Editor, Gazette-Journal:
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you the Mathews County NAACP for hosting an incredibly informative Black History Month Celebration at the Cobbs Creek Art Center last Saturday. What a treat and honor it was to laugh along with local author S.A. Cosby as he described the trials and tribulations of his remarkable writing career. And it all happened here in our twin communities.
The presentation titled The Black Exodus from Gwynn’s Island by Allison Thomas provided detailed evidence of the destructiveness and life-altering effects of Jim Crow era injustice on Gwynn’s Island during from 1915-1920. Such injustices culminated in the dismantling of a vibrant Black community on the island as families moved away in fear for their lives. It was stunning to learn that Gwynn’s Island was then promoted as a “White Man’s Paradise” in local and regional media.
This untold local history is why we must continue to research and ensure ALL of American history as experienced by ...