LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Gracing The table (GTT) members requested that I write a response to “The South Reporter” most recent Letter to the Editor, May 4, 2022. “Bring back the town of history and antebellum homes.”

I am a member of GTT and have lived in Holly Springs since 2005. The authors’ view on race relations in HS are views of how they see the world and how they see themselves in it. In their words, “Race relations looked pretty good.” I challenge anyone to define any period in this country when race relations were good. Views do not depend on who is looking, but on facts. The most anyone can say is that things are not as they were in 1865 after the Emancipation Proclamation, which did not free all Enslaved people within the US just those in States that succeeded from the Union.

I take umbrage with the authors view on GTT. You have not attended any of our events and yet you have and opinion of our discussions doing more harm than good. I can state as a fact that no one who has attended our events have ever stated that we did more harm then good. Yes, people may be uncomfortable when discussing race, especially when you have no ideal on how to go about the discussion. Dave Person (may he rest in peace), Dr. Alisea McCloud, me, and others were and are very capable of carrying on such discussions. GTT gives members of our community the opportunity to gain experience how to begin discussions concerning race. Even the fact the race is not scientific by any stretch of the imagination, it still manages to be the elephant in the room.

I agree that our town has a lot of history. However, the contributions of the Enslaved population before 1865 and of those same US citizens after the passing of 13^th, 14^th and 15^th Amendments are neglected, forgotten, and intentionally left out of our towns’ history. The cause of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and its aftermath have all been mythologized under the umbrella of the so called “Lost Cause.”

Race relations are a problem in our society that is not going to go away. We have not done well with this topic as a Country in the past. Now it is our turn to take advantage of our situation to help ourselves, to improve the quality of life for all or our citizens. We can choose to hold on to our myths and non-factual kitchen philosophies and remain a sorely divided community and country that is destined to more events like Jan. 6, 2022. Our we can come together to learn and listen to one another so that we can know the facts that will be beneficial to everyone, and not just a misguided few.

Please join us in improving the quality of life in our town. Or are you going to remain in the myths? We invite all citizens of Holly Springs to attend our GTT events to learn how to begin to discuss race and race relations so that we can get about the business of solving our city’s problems together.

Wayne C Jones
Citizen of Holly Springs
GTT Member
North Mississippi Roots & Wings member (An organization dedicated to preserving and telling the contributions and history of the Enslaved and their descendants in North Mississippi)