BLACK HISTORY MONTH: GCSU library brings focus to local contributions in African American history

Published 7:00 am Friday, February 9, 2024

Those interested in celebrating Black History Month by learning more about African Americans who have impacted Milledgeville can do so with a visit to the Special Collections section at Georgia College & State University’s Ina Dillard Russell Library.

“I think we tell some stories that are not told anywhere else, and they’re important stories,” said Holly Croft, the library’s interim associate director for special collections.

Take the story of Gloria Walker & The Chevelles for instance.

“You really cannot tell the story of R&B and soul music without talking about this part of the world, and we do it mentioning all of the big names that you can think of, but with the lens on Gloria Walker and the Mighty Chevelles from Milledgeville specifically,” said Croft.

Walker performed at the famed Apollo, and the band’s hit song, “Talking About My Baby,” climbed all the way to the No. 7 spot on the Billboard R&B charts. Their story is told in both a physical and online exhibit through Special Collections called “The Soul of Georgia” that focuses on soul music and its influences in middle Georgia. Along with so much more, the exhibit includes a map of former juke joints in Milledgeville and Baldwin County, as well as videos and interviews with The Chevelles’ remaining members.

Another great resource for local stories is the Common Heritage traveling exhibit, a by-product of a grant aimed at collecting African American history in the area. As part of the grant, residents in local community groups, centers and churches were asked to bring forth their family heirlooms such as pictures, letters and other items of interest to have them digitized. And, if they were willing, the library asked to keep a copy for the collection. The result is both a traveling and online exhibit that is complete with photographs and an array of other historical documents included in sections focusing on African American women, veterans and education among much more.

Also accessible online are a Vietnam exhibit, “Peace and War,” and another, “Native Sons Lost,” which focuses on service members from Milledgeville who were killed in action in Vietnam. While neither focuses specifically on African Americans, both include significant history.

“There are really interesting pieces of African American history shared in those exhibits that I think is important,” Croft said.

Another collection is dedicated to former state Senator and Milledgeville mayor Floyd Griffin Jr. Croft said the vast collection includes medals from his service in the U.S. Army along with scrapbooks completed by his wife that highlight his military service, political career and much more. An Alice Walker exhibit is also available in the Flannery O’Connor Gallery for Southern Literary Works.

“You can’t see the whole of everything just from the galleries, so if people want to know more about what we have on Alice Walker or Floyd Griffin, just prepare to come sit at a desk and we’ll bring you stuff because, particularly with Floyd, it’s a lot,” she said.

So, with so much information available, where does one begin?

Croft suggests starting with the online exhibits, which are available under the Special Collections Galleries found at libguides.gcsu.edu. Then, those interested in more information should call 478-445-0988 to schedule a visit.

“And we can take you through the galleries or we can pull collections,” she said. “Whatever their interest is, we will do our best to make it happen.”

Croft said each department within the library works hard to bring out stories that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.

“I don’t know that most people have any idea who the Chevelles are, but they should,” she said. “Gloria Walker is incredible. Her story is so cool. So, these are people who have made Milledgeville into what it is today without maybe most people realizing who they are… Everybody in the library at Dillard Russell Library works very hard to make sure that the community feels like they’re seen, and that means all of the community… I think particularly from the ‘Soul of Georgia’ exhibit and the ‘Common Heritage’ exhibit, you’ll definitely pick up some things and say, ‘Oh, I wondered why this was, and now I know,’ and so if we are helping people understand a more broad story of the area, then I’m happy.”