On Saturday, September 7th, nearly one hundred individuals came together in Dalton, GA, to honor the memory of A.L. McCamy, a Black man who was tragically lynched in 1936. The ceremony, held at the site of the historic lynching, drew a diverse crowd of residents, local leaders, and descendants.
The service began downtown near the old jail site, where participants listened to local attorney Sam Gowin recount the harrowing events leading up to McCamy’s lynching. The program featured a variety of impactful presentations, covering topics from the political context of the era to a moving rendition of "We’ve Come This Far By Faith” performed by the Shiloh Men’s Choir.
Valerie Silva, one of the organizers, expressed her gratitude for the community's involvement, stating, "It was a powerful and healing event, and we had more community participation than we dreamed possible."
Among the poignant moments was the gathering of soil from the site of McCamy’s lynching, conducted by local historians Curtis Rivers Jr. and Henry Parks. This act symbolized the importance of remembrance and the acknowledgment of a tragic history.
Earlier this year, the unmarked grave of A.L. McCamy was discovered through local cemetery records, prompting the dedication of a new tombstone. This unveiling took place during the latter part of the ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery, with members of the McCamy family present to honor their ancestor. This event served as a powerful reminder of the community’s commitment to remembrance, healing, and justice.
There were a number of special guests, including family members of A.L. McCamy, a descendent of the local judge who first condemned the lynching, and local politicians and officials.
Photo: McCamy Family
We’ve Come This Far By Faith” performed by the Shiloh Men’s Choir.
Order of Events:
Welcome and recognition of special guests: Shannon Bearfield
Special Music (Precious Lord): Kiara Walker
The Story of A.L. McCamy: Sam Gowin
The Historical/political background of the lynching: Neill Herring
Motivational Remarks: Troy Rogers
Equal Justice Initiative: Sam Rauschenberg
Collection of Soil (Strange Fruit playing in background): Curtis Rivers and Henry Parks POLICE ESCORT FROM THE SITE OF THE OLD JAIL TO OAK HILL CEMETERY
Reading of obituary: Stoney Ponders
Unveiling of new tombstone: McCamy family in attendance
We've Come This Far By Faith by Shiloh Men's Choir
Eulogy: Rev. Dick Neelly
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