Barnes School glee club performs.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 5 June 1943.

The nineteen children of the Barnes Elementary School Glee Club performed at Saint Paul Disciple Church of Christ in April 1943 under the direction of teacher Margaret L. Morrison. Blanche Thomas Baker was principal of the school, which was on what is now Airport Boulevard.

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  • Willie Smith
  • Lonnie Artis
  • Fannie D. Harrison — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Ben Harrison, 45; wife Daisy, 37; and daughter Fannie, 6.
  • Ethel M. Coleman — perhaps, in the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 902 East Vance Street, William T. Peacock, 35, “shake tobacco” in tobacco factory; wife Emma L., 36; daughter Ethel Mae Coleman, 14; and lodgers Acue Brookley, 27, dry-cleaning presser, and wife Sadie, 22, washer at laundry company.
  • Helen Bass — — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Jim Bass, 48; wife Jennie, 46; and children James, 26, Virginia Bell, 21, Adell, 16, Mildred, 14, Robena, 12, and Hellen, 7.
  • Catherine Barnes — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer McKinley Barnes, 32; wife Heggar, 26; daughters Christine, 8, Katherine, 7, and Ruby, 1; niece Lizzie Mae, 20; and mother Lucy, 59.
  • Christine Barnes — see Catherine Barnes, above.
  • Bernice Bass — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Charlie Bass, 28; wife Lillie, 28; and children Bernice, 5, and Beatrice, 3.
  • Louise Darden — in the 1940 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer William Darden, 29; wife Ethel, 26; and children Jay W., 7, Louise, 5, Curtis, 4, Moselle, 2, Adell, 1, and Marcell, 4 months.
  • Floyd Coleman — in the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: street worker for city street department Floyd Coleman Sr., 52, widower, and son Floyd Jr., 13.
  • James Vailes — in the 1950 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer John Bullock, 63; wife Mary, 63; lodgers Odessa, 25, and James Vails, 18.
  • Molly Barnes — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Clarence Barnes, 29; wife Lessie, 27; and children Marie, 10, Molly Gray, 9, and Virginia, 2; and mother-in-law Mollie Baker, 50.
  • Celie Smith
  • Mae Frances Morgan
  • Mavona Melton
  • Marie Barnes — see Molly Barnes, above.
  • Rosa M. Roundtree — perhaps, in the 1940 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Winstead Mill Road, farmer James Roundtree, 59; wife Mary B., 56; and children Mary, 19, Eula, 17, and Rosa M., 8.
  • Mamie Lee Barnes 
  • George F. Dew — in the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Claud Dew, 49; wife Addie, 44; and sons Willie B., 21, and George Frank, 10.

 

Butler E. Jones, as imagined.

I am ambivalent about using artificial intelligence to restore photographs. Or, more specifically, I’m concerned about manipulated photographs supplanting original images and further blurring the line between reality and misinformation. However, the allure of AI-enhanced images is strong, as I often contend with blurry, poorly lit photographs in unnatural sepia or black-and-white tones. Photographs whose condition sometimes exacerbates the distance between us and our ancestors.

I have been experimenting with ChatGPT lately, feeding it queries and images to be restored and colorized. The results are somewhat haphazard, with many images weird and off-putting. Other times, the images are breathtakingly sharp and … alive. Black Wide-Awake exists to resurrect forgotten lives, and I believe these images are valuable to help us connect with the men and women we read about in these posts. From time to time, I’ll share the better ones here, clearly marked as AI-generated. Let me know what you think about them.

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Butler E. Jones (ca. 1880-1961), interior decorator and house painter.

B.W.A. Historical Marker Series, no. 24: Williamson School.

In this series, which will post on occasional Wednesdays, I populate the landscape of Wilson County with imaginary “historical markers” commemorating people, places, and events significant to African-American history or culture.

We been here.

WILLIAMSON SCHOOL

African-American elementary school built with Rosenwald funds ca. 1917 on present-day Willing Worker Rd. Consolidated with 8 other schools in 1951 when Springfield High School built.

Wilson edges Elm City in baseball.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 14 August 1948.

