Pamplin students’ work leads to new historical markers

Thanks to the hard work of Melissa DeVelvis, PhD, assistant professor of history in the Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy in the Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and students in her public history course, Augusta made history with the placement of two new Georgia historical markers recognizing important figures and places that have shaped the city’s cultural and social landscape. DeVelvis is a member of the Georgia Historical Society’s Committee for Historic Markers.

One marker honors William Jefferson White, a pioneering Black American educator and civil rights leader, and the other celebrates Augusta’s oldest standing synagogue, the Telfair Street Temple.

William Jefferson White

The effort to secure a historical marker for White began in DeVelvis’s public history class. Every year, DeVelvis challenges her students to work on real-world projects; in the fall of 2023, she teamed up with Corey Rogers from the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. Recognizing White’s significant contributions to Augusta, Rogers suggested the class develop a proposal to honor him.

Born during the Antebellum Period, White was an important Reconstruction-Era figure. He was a newspaper editor, a member of the Republican party and a founder of Morehouse College, which was founded as the Augusta Institute in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church in 1867.

Through his work as editor of the Georgia Baptist  newspaper, White addressed racial injustices head-on, even when it put him in danger. His lifelong dedication to education and civil rights made him a crucial figure in Augusta’s African American community.

The proposal for White’s marker was crafted by four dedicated students – Will Demars, Ariel Harper, Michael Sanders and Tess Way, who spent months conducting detailed research. One of their biggest challenges was condensing White’s many achievements into the 200 words required for the marker.

“When we started, I did not know Dr. DeVelvis would take our project and submit it to the Georgia Historical Society. It was not until we presented the project to Mr. Corey Rogers that he informed us we could receive a marker for this work,” Sanders said. “Surprisingly, we were accepted and excited because it took a lot of work and time.”

Using old maps and city directories, they pinpointed the location of White’s former newspaper office, now a parking lot. Ultimately, Harmony Baptist Church was chosen for the marker site because of its deep ties to White’s work as an educator and religious leader.

The unveiling ceremony for the marker took place on May 8 and featured speeches from local historians and community members. For DeVelvis and her students, the milestone served as a reminder that students can play a crucial role in preserving and sharing history.

“Each time I teach public history, I like to give my public history students a chance to do something that’s not just writing some fake exhibit labels for a fake exhibit kind of thing,” DeVelvis said. “I want them to do something that they can actually put on their resumes and have a chance to work on a public history project in a way that I didn’t get to until grad school.”

The Telfair Street Temple

The second marker honored the Telfair Street Temple, Augusta’s oldest standing synagogue, built in 1869. The marker became a reality through the dedication of Jan Reeves, a nontraditional student with a passion for preserving Augusta’s Jewish history, who worked on the project under the guidance of John Hayes, PhD, an associate professor of History.

The idea for the marker started with Robyn Wittenberg Dudley, who began advocating for it in 2017. The initial proposal in 2019 was not accepted due to funding issues, but when the Georgia Historical Society invited a resubmission, Reeves and Dudley made another attempt.

With renewed effort and a refined proposal, their hard work paid off.

Inspired by the late Jack Steinberg’s vision of turning the synagogue into a Jewish Museum, Reeves poured months into research and revisions. She collaborated with local historians, carefully refining the proposal to capture the synagogue’s importance.

“It was challenging, but with guidance and perseverance, we created something that truly reflects the temple’s historical significance,” Reeves said.

The marker not only recognizes the synagogue’s architectural and cultural value, but also honors the Jewish families who have played a vital role in shaping Augusta.

The unveiling ceremony for the marker took place on June 8 and featured speeches from local historians and community members, including 2022 Pamplin College graduate Angela Russo, the Augusta Jewish Museum’s museum manager.