Heritage Stories | Urbana's Black Herit

Stories of Our Black Heritage

From Shackles to Stature: The Unveiled Legacy of the Douglass-Hamlet Dynasty - Pioneers, Politicians

Tyeal Howell

Jun 6
3 min

From Shackles to Stature: The Unveiled Legacy of the Douglass-Hamlet Dynasty - Pioneers, Politicians

Section 3 in Oak Dale Cemetery in Urbana appears largely void of burials, but many gravesites are unmarked with a few exceptions. Among...

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How to Join the Heritage Pop Up Gallery during the Urbana Black Heritage Festival.

Tyeal Howell

Jun 5
1 min

How to Join the Heritage Pop Up Gallery during the Urbana Black Heritage Festival.

Dig out your old photos, papers, and family artifacts for the second Annual Heritage Pop Up Gallery during the Urbana Black Heritage...

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Charley Springer and Nancy Thompson: Unveiling their Forgotten Legacy

Tyeal Howell

May 30
3 min

Charley Springer and Nancy Thompson: Unveiling their Forgotten Legacy

With the opening of Oak Dale Cemetery in 1856, the Trustees of the time passed a resolution restricting sections 2 and 3 as the only...

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In the Line of Duty: James Corom and the Dawn of Diversity in Urbana Police Force

Tyeal Howell

May 22
3 min

In the Line of Duty: James Corom and the Dawn of Diversity in Urbana Police Force

In the spring of 1886, Mayor Charles H. Ganson made local history. As he was making his appointments for city boards and jobs, he...

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A Legacy of Music and Compassion: The Story of Capitola 'Cappie' Dickerson

Tyeal Howell

Apr 4
3 min

A Legacy of Music and Compassion: The Story of Capitola 'Cappie' Dickerson

Capitola Dickerson was known as the “songbird” of her senior class of Urbana High School in 1930. Even at a young age, when Capitola sang...

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John Bry: A Trailblazer in Historic Preservation and Community Revitalization

Tyeal Howell

Mar 31
2 min

John Bry: A Trailblazer in Historic Preservation and Community Revitalization

The Urbana Black Heritage Festival Committee and the Urbana community are immensely proud to celebrate the recognition of our very own...

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Uncovering Jimi Hendrix's Roots: From Urbana's Graves to Rock 'n' Roll Royalty

Tyeal Howell

Mar 9
3 min

Uncovering Jimi Hendrix's Roots: From Urbana's Graves to Rock 'n' Roll Royalty

There are scores of unmarked graves of African Americans citizens in historic Oak Dale Cemetery in Urbana. They were relegated to the...

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The Legacy of Jerusalem Second Baptist Church

Tyeal Howell

Mar 2
4 min

The Legacy of Jerusalem Second Baptist Church

Fifty years ago, divine intervention was at play on the evening of Sunday, August 12, 1973. In that moment, the roof of Jerusalem Second...

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The Legacy of the Allen and Wills Families

Tyeal Howell

Feb 24
3 min

The Legacy of the Allen and Wills Families

Guy F. Allen spent most of his life along Buckeye Street in Urbana. Born in 1908, he was the son of Harry and Clara (Guy). For many years...

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Tyeal Howell

Jan 16
3 min

The First MLK Holiday Observed in Ohio

In January of 1975, the Ohio Legislature took up the debate to recognize the third Monday of January as a state holiday in honor of the...

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Tyeal Howell

Jun 11, 2022
3 min

The Strawther Family Legacy

Located beyond the city limits of Urbana, James and Bessie Strawther supplied the majority of the greater community’s strawberry crop....

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Stillgess Legacy and One of the few African American Underground Railroad Operators in the area

Tyeal Howell

May 14, 2022
2 min

Stillgess Legacy and One of the few African American Underground Railroad Operators in the area

Numerous African American men and women from Urbana can be counted among the community’s entrepreneurs. Although the career opportunities...

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Tyeal Howell

May 9, 2022
3 min

The Legacy of Arnold B. Brown 1877-1940

Do you know the “Mayor of Possumtown”? While the location of that fabled community is not exactly known, the identity of its leader is...

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Tyeal Howell

Apr 27, 2022
3 min

The Legacy of Stephan “Steve” Honore

Hill Street in Urbana has been the home to many distinguished African Americans throughout the community’s history. Business and civic...

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Tyeal Howell

Apr 3, 2022
3 min

The 25 Acre Farm of Orville Noble

In 1874, the southern edge of Urbana was known as “Gooseville”. It is an area roughly bounded by Powell Avenue to the north, and the...

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Mr. Mack and “The Favorite Ice Cream Parlor”

Tyeal Howell

Mar 29, 2022
2 min

Mr. Mack and “The Favorite Ice Cream Parlor”

The northwest corner of East Market and South Locust Streets has historic and diverse roots in Urbana’s 217 year history. The now vacant...

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Tyeal Howell

Mar 11, 2022
2 min

The Boyd Family Legacy

346 Hill Street stands at the entrance of what once led to the old factory pond on the grounds of the Urbana Woolen Mills (known today as...

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Barbara Howell, the legacy behind the Market Street Park

Tyeal Howell

Feb 26, 2022
2 min

Barbara Howell, the legacy behind the Market Street Park

Urbana native Barbara Howell made a lifelong commitment to working with youth and aiding low-income families. Born in 1923, Barbara...

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Happy 100th Birthday to Walter Murphy and his Legacy

Tyeal Howell

Feb 14, 2022
2 min

Happy 100th Birthday to Walter Murphy and his Legacy

One hundred years ago, on February 14, 1922, Walter Murphy was born in Kentucky. It was there he would begin his illustrious and famous...

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The Legacy of Mary Ann and Benjamin Dickerson

Tyeal Howell

Feb 6, 2022
2 min

The Legacy of Mary Ann and Benjamin Dickerson

Mary Ann Dickerson passed away quietly at the home of her son at 228 South Kenton Street in Urbana in 1910. It is believed she had...

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