News & Updates

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Evelyn Provitt (1930-2020)

Evelyn Provitt (1930-2020) was born in Massillon to Alfonse and Lucresie Provitt. She grew up on 13th Street SE with her two brothers and...

Lessie Walker Myricks (1915-2011)

Lessie Walker Myricks (1915-2011) was born on April 9, 1915 in Montgomery, Alabama to the late Lemmon and Lucinda Hogan Walker. At age...

Sherry Crenshaw Jackson

Sherry Crenshaw Jackson was born in 1949 to James and Emily Crenshaw. A 1967 graduate of Washington High School Sherry graduated from...

Patricia Johnson Beane

Patricia Johnson Beane was born in Massillon, Ohio, in 1944 to Eugene and Narvella Johnson. She graduated from Washington High School in...

Evelyn Jane Peterson Edwards (1927-2010)

A 1946 graduate of Washington High School, Evelyn Jane Peterson Edwards worked as a secretary for the Massillon Urban League, and was the...

Lori Lightfoot

Lori Lightfoot was born in 1962, daughter of former Massillon Board of Education member Ann Lightfoot, and Elijah Lightfoot. At...

Connie Ledwell (1937-2004)

Constance Harriet Welcher Ledwell (1937-2004) was born to Earl and Jean Welcher. At Washington High School she participated in choir,...

Dr. Norma Snipes Marcere (1908-2004)

Dr. Norma Snipes Marcere (1908-2004) earned her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a Master’s in counseling from Kent State...

Mary Frances Walker Furlow (1923—2021)

Mary Frances Walker Furlow (1923—2021) was born in Ramer, Alabama. The Walker Family moved to Massillon, Ohio, to escape prejudice in...

Esther Bryant

Esther Bryant is a graduate of Washington High School in Massillon. She attended Kent State University and later decided on a career in...

Gilbert N. Porter (1842-1936)

Sold into slavery at age 11 in Marshall County, Tennessee, Gilbert Porter once received 760 lashes for running away to see his girl....

Phillip Mickens

Philip Mickens was about nine years old when the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished. Another six months passed before he and the...

"Living in Massillon" by Agnes M. Hewitt

Shared in the “Looking Back: Black Community Reunion” 1988, Massillon, Ohio I was born in the area known as the "Bottoms." I understand...

Beatrice Myricks Mitchell

Beatrice Myricks Mitchell, known in the entertainment world as Delilah in the group "Samson and Delilah" was born and raised in...

Saundra Mitchal (1949-2021)

Saundra Mitchal (1949-2021) was born in Massillon, Ohio, to the late Betty J. Brown and the late Clyde R. Mitchal. She was a 1967...

Kelly A. Bodiford-Banks

Kelly A. Bodiford-Banks is a Washington High School graduate of the class of 1988. She lettered in both basketball and track, and threw...

Massillon Community Circle of Love Outreach Ministry

Massillon Community Circle of Love Outreach Ministry was founded in 2009 by Kathleen Spencer and Helen Poole. This group of dedicated...

Helen Poole

Helen Louise Shell Poole attended the Erma Lee Beauty School and Barber College in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated with honors in July...

Rev. Dennis Proctor

https://naacp.org/people/bishop-dennis-v-proctor

Morning Star United Holy Church: Celebrating 50 years, 1943-1993

Morning Star United Holy Church History Morning Star United Holy Church: Celebrating 50 years, 1943-1993 Taken from the commemorative...