Greene County Democrat

Tag: Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement

  • Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement (ACRMM) sponsors activities in Greene County to honor Dr. Martin Luther Kings ‘s birthday

    Spiver W. Gordon, Rev.Samuel Ezell and Mary R.McInnis

    The Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., (ACRMM) is sponsoring a series of programs commemorating the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to Greene County, the State of Alabama, and this nation. Mr. Spiver W. Gordon, ACRMM President, organizes these events each year in celebration and as a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices of so many leaders who brought about civil, social, and economic changes in our lives.
    The work of Dr. King and SCLC, the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) and others provided the courageous leadership that changed laws and practices on voting rights, holding public office, desegregating public education, public accommodations, and employment opportunities for Black people in particular. As Mr. Gordon noted: “These rights are still not secured, especially the right to vote. There are strong movements to diminish those and other civil rights going on right now.”
    The annual events of ACRMM, open to the public, are scheduled as follows: On Wednesday January 15, 2025, at 10:00 am, the Dr. MKL, Jr. Educational Seminar Student Development Session will be held at New Peace Baptist Church on Prairie Ave., Eutaw, AL.
    Greene County High School students are the primary invitees. State Representative Curtis Travis the keynote speaker, with special guest, Dr. Monty Thorton and Dr. Dionne Edison, Moderator of Eutaw, AL.
    On Sunday, January 19 at 3:00 p.m., the MLK, Jr. County Wide Freedom Gospel Singing at St. Paul United Methodist Church, Eutaw, AL Rev. Toya Brown, Pastor. Rev. Kelvin Cockrell, Keynote Speaker Eutaw, AL.
    On Monday, January 20, 2025, Freedom Unity Breakfast will be held at the Eutaw Activity Center on Harris Ave., Eutaw, AL, Rev. / Dr. Samuel Ezell, of Zion Brush Creek, Eutaw Alabama, is the keynote speaker. The Freedom Breakfast is followed by the Countywide Freedom March to the William M. Branch Courthouse. Religious Women Freedom Rally, 10:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker, Hon. Mary R. McInnis, Special Guests, Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Pastor Carolyn Branch and others.
    Come join us for music, food, and celebration, “We can never let ourselves forget from whence we have come. We must keep the vigil to protect our rights and continue to serve and build our communities,” Gordon said.

  • Greene County celebrates 55th Freedom Day

    Spiver Gordon

    Greene County will hold its 55th Freedom Day Celebration on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at the Williams  M. Branch Courthouse  beginning at 4:00 p.m.  This event commemorates the 1969 special election ordered by the U.S Supreme Court when the State of Alabama refused to put the slate of candidates representing the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) on the state’s November 1968 ballot.

    The NDPA filed the lawsuit on behalf of Greene County’s Black voters which resulted in the July 29, 1969 Special Election. A copy of the symbol of the party that was on the corrected ballot is in the upper right corner of the story.

     The Keynote Speaker for the event is the honorable Tony Clayton, District Attorney Port Allen, LA and special honored guest the honorable Bill Edwards Humanitarian, Civil Rights Leader Political Leader of  Beverton, OR. Edwards was working with NDPA at the time of the 1969 Special Election.

     After passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, various civil rights organizations conducted successful voter education and registration campaigns throughout the county resulting in a high voter registration among the local 85% majority Black population.
    
 The results of the 1969 special election and the subsequent 1970 state election gave Greene County its sweeping victory of countywide Black elected officials including board of education members (who hired, Robert Brown, as the first Black school superintendent), county commissioners, sheriff, probate judge, tax collector, circuit clerk and coroner. The first Black tax collector was elected in 1978. Greene County is noted as the first county in the nation to elect all Black county officials.
    
The Freedom Day event, sponsored by the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., will include food, music, and praise.  “The community is invited, including all local elected officials, to celebrate this important anniversary” said Spiver W. Gordon, President of the organization.

     The first Greene County Black elected officials roster is as follows: In 1966, Rev. Peter J. Kirksey – first Black school board member and Rev. W.D. Lewis, first Black elected to Greene County Democratic Executive Committee; in 1969 (special election) first Black Commissioners – Rev. Vassie Knott, Mr. Harry Means, Mr. Franchie Burton, and Mr. Levi Morrow, Sr., additional Black school board members, Mr. James Posey and Mr. Robert Hines.

