For many years in Middle Georgia, one of the highlights of celebrating the Month of February was the James Wimberly Institute’s Racial Barrier Breakers Award ceremony. This event was usually attended by many noteworthy individuals who were there to honor those who had done for the first time what Blacks had never done before. They were brave citizens who dared to break the long established racial line of separation strongly held in the South as for the black and white people.
As this line of demarcation began to crumble, many of those who crossed the line didn’t really realize that they had done something special and out of the ordinary. Black people were lifted when they could see someone of their race accomplish something that took great courage to do. The tradition in private and government operations offered no encouragement to people who dared break the barriers. To see a black man driving a bus, or on T. V., or as a policeman, or working in a bank, or even as a car salesman, was something that brought pride to the average black person. It showed that there is really something to the dream of equality in America and that black people could do anything that others could do.
The Wimberly Institute in its 25th year will revive the established legacy of recognizing Racial Barrier Breakers to highlight the accomplishments of contemporary African Americans in Macon Bibb County and Georgia. Barrier Breakers give hope to future generations and a strong knowledge of cultural history builds self-esteem in youth and helps to prevent their involvement in criminal activities according to studies.
This year’s ceremony will honor and catalog African Americans who were first in their field to break a racial glass ceiling in Middle Georgia. Some of those to be honored are Marvin Riggins as the First Black Fire Chief, Erica Woodford as First Black Clerk of Superior Court, Anita Reynolds Howard as First Black District Attorney, Ron Shipman as the First Black CEO of Macon Water Authority, and eight other firsts for Blacks in Middle Georgia. Muriel Jackson will also be honored for her vast knowledge of Middle Georgia history as genealogical librarian. Rev. Raphael Warnock, the First Black Senator from Georgia, has been invited as the keynote speaker.
The ceremony will be held at the Anderson Conference Center, 5171 Eisenhower Parkway, Macon, Georgia 31206 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $50.00 each and can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.
