African American military history. He and Don partnered for the Kemper County Marker Project.
Janet Moore
History Advisor
As Lauderdale County, Mississippi's NAACP President, Janet is our feet on the ground for the Mississippi marker. Familiar with the local history and municipality leadership, she will be our Advisor for the Kemper County Trio memorial.
Dr. Steve Cain
History Advisor
As City Council Member for the City of Batesburg, South Carolina, Steve was instrumental in erecting the Sergeant Isaac Woodard Marker and is now heading efforts to create the Sergeant Isaac Woodard Park.
Heather Durant McEady
Public Affairs Officer
A native of Columbia, SC, she joined the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Heather was instrumental in publicizing, media promotion and coordinating the unveiling of Sgt. Woodard's marker.
Jordan Oliva
Law Student, University or Windsor Faculty of Law,
Canada
As a law student, Jordan was a legal and historic advisor to Don during the Kemper County Trio Marker Project. He also contributed a written article about the Trio.
Gerald Byrd
Historical
Artistic Advisor
Born and raised in Carrollton, Georgia, Gerald has been part of local government
affairs, taught Art at Carrollton Elementary and has morphed his artistic creativity into a personal brand using paintings of historical black figures, past and present.
Visit OUR HISTORY for more stories.
"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
~ Desmond Tutu
Mission & Vision
The mission of Grid North Historical Productions is to research and uncover African American history, then to create permanent markers in communities that share the facts of lesser-known historical events which influenced American and world history.
Our vision is to continually seek those historical experiences that directly contributed to the shaping of our society at home and abroad.