Mississippi author writes historical book about the African Americans of Yalobusha County – The Oxford Eagle

The place many are planning the weekend actions of Juneteenth, Calvin Hawkins will have the ability to inform the story of the place all of it started for African People in Yalobusha County, Mississippi.

Hawkins will introduce his undertaking/ebook, “Underneath the Dusty Sand,” to many viewers from 10 a.m. to three p.m. Saturday, June 18 on the Fountain Sq. situated in Water Valley, Mississippi.

This occasion will function the three African American girls who built-in Coffeeville Excessive Faculty in 1967, the Historical past of Yalobusha County, the historical past of the Railroad, and lots of artifacts can be on show.

The general public is invited to attend.

“[I have] all the time had the dream of studying extra about his ancestors,” mentioned Hawkins.

A Mississippi State College graduate majoring in Schooling and dealing with youngsters and households for 27 years, he by no means thought that he would launch a milestone in his profession as a County Historian.    

However within the spring of 2012, Hawkins would start his journey researching the start of how African People started in Yalobusha County and, 10 years later, he would compile that analysis into “Underneath the Dusty Sands.”

In accordance with Hawkins, this ebook will inform readers the historical past of the start of African People within the North Mississippi county to the mixing of the colleges.  The content material is damaged right down to all “The First”. 

“Underneath the Dusty Sands” lists the primary slaves, first streets, first church buildings, first elected officers, first faculties, first pastors and ministers, first school graduates, and extra. 

It’ll additionally embody the lifetime of many excellent leaders and entertainers equivalent to: Cordia King Stuart, one of many authentic trend truthful fashions on the planet and the primary African American lady to look in a nationwide promoting marketing campaign for Girls of Coloration; businessman James Goodwin, founder and editor of the oldest African American newspaper in Tulsa, Oklahoma;  Charlie Lewis, excellent sculpturer which made a bust of Henry Ford; and Lloyd Gaines, a Civil Rights activist that performed a key position in integration. 

Hawkins is the President of the Blackmur Library and a member of the Yalobusha County Historic Society, Mississippi Historic Society and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.  He serves as Senior Pastor at United Missionary Baptist Church in Coffeeville, Mississippi. He’s married to Mary Polk Hawkins and has three sons: Lopakus, Deterry and Tyler.

“Underneath the Dusty Sand” is now accessible on Amazon.com.