Cordele City opens Black History Month walkthrough exhibit highlighting local figures

Cordele City’s Historical Awards Committee opened a Black History Month walkthrough exhibit featuring the lives and contributions of Black Americans from Crisp County on Saturday, Feb. 7. Organizers said the exhibit — which includes more than 128 displays — is intended to help residents learn and carry forward local history.

"I was one of the first black policemen hired here in Cordelia," a former police officer said during opening remarks, recounting that "John Matt was the first. Mr. Williams was the first," and placing their own hire as the third among those early local officers. Speakers framed such recollections as part of a broader effort to record and teach the community’s past.

Historical Awards Committee representatives emphasized the exhibit’s educational aim and encouraged visitors to "learn, live, and celebrate" the county’s Black history. A committee speaker said the displays are meant not just to show pictures but to help people "put them in their mind" so stories can be passed to the next generation.

Organizers described the exhibit’s scale — more than 128 displays — as a way to document "the significant role of local Black Americans in our community." Committee representatives also pledged to add further recognition of local Black Americans in future programming.

"Oh yes, we are a community that love and care for each other," a speaker said, thanking the committee for staging the event and noting the role such presentations play in preserving memory and identity. "For the city of Cordel, I'm Rick Smar," a city representative added, offering thanks on behalf of the city.

Guests were invited to attend the walkthrough and share what they learn with family and neighbors; the organizers framed the exhibit as both a celebration and an educational resource for the community. The committee said it plans to expand recognition of additional local figures in future displays.