Brownsville now home of permanent Elbert Williams memorial

(Photo: Brownsville Mayor Al Rawls, Fred Silverstein, John Ashworth and Reverend Felecia Walker sing at the unveiling of the Elbert Williams historical marker unveiled Saturday morning on Brownsville’s court square.)

Elbert Williams was the “…first known member of the NAACP to loose his life in the struggle for civil rights.” His legacy will be forever remembered as a result of a weekend event that included the unveiling of an historical marker on Brownsville’s court square.

According to historians, Mr. Williams was murdered in June 1940 because of his position on voting rights. This weekend’s commemoration came on the 75th anniversary of the incident. The homicide was never solved and Mr. Williams was never provided a funeral.

Speakers included Gloria Sweet-Love, president of the Tennessee NAACP, Jim Emison, author of an upcoming book about Williams entitled “First to Die”, Brownsville Mayor Bill Rawls, U. S. Attorney Ed Stanton and NAACP National President Cornell Williams Brooks.

Saturday’s events included a program at Haywood High School at which Mr. Brooks was the keynote speaker. The marker was unveiled at 11a.m. and many of the day’s attendees attended a memorial later in the day at Taylor Cemetery where Mr. Williams is believed to be buried. His grave is unmarked. Attended by hundreds of people, both black and white, the weekend was organized by mostly local volunteers in a group chaired by John Ashworth.