    In 1970 Rev. William M. Branch, first Black Probate Judge, Rev. Thomas Gilmore, first Black Sheriff, Deacon John Head and Mr. Earsrie Chambers elected to the Board of Education; Mrs. Wadine Williams, first Black Circuit Clerk; Mr. Robert Cook, first Black Tax Collector; Rev. Harold Milton, first Black Coroner; in 1978, Rev. John Kennard elected as first Black Tax Assessor.

  • Greene County Freedom Day scheduled for July 31

    Johnny Ford

    Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc. will host the 52nd Annual Greene County Freedom Day Program, Saturday, July 31, 2021 on the Rev. Thomas Gilmore Square (old courthouse). Honorable Johnny Ford, of Tuskegee, AL will serve as the keynote speaker. “On Greene County Freedom Day, July 29, 1969, a Special Election was held in the county that elected the first four Black County Commissioners and two additional Black school board members, which gave Black people control of the major agencies of government,” said Spiver W. Gordon, President of the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement. This special election in the summer of 1969 was ordered by the United States Supreme Court when the names of Black candidates, running on the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA), were deliberately left off the November 1968 General Election ballot by the ruling white political officials of the time. “The special election of July 29, 1969 allowed Black voters, many newly registered under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, who were the majority population in Greene County to have their say in a free and democratic election” Gordon stated. COVID 19 Vaccinations will be promoted at the event. According Gordon, he is arranging for individuals to get vaccinations at the program on July 31. A limited number of gift certificates will be given to individuals getting their vaccinations on July 31. Gordon stated that more information on the gift certificates will be provided at a later time.

  • Alabama Civil Rights Museum plans MLK Birthday programs

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Spiver W. Gordon, President of the Alabama Civil Right Museum Movement of Eutaw, Alabama announced plans for celebrating the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Greene County, during January 2021.
    “Our plans have been limited, curtailed and changed by the raging coronavirus pandemic affecting our area, but we still plan to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., America’s paramount civil rights leader, in Greene County, during January.
    On Friday, January 15, 2021, the actual day of Dr. King’s birthday, from 11:00 to 12:00 Noon there will be a drive through rally and luncheon at the Branch Heights Community Center. “We will have a short program on the outside and people can stay in their cars and we will distribute a lunch.
    On Monday, January 18, 2021, the official holiday celebration for Dr. King, instead of our usual breakfast and march downtown, we will have a slow drive, starting at 2:00 PM at the Old Carver School Gym and proceeding through Eutaw, winding up at the Old Courthouse Gilmore Square. We will have a Freedom Rally at the Old Courthouse, where people can stay in their cars.
    The birthday commemoration is sponsored by the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Alabama New South Coalition and Greene County elected officials. “We invite the public and all freedom-loving people to join us for music, food and fellowship to celebrate the life and legacy the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Gordon.

  • Greene County celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with march and programs

    Marchers that participated in the MLK march from the Eutaw Activity Center to the William M. Branch Courthouse.
    Rev. James Carter and Lorenzo French present award to
    Rev. Carlos Thornton, speaker at the Unity Breakfast
    L to R Lorenzo French, Rev. Snorton, Bishop Teresa Jefferson-
    Snorton (receiving award as speaker at the Religious Women  
    Freedom Rally) and Rev. James Carter.
    Some of the men honored at the MLK Unity Breakfast
    Women who were honored at the Religious Women Freedom Rally at the William M. Branch Courthouse

    The Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the occasion of what would have been his 91st. birthday.
    The Civil Rights Museum sponsored three programs to honor Dr. King. On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, the actual day of his birthday a program to honor and involve young people was held at New Peace Baptist Church.
    On Monday, January 20, 2020, the 34th anniversary of the National Holiday in honor of Dr. King’s Birthday a Unity Breakfast was held at the Eutaw Activity Center, attended by 200 people. Rev. Carlos Thornton, Pastor of the Mt. Pilgrim Primitive Baptist Church in Tishabee, Alabama was the keynote speaker. A smaller number participated in the march from the Eutaw Activity Center to the William M. Branch County Courthouse. At the Courthouse a program to honor ‘Godly Women of West Alabama’ was held. Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton of the 5th District of the CME Churches of Alabama was the speaker.
    The Museum honored a group of men and women for their service. The ceremony in the Greene County Courthouse was particularly poignant as it was held in the courtroom, one of the only county courtrooms in America, where a picture of Dr. King hangs above the judge’s seat.
    Greene County was the first county in the South and the nation to elect all Black officials after the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that Dr. King worked diligently to pass.