Alcorn to honor its founding President Hiram Revels, travel to his gravesite in Holly, Mississippi
Alcorn to honor its founding President Hiram Revels, travel to his gravesite in Holly, Mississippi
On January 14, Alcorn State University’s 18th President M. Christopher Brown II, student leaders, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni will travel to Holly Springs, Mississippi, to visit the gravesite of Hiram Rhodes Revels, Alcorn’s first president.
“The pilgrimage commemorates with Hiram Revels’ and Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthdays,” stated President Brown. “It is sought to enrich students’ knowledge of the University’s history and country’s heritage.”
The group from the oldest historically black public land-grant institution in the United States will make a stop in Money, Mississippi, at the memorial Emmett Till, a 14 year-old African-American boy killed by racists in 1955.
The pilgrimage will continue to Rust College in Holly Springs, where the group will meet with the College President David Beckley and students. The Alcorn and Rust College group will proceed to Hill Crest Cemetery where a wreath will be placed on Revels gravesite. Dr. Beckley will give his remarks and President Brown will pronounce a speech honoring the University’s founding president Revels, who resigned his seat as the first African-American senator to assume the post. Native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, President Revels served Alcorn from 1871 till 1882.
“Students are excited and ready to take the trip,” shared Miss Alcorn 2012-13 Airnecia Mills. “We want to see the historic places that we read about with our own eyes and re-live the history.”
Student Government Association President 2012-13 Marcus Mercy added, “We look forward to gain more appreciation of Alcorn’s and our nation’s heritage, and hopefully get an insight into what our purpose is and what our heritage should be. Upon return, we will share our thoughts and impressions with the student body.”
