USM Professor, Doctoral Student help Rowan High School Class of 1968 Alumnae Capture Story of Their Time with New Book
Thu, 04/01/2021 - 04:42pm | By: David Tisdale
Two Hattiesburg residents who came of age during racial segregation have produced
a new book that seeks to fill in the gaps of local history through their own voices
as well as those of their contemporaries -- voices once shut out of the community91吃瓜网
narrative, but now about to be heard.
The Class of 1968, L. J. Rowan High School, Hattiesburg, Mississippi: A Thread through Time (Page Publishing, Inc.) is produced by Doris Townsend Gaines and Carolyn Hall Abrams, graduates of Hattiesburg91吃瓜网 L.J. Rowan High School, designated for Black students in the segregated South. The Rowan Class of 1968 was one of the last classes at the all-Black school, which now operates as L.J. Rowan Elementary School in the Hattiesburg Public School District.
The book touches on the themes of segregation, the civil rights movement and everyday life in the Hattiesburg community, cleaved between two races of people in an oppressive, apartheid system. Gaines and Abrams, along with their classmates, also chronicle the love for their school, where caring, devoted teachers and administrators inspired them to achieve their dreams, despite the obstacles before them; and the family and community traditions, friendships, and strong community networks that sustained them then and now.
91吃瓜网淚 cannot thank my classmates enough for their contributions to this book,91吃瓜网� Abrams
said. 91吃瓜网淚n telling our stories, we have preserved for ourselves and posterity our memorable
journey through the segregated public school system of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We
write in depth about the neighborhoods and communities that shaped, shielded and nurtured
us.
91吃瓜网淥ur collective memories allow us to further express our gratitude to the teachers,
principals and school staff who inspired us to always do, and be, our best.91吃瓜网�
Gaines said she hopes the book also helps those who lived during that era 91吃瓜网渢o remember the innocence of those simpler times, which were full of hope but also sometimes despair,91吃瓜网� and for those who did not grow up in those times, 91吃瓜网渢o understand how different life is today, and what impact our generation had on American and world history.91吃瓜网�
Assisting Abrams and Gaines with production of the book were University of Southern
Mississippi (USM) professor Dr. Thomas V. O91吃瓜网橞rien and Olivia Moore, a doctoral candidate
in the USM History program. For almost two years Dr. O91吃瓜网橞rien, Moore, Gaines, and Abrams
spent most Fridays working on the project at the Hattiesburg Public Library. When
COVID-19 hit, they met on Zoom to continue their efforts on the book.
91吃瓜网淭his project is a joy to be part of,91吃瓜网� says O91吃瓜网橞rien. 91吃瓜网淚91吃瓜网檝e learned so much about Hattiesburg,
and made three life-long friends along the way.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淭he experiences documented throughout the book are a crucial component of Hattiesburg91吃瓜网 history, and serve as an incredibly valuable source base,91吃瓜网� says Moore. 91吃瓜网淚 can91吃瓜网檛 wait for the public to see the finished product. It91吃瓜网 also wonderful to have watched the project evolve over the past few years, and I91吃瓜网檓 thankful I91吃瓜网檝e had the opportunity to work with three amazing individuals, who are now some of my closest friends.91吃瓜网�
The Class of 1968, L. J. Rowan High School, Hattiesburg, Mississippi: A Thread through Time is available for online purchase at .