News & Updates

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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....

Mattie Fowler (1916-2001)

Mattie Fowler (1916-2001) graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and received her Master of Arts degree in French from...

Beverly Evans Smith

Beverly Evans Smith served as the 26th National President and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta (2017–2021). Daughter of Willa Mae (Dumas) and...

Dr. Phyllis Furlow Holmes

We had the privilege in 2022 to interview Dr. Phyllis Furlow Holmes during her visit to Massillon to celebrate the posthumous 99th...

Minnie Burke Traylor (1941-1997)

Minnie Burke Traylor (1941-1997) was the daughter of Charles and Mary Earley Burke, Minnie graduated from Washington High School in 1959....

Lessie Walker Myricks (1915-2011)

Lessie Walker Myricks (1915-2011) was born on April 9, 1915 in Montgomery, Alabama to the late Lemmon and Lucinda Hogan Walker. At age...

Patricia Johnson Beane

Patricia Johnson Beane was born in Massillon, Ohio, in 1944 to Eugene and Narvella Johnson. She graduated from Washington High School in...

Lori Lightfoot

Lori Lightfoot was born in 1962, daughter of former Massillon Board of Education member Ann Lightfoot, and Elijah Lightfoot. At...

Connie Ledwell (1937-2004)

Constance Harriet Welcher Ledwell (1937-2004) was born to Earl and Jean Welcher. At Washington High School she participated in choir,...

Esther Bryant

Esther Bryant is a graduate of Washington High School in Massillon. She attended Kent State University and later decided on a career in...

Gilbert N. Porter (1842-1936)

Sold into slavery at age 11 in Marshall County, Tennessee, Gilbert Porter once received 760 lashes for running away to see his girl....

Edna Elliott (1934-1997)

Edna Elliott was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1934 to Ned C. Elliott (1915-1971) and Katherine Anderson Elliott (1916-1993)....

Marva L. Bell Jones Dodson

Professional Aultman Hospital Operating Room Nurse (1964-1970) Canton Orthopaedics, Inc. Office Nurse (1970-1991) Massillon City Schools...

Brenda McDew Robinson (1942-2002)

Ms. Rob (as her students affectionately referred to her) Brenda McDew Robinson (1942-2002) graduated from Washington High School in 1960....

Louie Evans (1912-1999)

Founding member of Massillon's Urban League in 1936 Recognized as one of the "10 Great Leaders of the Massillon area in 1980" by Mayor...