A Legacy Of Service Honored: Adams County WW I Veterans Remembered

Last summer while researching in Mississippi, I had the opportunity to visit NAPAC  (Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture) and speak to the Director of Cultural & Heritage Tourism, Darrell White. During my visit, Mr. White discussed a project that the city  and museum were working on in conjunction with the GSA (General Services Administration) to have the names of African-Americans and other unlisted soldiers who served in WWI from Adams County, Mississippi on plaques. The city of Natchez originally displayed plaques of WW I soldiers names from the county dating shortly after the end of the war. However, these plaques didn't include the names of several white servicemen and none of the African-American servicemen who were on active duty during the war. This information was discovered by a graduate student, Shane Peterson, while he was in Natchez working on his thesis.

The push for a new plaque to be made was first published in the local news in March of 2010. My cousin, McKinley Barnes, was interviewed by the Natchez Democrat about his uncle Richard Lively who served and died in WW I. With the aide Darrell White, Shane Peterson, Ser Seshs Ab Heter-C.M. Boxley (Friends of the Forks of the Road); the project to get plaques got underway. GSA was generous enough to sponsor the creation and display of the new plaques.  In November of 2011, the plaques were dedicated at the Natchez Federal Courthouse.


Video of Plaque Dedication

While visiting the Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery and the Rounds Family Cemetery, I found the graves of African-Americans who served during  WW I. Many of these men were my family members. Their names now appear on the plaque in the honor of servicemen who served during WW I.

Descendant of Jerry and Flora (Rounds) Shepard
(Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery, Sibley, MS)

Son of Scott Washington Sr. and Roxie McFarland-Earls
(Rounds Family Cemetery, Rounds Plantation, Adams County, MS)

Marshall Glover, PVT US Army WW I
(Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery Sibley, MS)

Descendant of Charles and Charity Rounds
(Rounds Family Cemetery, Rounds Plantation Adams County, MS)