Cyrus W. Daniels Sr. served 23 years with Griffin-Spalding schools, shaping lives as an educator and leader. As Fairmont HS principal, he expanded arts & athletics and supported college access. He also guided peaceful desegregation.
#CWDaniels #LocalBlackHistory #BlackHistory
Willie Gault’s speed made history—from Olympic tracks to the NFL. A key part of the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl team, his legacy goes beyond sports through mentorship and leadership.
#WillieGault #LocalBlackHistory
Johnny Goodrum, born in Griffin, GA, served in the Air Force, earned degrees from Fort Valley & Georgia State, and became a trailblazing educator. First Black assistant principal at Griffin High, he guided integration & inspired generations.
#CoachJohnnyGoodrum #LocalBlackHistory
Dr. Walter Pyron, a 1963 Fairmont High grad, devoted 37 years to education—becoming the first Black principal at Fourth Ward Elementary and the first Black assistant superintendent in Griffin-Spalding County Schools. His legacy continues to inspire.
#DrWalterPyron #LocalBlackHistory
Born in Griffin, GA, Janet Harmon Bragg defied racism and sexism to become the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a commercial pilot’s license. An aviator, nurse, and trailblazer who helped open the skies for others.
#JanetHarmonBragg #WomensHistoryMonth #localblackhistory
From Griffin, GA to MLB, Franklin “Frank” Coggins turned talent into legacy. A Fairmont High School 1962 graduate, he played 11 pro seasons (1963–73) with the Washington Senators and Chicago Cubs.
#frankcoggins #localblackhistory
From Griffin, GA to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rayfield “Big Cat” Wright turned setbacks into greatness. A Fairmont High grad, Cowboys legend, Super Bowl champ, and youth advocate, his legacy is built on perseverance, excellence, and belief.
#rayfieldwright #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born in Griffin, GA, Wyomia Tyus broke barriers on and off the track. A Fairmont grad & Tigerbelle, she won Olympic gold, protested racial injustice, co-founded the Women’s Sports Foundation, and inspired generations.
#wyomiatyus #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born in Griffin, GA, Dr. Charles Releford Sr. served in the Navy, became the first Black medical technologist at Hughes Spalding, and the first Black physician at Griffin-Spalding Hospital—a healer and trailblazer for his community.
#drcharlesrelefordsr #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Griffin native Samuel Batts was the first Black man from the city to join the U.S. Marine Corps and serve in Vietnam. He later became one of Griffin’s early Black police officers, dedicating his life to service at home and abroad.
#samuelbatts #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born in Griffin, GA, Benjamin “Ben” Jackson Jr. served in the Army, fought for civil rights with B.U.G.G., rose through the U.S. Postal Service, and became Griffin’s City Commissioner & Mayor. A mentor, trailblazer, and pillar of community.
#benjackson #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
From Griffin, GA to federal policy, Carl T. Horton fought segregation, led NAACP protests, became the first Black attorney at Kilpatrick Townsend, and shaped programs empowering minority businesses.
#carlthorton #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born & raised in Griffin, GA, Otis B. Head Sr. devoted his life to public service, education & community. A Tuskegee graduate, church leader, educator, veteran, and civic champion, his legacy continues to inspire.
#otisheadsr #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born July 29, 1924, in Griffin, GA, Phillip Head was a Navy vet, Tuskegee alum, and lifelong community pillar. He ran the Triple H Sandwich Shop in Griffin’s Black Business District, mentoring and supporting generations.
#philliphead #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Born in Griffin, GA, in 1921, Raymond Head Jr. was a WWII veteran, businessman, civil rights advocate, and the first Black mayor of Griffin. His 27 years in public service shaped the city’s path toward equity.
#RaymondHeadJr #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Henry George Reid, Fairmont High grad & civil rights activist, led Griffin’s Sanitation Dept with dignity & respect, uplifting workers and community. The H.G. Reid Building honors his legacy of service, justice, and exceptional leadership.
#henrygeorgereid #blackhistorymonth #localblackhistory
Dr. Marion Gerald Hood, Fairmont HS alumnus, was denied by Emory University’s School of Medicine in 1959 due to race. He earned his MD from Loyola, built a 45-year career in Atlanta, and was formally apologized to by Emory in 2021.
#DrMarionGeraldHood #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
In 1950, Fairmont High opened as an “equalization school” for Black students in Griffin—larger than its predecessor but underfunded. Brown v. Board (1954) began the slow path to integration.
#EqualizationSchool #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Gary Reid, soldier, tailor, and civil rights leader, led Griffin’s NAACP, became Spalding County’s first Black Commissioner, and left a lasting legacy.
#GaryReid #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Born in 1938 in Spalding County, Rev. Freddie Phillips grew up in the segregated South and became a civil rights activist, pastor, and community leader in Griffin. His faith fueled his fight for justice, dignity, and equality.
#ReverendFreddiePhillips #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Born in Griffin, GA Haskell Sears Ward dedicated his life to justice and public service—from Peace Corps work in Africa to shaping U.S. foreign policy, serving as NYC Deputy Mayor, and returning home as a judge. A truly global legacy.
#HaskellWard #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Born in 1934 in Griffin, GA to sharecroppers, Dr. Dorothy Beck Nash rose through faith, education, and resilience to become a trailblazer, therapist, author, and community leader. Her legacy is courage, conviction, and service.
#DrDorothyNash #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Born Nov. 21, 1928, in Griffin, GA, Samuel DuBois Cook was a pioneer for social justice. A Morehouse grad and friend of MLK Jr., he became Duke University’s first tenured Black professor in 1966.
#DrSamuelDuBoisCook #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
Mary Stinson—educator, entrepreneur, and trailblazer. From opening a community beauty salon to becoming the first Black woman elected to the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education, she led with courage, service, and vision.
#MaryStinson #BlackHistoryMonth #LocalBlackHistory
An old advertisement, wishing the reader a happy new year in 1963, with the Officer Family (Mom, Dad, and 3 kids) smiling in their family photo. The advert lists their services, all provided from the Officer Funeral Home in East St. Louis. This Funeral Home is still in operation today.
#LocalBlackHistory #localhistory #eaststlouis #BlackHistoryMonth #BLM #blackownedbusiness #blackexcellence #eaststlouishistory #stclaircountyhistory
Founded in 1918, Officer Funeral Home is among the longest continually-operating family businesses in St. Clair County.
ESTL Historical Society
