News & Updates

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Wright Walker (1845-1921)

Wright Walker, born 1845 in Georgia and later freed from slavery during the Civil War. Walker joined Union General William Tecumseh...

Essie Wooten (1915-1996)

Essie Wooten was an inspirational woman born into poverty. Wooten was forced to drop out of high school to take on a $4.00 per week job....

Bobby Grier (1933-2021)

Bobby Grier was a member of the Washington High School class of 1952. He played football and basketball during his time in Massillon,...

Corey Redvine

Corey Redvine, another of Massillon’s entrepreneurial talents, is the owner of TV Landscaping and Redd, White and Blue, 4th of July...

Rev. Dr. James Lawson, Jr. (b.1928)

Reverend Dr. James Lawson was born on September 22, 1928. He was raised in Massillon, Ohio, and received his ministry license in 1947....

Black Barbers

African-American barbers in Massillon include Clarence E. Brooks (shop at 4 South Erie Street, lower level), Alexander Simms, John Simms...

Lynn Wilson

Wife, mother, and teacher, Lynn Wilson has been a Massillonian all of her life. She enjoys spending time with family and spontaneous car...

Lynette Jones

The talent behind L.J. Sweets and Designs is Mrs. Lynette Jones, an entrepreneur and mother located in Massillon, Ohio. Initially, her...

I Wish You Were Here (book)

Daja Simpson's book, "I Wish You Were Here", tackles the challenging subject matter of coping with the loss of a parent. The author,...

Poppa's Ring (book)

"Poppa's Ring" follows the story of Bill and Odessa Willis' four grandchildren during one summer visit. Imani finds Willis' 1942 Ohio...

Oscar W. Ritchie (1909-1967)

Oscar W. Ritchie (1909-1967) was born in Hallandale, Florida. In 1933 he came to Massillon to work at Republic Steel. In 1938, he revived...

Daja Simpson

Daja Simpson is the president of Sisterhood of Jewels Community Connections, LLC (SOJCC). She obtained her undergraduate degree in...

Ke'Aunte Harris

Ke'Aunte Harris, member of SOJCC LLC, is a mom to a little prince named La'Bryant. She is the lead preschool teacher at the Massillon...

Horace Gillom

Massillon home town hero Horace Gillom, class of 1941, was end and punter on Paul Brown's Massillon Tigers during the 1938, 1939, and...

LaToya Young

LaToya D. Young was born and raised in Massillon, Ohio. She began her road to education at home with five older siblings and a plethora...

Mark Bigsbee

Mark Bigsbee, a social entrepreneur, father, and community advocate, is a board member of multiple Stark County organizations which...

Homer Floyd

“Access. Access for the young people. Access of information, access of people, access of life.” -Homer Floyd Homer C. Floyd is a...

Ella Mitchell

Ella and her sister Thelma would go to work with their mother, emptying trash cans at Massillon City Hospital. She witnessed patients...

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...

Ed Grier

Edward Grier was among the featured interview subjects in the recent "Missing History of Massillon: Unheard African American Stories"...