social life

N.A.A.C.P. honors …

I have lived a lot of places, but Wilson is home, and there is nothing quite like being recognized and honored by your home folk.

Tonight, I received a Community Service Award from the Wilson Branch of the N.A.A.C.P. at the organization’s annual Freedom Fund Banquet.

The evening included a special tribute to the late Frank D. and Bobbie D. Jones.

The magnificent Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II delivered personal anecdotes about the Joneses’ lives and work and a homily for the perilous times we live in. We face dangers seen and unseen, so what will you do with the time you have — whether six minutes or six hours or six days or six months or ….?

It was great to see two of the Joneses’ children, Bobbie and Freddie. We both lost fathers in 2022 and at the time reached out to remind each other of the blessing of being raised by such incredible men. (By the way, that’s Dante Pittman sitting at our table. I spotted him looking around and invited him to join us. If you live in Wilson, take some time to get to know this man.)

Thank the Lord I said my little bit before 95 year-old Samuel Caswell Lathan, legendary musician and my friend, was recognized. He brought the house down with a rendition of “What a Wonderful World,” followed by remarks that began “I was born in 1929 — and you don’t have to tell me nothing” about perils and rose to “I’m gon tell you some things — and I don’t care if you carry it back.” In other words, he delivered a word, too.

Harry B. Harris readies the Jones family for reflections on the night’s events.

The indefatigable William E. Myers. (He is 91, y’all. NINETY-ONE.) For the last 60+ years, a banquet in Wilson ain’t a banquet, a wedding ain’t a wedding, a funeral ain’t a funeral without this treasured musician live on sax or keyboards.)

Me and my lovely sister, Karla Henderson-Jackson.

Thank you.

The Vicks entertain.

The Colored American, 21 February 1903.

The headline, I think, should say “Mr. and Mrs. Vick Entertained at Wilson, North Carolina.” This charming social piece, submitted pseudonymously by “Juliet,” details a dinner party hosted by Samuel and Annie Washington Vick in 1903. (Where was their home at that time? The house we now know as the Vick residence was not yet built.)

Guests included Rev. Owen L.W. Smith, former minister to Liberia; Annie Vick’s brother Paul Washington; Mrs. M.E. Dortch; Po_a S[illegible]; and Julia A. Amee. Geneva Battle and Sarah Dortch assisted Annie Vick as hostesses. (Four years later, Sarah Dortch would marry Walter S. Hines.)

 

Annual meeting of the Odd Fellows and Households of Ruth.

In 1976, Wilson’s lodges hosted the 94th annual district Odd Fellows and Household of Ruth meeting. Hannibal Lodge #1552, founded in 1873, was older than the district. The county’s first Household of Ruth lodge was established in 1887. Excited as I was to part its covers, the souvenir booklet contains no lodge history or historic photographs and, within a decade after this conference, the lodge was essentially defunct.

Thank you, M.B. Ward.

The Odd Fellows convene.

Two brief blurbs in August 1892 announce an Odd Fellows convention in Wilson. Samuel H. Vick delivered a welcome address, and the keynote address was held at Wilson’s Opera House. Delegates arrived in town on special excursion trains run for the event.

Wilson Mirror, 3 August 1892.

Rocky Branch home demonstration club has monthly meeting.

In the lead-up to my February 8 talk at Wilson County Public Library, every day I’ll feature a post related to Wilson County’s Rosenwald schools. Rocky Branch home demonstration club’s members lived in Rocky Branch school district.

 

Wilson Daily Times, 9 April 1943.

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  • Della O’Neal — in the 1950 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer James O’Neal, 46; wife Della, 46, farm helper; son Rubin, 23, farm helper; daughter Ruby Barnes, 23; and grandsons Tyren W., 2, and Joe Ann Barnes, born in February.
  • Lossie Shaw — in the 1940 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer James R. Shaw, 51; wife Lossie, 44; and James Ray, 12, and Arlene Dixon, 11.
  • Esther Barnes

Williamson Home Demonstration Club news.

In the lead-up to my February 8 talk at Wilson County Public Library, every day I’ll feature a post related to Wilson County’s Rosenwald schools. As seen here, the schools became the centers of rural communities. The Williamson Home Demonstration Club was comprised of women who lived in Williamson’s district. In this contribution to the Daily Times, the Club reported on members’ gardening, canning, and sewing work; their contribution to a fire fund for demonstration agent Jane Amos Boyd; a successful picnic with the clubs affiliated with Sims, New Vester, and Rocky Branch Schools; a baby shower; and the sick and shut-in.

Wilson Daily Times, 3 July 1945.

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  • Lillie Powell
  • Ida M. Finch— in the 1940 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Eddie Finch, 30; wife Ida M., 28; and sons Joshua T., 7, and Willie G., 1.
  • Gladys Graham — in the 1940 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farm laborer James Graham, 24; wife Gladys, 20; and daughter Mary F., 1.
  • C.W. Foster — Carter W. Foster.
  • Lizzie Atkinson
  • Mamie B. Williamson

Grand Union Hall.

The 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory lists the Grand Union hall at Hines Street near Spring.

Here it is — “Lodge Hall (Negro)” — on page 20 of the 1913 Sanborn fire insurance maps of Wilson.

What was the Grand Union fraternal organization? It was not listed in the 1916 city directory, and I’ve found no other reference to the organization or its building.