Many of the Wilson Eagles baseball team lived in the Daniel Hill community.

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  • Bobby Farmer
  • Bill Lucas
  • Willie Neal — in 1945, Willie Lee Neal registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 June 1927 in Nash County, N.C.; lived at 611 Norfolk Southern R.R. Street, Wilson; his contact was Lola Bell Neal; and he worked for Southern Dairies.
  • Harvey Scarborough — in 1945, William Harvey Scarborough registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 7 September 1927 in Wilson County; lived at 511 West Walnut Street, Wilson; his contact was Festus Scarborough; and he worked for Casters Beauty Supply.
  • John Wooten — probably: in 1944, John Henry Wooten registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 7 September 1926 in Pitt County, N.C.; lived at 513 South Warren Street, Wilson; his contact was Hattie Lee Wooten; and he worked for American Tobacco Company.
  • Robert Scarborough — in 1941, Robert Edward Scarborough registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 19 February 1920 in Wilson County; lived at 511 West Walnut Street, Wilson; his contact was Mary Parker Scarborough; and he was unemployed.
  • Larry Thomas — in 1945, Larry Thomas registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 7 June 1911 in Wilson County; lived at 604 Warren Street, Wilson; his contact was wife Marcella Thomas; and he worked for Liggett-Myers Tobacco Company, Wilson.
  • Austin Leach
  • William H. Vick
  • L. Cobb
  • Lathan, Davis, Bowden, Wynn, Barnes
  • George McNeal
  • Y. Tarry
  • Robert Knight

Ricks reports on the Elm City scene.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 15 June 1946.

Carrie P. Ricks was an occasional correspondent to the Journal and Guide, reporting on social events in and around Elm City. This particular column was heavy on the doings of her own family, but touched on the Jesse Wynns moving to a new store and receiving visits from two of their sons; Doris Gaston‘s return home from college and Mrs. A.N. Spivey‘s attendance at summer school; and other visits.

The obituary of Hattie Dafney.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 13 February 1954.

I feature this obituary primarily for its mention of “Bishop S.C. Johnson’s Church” on Walnut Street, a church formally known The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith. and founded in 1930 by Edgecombe County native Sherrod C. Johnson. The church purchased several adjoining parcels — which were consolidated as 513 and 515 East Walnut Street — from Asa and Annie Locus in July 1950 after commencing a radio ministry earlier that year. Church trustee Isaiah Mercer founded the adjoining Whole Truth Lunchroom. The church’s adherents, known colloquially as “Bishop Johnsons,” were once numerous in Wilson.

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Hattie Dafney died 29 January 1954 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 10 February 1892 in Cumberland County, N.C.; was married; and lived at 927 Carolina Street. Mary McIntosh was informant.

 

Snaps, no. 118: Daniel Vick and his granddaughter.

Here, Samuel H. Vick‘s father Daniel Vick is seated in front of a living screen of fig leaves. The girl standing beside him is likely one of his granddaughters — Annie or Nettie Jones, whose mother Nettie Vick Jones had been murdered by their father A. Wilson Jones in 1897. Daniel Vick died in 1908, and this photo likely was taken shortly before then.

Vick is holding a photograph that appears to depict a young girl. Was she the girl’s sister? Both girls — and their brother Samuel Henry Jones — outlived their grandfather, but Annie and Nettie have not been traced into adulthood.

Photo courtesy of Vicki Cowan.

Lane Street Project: Owl Rock Methodist Church Cemetery.

Though I will always be of Wilson, I have lived in Atlanta for most 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 works related to Black Wide-Awake and Lane Street Project.

I’ve recently 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 third in a series — Owl Rock Cemetery, South Fulton, Fulton County.

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Founded in 1828, Owl Rock Methodist Church stands near the intersection of Campbellton Road and Union Road in southwest Fulton County, an area that saw significant skirmishing during the Civil War’s Battle of Atlanta. The church’s cemetery lies adjacent to the church alongside Union Road and contains two grave markers designating buried African Americans. All were or had been enslaved, but only one is named — Hasseltine Bell.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson.