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Wooster marks Charles Follis Day; local volunteers recount memorial and education efforts
Summary
Speakers at the council meeting described local efforts to commemorate Charles Follis, the first Black professional football player, including a restored headstone and community programming tied to the state-recognized holiday on Feb. 3.
Council Monday welcomed local historians and volunteers who described efforts to commemorate Charles Follis and to mark Feb. 3 as Charles Follis Day in Ohio.
Lawrence Walker, a local organizer, and others told council they raised funds to replace a worn headstone at Follis—s burial site and created a memorial area with a bench and interpretive text. Walker said the group raised substantially more than its initial target and used the funds to install a new stone and additional interpretive elements.
“Charles Wallace exemplified the power of 1 with both grace and greatness,” Walker said, urging the community to observe the state-recognized day of remembrance and to support the Charles Follis Foundation—s "Power of 1" initiative.
Mayor Brennaman noted state recognition in 2018 and said the city had submitted a video clip to a Columbus broadcaster ahead of this year—s observance. The mayor and council acknowledged the volunteers— years of work, and councilors praised the local effort to preserve and interpret the history.
Speakers who participated in the presentation included a Wooster High School counselor, a local historian and members of the Charles Follis Foundation. Council members said the recognition helps the city highlight a locally rooted figure in Black history and Black History Month programming.
