Holden School students enjoy a day in town.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 6 May 1933.

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  • Marie Howard
  • Holden School
  • Atlantic Christian College
  • Negro National Anthem
  • Elizabeth Harris — Ada Elizabeth Harris.
  • Robert L. Taylor — in the 1930 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer George Taylor, 51; wife Crina, 35; children John, 20, James, 11, Robert L., 10, Jimmie D., 3, and Crina M., newborn; stepdaughter Maggie, 20; and granddaughter Flossie M., 2 months.
  • James Taylor — see Robert Taylor, above.
  • Wallace White — in 1940, Wallace White registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 June 1917 in Darlington, S.C.; lived at Route 3, Wilson; his contact was mother Lela Scarbrough; and he worked for P.P. Gordon, Washington, D.C.
  • Roger White
  • Paul Sharp — in the 1930 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer
  • Mary Barnes
  • Rosa M. Ellis
  • Essie M. Barnes — in the 1930 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Cofield Barnes, 54; wife Hattie, 33; children Sarah, 21, Eser L., 15, Hallie, 13, Jimmie L., 11, and Flecher, 3; and grandson James Curry, 5.
  • Marie Barnes
  • Rosa Lee Curry — on 18 October 1938, John M. Taylor, 19, of Gardners township, son of Frank and Emma Taylor, married Rosa Lee Currin [sic], 19, of Gardners township, daughter of Joe and Bee Currin, in Wilson.
  • Gracie Sweeney — Gracie Swinney.
  • Ida Lee Harris — in the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Leander Harris, 44; wife Lucy, 48; and daughters Ada E., 21, schoolteacher, Rosa, 20, Davie, 18, and Ida, 15.
  • Helen Harris
  • Mr. and Mrs. James Crocker — were the Crockers, a white couple, guests in Ada E. Harris’ home?
  • Carolina Theatre

Pfc. Elijah Ward Jr., stationed in the South Pacific.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 12 August 1944.

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In the 1920 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: on Wilson & Moyeton Road, tenant farmer Elijah Ward, 34; wife Florance, 26; Hillary Wooten, 26, and Robert Speight, 35, servants; brother James Ward, 19, and Sarah Ward, 16.

In the 1940 census of Bullhead township, Greene County, N.C.: farmer Elijah Ward, 48; wife Geneva, 42; children Emma M., 19, Elijah, 18, William J., 16, Ida M., 14, Calvin, 13, and Teaser, 12; and grandchildren Archy L., 3, and Lillian, 1.

Former Wilson artist realizes ambition.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 13 August 1938.

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  • Daniel Edward Freeman
  • Ellen Wilson — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: William Wilson, 51, livery stable groom; wife Sarah, 48; and daughters Ellen, 23, and Lillian, 21.

Lane Street Project: Mount Zion A.M.E. Church Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia.

Though I will always be of Wilson, I have lived in Atlanta nearly all of my adult life. It is very much “home” for me, too, and is a bottomless well of African-American culture and history that often informs the way I process research and work related to Black Wide-Awake and Lane Street Project.

I’ve begun visiting metro Atlanta’s historic African-American burial grounds. How have they weathered exploding population growth, shifting demographics, outmigration, land loss, and other pressures? The sixth in a series — Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery in Decatur, Georgia.

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Founded in 1870 as Rocky Knoll, Mount Zion is one of the oldest A.M.E. churches in DeKalb County. Shortly before the turn of the century, the church moved from its original Lawrenceville Highway location to this site on Lavista Road in Decatur. Its cemetery, which is still active, was established shortly after.

A few hundred graves shelter on terraces in a shady grove adjacent to the church. Several family plots are marked by low brick or stone walls, and the grave markers range from fieldstones to Eldren Bailey-made funeral home markers to modern, machine-cut granite headstones. Though many of the older markers are sunken or toppled, the cemetery is beautifully maintained in a semi-natural state.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, April 2026.

Lane Street Project: we’ve leveled up!

We’re so pleased to share that we’ve formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, FRIENDS OF LANE STREET PROJECT, to enable us to better research, improve, and protect the cemeteries we champion. FoLSP’s primary focus will be Odd Fellows — increasing public awareness, amplifying clean-up efforts, and furthering efforts to identify who and how many people are buried there.

Thanks for all you’ve done to support LSP as a community collective. As we shift to a more organized entity, we’ll be rolling out fundraising initiatives and hope you will help us reach our goals. Tune in for more about our plans in upcoming weeks.