Equal Justice Initiative Community Remembrance Project will recognize three lynching victims in Hickory Saturday as part of its campaign to recognize the victims of lynching by collecting soil from lynching sites, erecting historical markers and developing the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which acknowledges the horrors of racial injustice.
As part of its effort to help towns, cities, and states confront and recover from tragic histories of racial violence and terrorism, Equal Justice Initiative is joining with communities to install historical markers in communities where the history of lynching is documented. EJI believes that by reckoning with the truth of the racial violence that has shaped our communities, community members can begin a necessary conversation that advances healing and reconciliation. The primary goal of the Initiative is to “raise public awareness”, provide public education on the history of racial and economic injustice and inequality in America. Moreover, it is EJI’s hope and expectation that this will in turn motivate a higher level of commitment among all people, generations, and communities to work together toward reconciliation and justice for all.
Judge Constance Slaughter-Harvey, Coalition Co-Liaison and Joyce Salter Johnson Co-Liaison are currently fostering to recognize and honor the memory of three men murdered by lynching in 1908, in Newton County, Mississippi - Frank Johnson, Dee Dawkins, and William Fielder. The families of these men are actively involved in this project along with a large and diverse coalition of local community leaders.
“On October 10, 1908, our family member, Frank Johnson Son of William Johnson the brother of my great grandfather Filmore Johnson, was murdered in Hickory, Mississippi. He was one among more than 4,000 individuals who died as a result of horrific terror and torture from 1877 - 1950 in the United States,” Glenn Johnson, great grandnephew of Frank Johnosn, said.
“We are here today to ask that you join us in recognizing and confronting our nation’s history of racial injustice, and honor the memory of our ancestor Frank Johnson and thousands of others. The murder of Frank Johnson is documented at The National Memorial of Peace and Justice. We ask that you step forward to publicly address these grotesque injustices and honor the memory of Frank Johnson, Dee Dawkins and William Fielder and any other residents that suffered the same fate.”
The soil collection ceremony honoring Frank Johnson Dee Dawkins and William Fielder will take place during EJI’s annual “Come Home to Good Hope Week-End,” when many family members will be coming home that week-end to celebrate the annual gathering.
The Program: Soil Collection Honor Ceremony
Date: Saturday August 3, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Folks will gather (Just South of History, Mississippi off 503 near Dawkins and Good Hope Church Roads) at the site where Frank Johnson and possibly Dee Dawkins were victimized/Lynched. William Fielder was victimized at or near his home site in Chunkeyville near Hickory and is buried in the Chunkeyville family Cemetery.
The program will begin with welcome, songs, prayers, stories and blessing.
The schedule of events for the program is as follows:
*11:15: Welcome by: Hickory’s own: Mayor JC Wash (great great grandson of William Fielder)
*Opening Prayer: Rev. Claud Dawkins direct descendant of Dee Dawkins - Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
*Song: The Dawkins and Johnson Family
*The Story: Dr. Darrell Fielder (great great grandson of William Fielder)
*Joyce Salter Johnson- Author, Historian-Co-Liaison Soil Collection Project (direct descendant of Frank Johnson)
*Judge Constance Slaughter-Harvey, Coalition Co-Liaison Introductions:
Project Managers Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery AL
The East Central Mississippi Coalition Members:
*Soil collecting for the Frank Johnson and Dee Dawkins jars: By family youths and community elders. The Fielder family members: Will collect soil from the family cemetery in Chunkeyville to be place in the William Fielder Jar.
The jars of collected soil will be on display at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery AL
*Closing Remarks: Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Director Bryan Stevenson said. “This shadow cannot be lifted until we shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation, traumatized people of color, and compromised our commitment to the rule of law and to equal justice.”
*Closing Song: Led by the Dawkins Family
*Closing Prayer: Deacon Albert Johnson: Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church
*A luncheon reception will be held in the Hickory Chambers of Commerce Building (16287 Highway 80- Hickory, Mississippi.)
*After Lunch: “A an interactive panel of youth on the topic of lynching and on the history of racial and economic injustice and inequality in America today (30 min) session will be filmed for youtube.
