Honoring the Past, Building a Future
But first, a Stepheny story: A few years back, driven beyond my patience, I abruptly stood at a City Council meeting and called out, “Point of order.... Mr. Blackwell can go on and on while the citizens only have three minutes to speak.” The mayor informed me, nicely, “There is no point of order for … Continue reading The Rocky Mount Concerned Citizens Facebook Page
These photographs are from my Pinterest Boards that I have collected over time There’s something about an old doorknob that stops me in my tracks. The weight of it in my hand, the patina of age, the craftsmanship—these small details whisper of lives once lived, of voices, of hands turning the knob at the end … Continue reading The Doorknobs of Yesterday – Unlocking Our Rocky Mount, NC Future
This post is dedicated to Robert Lewis Stevenson as I begin Treasure Island, a book I haven't read since Jr. High School. However long it has been, we can all sing, Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo-ho-ho, and … Continue reading The Past Glories of Rocky Mount, NC: We Have Our Own Manderley’s to Save
These little gems are in Ward #4. I believe T.J. Walker, Councilman, has a heart for saving them. The more the Ward gets involved with their neighborhood housing, chances increase that others will join in the financial end of saving them. The possibilities of this significant housing has been ignored. The state of them proves … Continue reading Save The Shotgun Houses of Rocky Mount With Hud Grant Money
The backstory to this post is The Robert E. Lee Monument; the historic statue dedicated to Confederate General Robert E. Lee by noted American sculptor Alexander Doyle. It was removed (intact) by official order and moved to an unknown location on May 19, 2017. The monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places … Continue reading Another Reason To Save Rocky Mount’s Boarded Homes
Today, Friday, June 21, our longest day and shortest night of the year, the sun brightened our skies on the first day of astronomical summer in Earth’s Northern Hemisphere. As I write this at 5:22 in the afternoon, the sky is an amazing Carolina blue color. The sun remains strong and there is a lovely … Continue reading Rocky Mount’s Summer Solstice – Marking the Day
Main Street Rocky Mount 