African-American History Festival begins today

WEIRTON - The Weirton African-American History Festival begins today, with displays throughout the city and several events scheduled for today, Saturday and Sunday.

Organizer and festival president William Thompson said the festival is a way to celebrate the culture and community while preserving an important historical record for future generations.

He said he first began looking into the history of the black community approximately a year ago, and went both to the Mary H. Weir Public Library and the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center, but was unable to find a significant record, so he set out to create one himself.

"We want to be able to reflect back on the rich history of working blacks here - in the 30s and 40s, at the (former Weirton Steel Co.) mill's peak, there were 45 different ethnicities working here and the Afro-Americans were one of that 45," he said. "Most of them have a history festival, so I decided to start one for Afro-Americans. We had never had a history, and I started getting pieces together, going through the census records."

The earliest records indicated that there were two slaves living in Hancock County in 1860, and two slaves and a free African-American in 1865, said Thompson.

Thompson researched the history of that free man, William "Billy" Wilson, who came to Hancock County after saving the life of Lt. Col. Richard Hooker Brown during the American Civil War.

"We know it was during the Civil War, but we don't know at which battle or under what circumstances," said Thompson, who added he continues to research the two men's story.

Brown invited Wilson to return with him to the Weirton area, and Wilson, who was approximately 16 or 17 at the time, agreed to do so.

"We start our history with him, one of the first blacks - our beginning," said Thompson.

Another area Thompson researched is the Dunbar High School, which served Weirton's African-American community from 1934 until integration in 1955. Thompson said he collected photographs of all of Dunbar's graduating classes. He spoke about being inspired by the stories of those graduates, who went on to become athletes, teachers and doctors.

"We are teaching about and presenting the black experience in Weirton," he said.

One story is that of Bob Jeter, who graduated from the first integrated class at Weir High School in 1956. Jeter, who was a talented football and basketball player, received a scholarship to play football at the University of Iowa, where he was an All-American. Jeter later was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and played on several Super Bowl-winning teams under Coach Vince Lombardi.

"He (Jeter) was from Dunbar, from the first integrated class," said Thompson.

He added it was important to have a pictorial record of the black community, and he will display approximately 800 to 1,000 photographs during the event. He also collected many photographs of men working in the mill, but seeks to expand his collection. Thompson said he is looking for any historical photos of the community or blacks who lived or currently live in Weirton, but is especially looking for photographs of black women at work during the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, since many were domestic workers and not often photographed.

"Black women were limited in the work they could do," he said. "They were mostly limited to doing house work, but the men who worked in the mill, I have those pictures."

Thompson asked that anyone having photographs they would like added to the pictorial record to contact him so he can make a copy of the photograph.

There are 18 different pictorial displays of black history currently on view at the Mary H. Weir Public Library, and they will be on display until July 31. Thompson added he was appreciative of the aid he received from both the library and the museum and both organizations have requested a copy of the digital video he is compiling of the pictorial record of the black community.

Thompson also is compiling a spoken history of the community, speaking to many of the older people in the community and recording their observations.

"We have some of that," he said. "Some of the older people have talked about what it was like back during those years, during the Dunbar years. The experience of their classes and their teachers, the subjects they were taught."

Thompson said he planned to hold another festival next year, and he hoped to draw more people each year.

"It's a good thing for the community to see the history for themselves," he said.

Today's theme is "A Tribute to Our Early African American Heritage," with displays and presentations available from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mount Olive Baptist church and noon to 5 p.m. at the Dunbar Recreation Center, including a cookout featuring Chef William Thompson Jr., who works at Houston's Pesce Restaurant and as head chef in the V.I.P suite at Reliance Stadium for Houston Texans owner/president Bob McNair. A costume party and dance will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the recreation center.

Saturday's theme is "Black History," with the "Weirton Black History" DVD playing every hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mary H. Weir Public Library. At 4 p.m., there will be a banquet catered by Angela Suggs at the center, with speakers Richard Rekowski, Dennis Jones, Bob Kelley, Thompson and Steve Karnoupakis. Thompson's speech will be "A Black History Lesson: William 'Billy' Wilson." Quanita Willams will present the African-American Mime Group.

On Sunday, there will be a special church service at 11 a.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church with the Rev. Rudy McCallister, and souvenir photos and the DVD will be available at the library between 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Following the church service, there will be remarks and prayer at Wilson's grave site at the Nessly Chapel Cemetery.

(Wallace-Minger can be contacted at swallace@pafocus.com)