Pictures for articles on Nationwide Civil Rights Education
Delegation Visits Marks, Miss.
The Quitman Co. Administrator and I wrote for the Quitman
County Democrat about our visit to Marks, Miss. on Jan. 4, 2019.
On January 4, 2019 a nationwide delegation from Westminster
and beyond visited Marks, Miss., Atlanta, Ga., Tuskegee, Ala, Montgomery, Ala, and
Birmingham, Ala.
January 8th, 2019 By Quitman County Administrator Velma
Benson-Wilson and Kevin Dayhoff, former Mayor of Westminster Md.
The 51-member delegation, from as far away as New England,
Chicago, Connecticut, Seattle, Baltimore, and Westminster Md. were part of an
educational tour of historic civil rights sites in Atlanta, Ga., Tuskegee, Ala,
Montgomery, Ala, Ruleville, Miss, and Birmingham, Ala.
The article appeared on the front page of the weekly edition
of the local Quitman County newspaper In January 2019.
2. Samuel McCray: When the delegation arrived in town Jan.
4, 2019, they were welcomed by the City of Marks’ Mayor Joe Shegog Jr., and
Samuel McCray, the retired field representative of Congressman Bennie Thompson,
who currently serves as the vice-chair of the Mule Train Historical Society.
Kevin Dayhoff photo.
3. Civil Rights educational delegation: The distinguished
Judge Charles Harrison, in the red sweater and black hat rides along on the bus
during a four-day bus tour of historic civil rights sites in the south, in
early Jan. 2019. Behind Judge Harrison is former Westminster Md. Mayor Kevin
Dayhoff, and Caroline Babylon, the daughter of a leading civil rights advocate
in Carroll County Md. in the 1950s through the 1970s.
4. Marks Miss. history forum panel: Following the tour, the
group gathered at the Quitman County Middle School gym for a panel discussion
moderated by Jackson State University professor Dr. Hilliard Lackey. The panel
consisted of local residents who actively took part in, or witnessed the
historic civil rights activities in Marks during 1968: From left to right: the
current Quitman County Board of Supervisors president Manuel Killebrew; Dr.
Valmadge Towner, the president of Coahoma Community College, Helen Ingram,
Samuel McCray, and the Reverend Michael Jossell, Sr. Kevin Dayhoff photo
4Jan2019.
5. Civil Right Activist James Meredith: Civil Right Activist
James Meredith was present in the audience at the Civil Rights history forum in
Marks Miss. on Jan. 4, 2019. A nationwide civil rights delegation had the
opportunity to meet with him and hear his remarks. Kevin Dayhoff photo
6. Dr. Hilliard L. Lackey III and Mrs. Ora B. Phipps: The
delegation was also honored with the presence of Ora B. Phipps, the widow of
Armstead Phipps. Now in her 90s, she shared poignant insights and details about
historic events from over 50-years ago. Kevin Dayhoff photo
7. Velma Benson Wilson, Quitman Co. Administrator: Left to
right: Jaby Denton, Mitch Campbell, Dr. Evelyn Jossell, and Velma Benson
Wilson, Quitman Co. Administrator. Kevin Dayhoff photo 4Jan2019
8. Charles Alphin, Sr. and Gerald Alphin, of DDK Tours: Charles
Alphin, Sr. and Gerald Alphin, of DDK Tours join hands with the participants of
the Civil Rights forum in Marks Miss. on Jan 4, 2019.
Charles Alphin, Sr., the
director and CEO of DDK Historical and Educational Tours, which facilitated the
visit, has been working with the King Center in Atlanta and guiding historic
tours since the 1980s. He said after the visit, “If you do not know where you
come from, you don’t know where you are going.”
