African American Tour

Will Vann’s barber shop The story goes that he promised children a pony if they would sit still for him to cut their hair.

Rondel Logan’s Blacksmith Shop  - 103 North Olive

Calvary Baptist This building was built in 1974 and replaced one already located there. Calvary Baptist represents the merging of two Black Baptist Churches in Okolona in 1920.  The earliest Baptist Church for Blacks in Okolona was organiz... Read more

Black Business District - North side of Main Street was Black Business District-300-316 West Main Street

New Era Masonic Lodge Street-formerly a Dance Hall upstairs and shops on first floor Mary Wheeler’s Millinery Shop- Millenary shop with clothing and fashion for women: hats, gloves, under garments, trimmings, etc. sold by a milliner Dr. C... Read more

Mary Wheeler’s Millinery Shop Millenary shop with clothing and fashion for women: hats, gloves, undergarments, trimmings, etc. sold by a milliner

Dr. Charles Wheeler’s office Dr. Wheeler, Sr. was a licensed practicing physician.  His father was a slave of General Wheeler, a prosperous and slave-holding farmer before the Civil War.  Dr. Wheeler graduated from high school and taugh... Read more

Buchanan Laundromat Former Oscar Brumby’s Cafe/Pool Hall/Laundry Mat

CW Gilliam General Store - now a vacant lot. Mr. Gilliam owned and operated a general merchandise store in Okolona for more than 70 years. "He was an inspiration to many" Charlie W. Gilliam. widely known Negro merchant and one of Okolona'... Read more

Earl Collins’ Shoe Shop – 306 West Main

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Grace Episcopal Church c.1908 Tudor-This church building is a replica of an English chapel. It was consecrated by Bishop Dubose Bratton in 1909.  Organized in 1851, the first church was located on the corner of Church and Main St. The bell... Read more

Gilliam-Carouthers 1896-Classic Queen Anne with Italianate influence. Stained glass windows from torn down Presbyterian church once on site. Church used as hospital during Civil lar with rumored tunnel to the Shell house across the street. ...

Knox-Fitzgerald-Brannic 1850-Built before the Civil War and was once a girls’ school. Used as a hospital during the Civil War caring for wounded soldiers from the battles of Shiloh, Corinth and Brice’s Crossroads. Former owner, Frances ... Read more

Bar B Que King-312 West Washington

Charlie Gilliam home-306 West Washington

305 West Washington Dr. Charlie Wheeler/Nurse Marjorie Walker Miss Walker was a registered nurse and served as a nurse for the late Dr. A.F. Wicks and Dr. DeVan Hansell in their clinic and later Dr. Hansell until his death in 1949.  She wa... Read more

Okolona Children Park Formerly Meridian Street School-corner of North Olive/West Washington-First public school for Black children in Okolona. C 1920-1958-1st-8th grades.  After finishing 8th grade, students went to high school at the Okol... Read more

Mt Pisgah United Methodist Church This building of the 1990s replaced one built in 1896 that stood practically in the same location. Mt. Pisgah, organized in 1867, was the first church in town established solely for Blacks.

Okolona High School-Fannie Carter School Dr. Howard Gunn Street-Mrs. Fannie Carter’s first training was by her white owners, the Fields family of Okolona. She attended Rust College and was given financial help by her former owners. She wa... Read more

Hotel/Boarding House-West Jefferson/North Fleming This hotel was for Black railroad workers and consisted of a register area, dining room, kitchen parlor with lion foot design piano, pantry, back entrance, 2 baths and 11 guest rooms. The ow... Read more

Okolona College Formerly Okolona Industrial College was founded in 1902 by Wallace A. Battle. He talked to several groups of interested citizens and got support as he felt that the answer to the “race problems” was a proper education fo... Read more