Oconee County, GA Politics

Civil rights activists sponsoring Saturday’s 10th annual reenactment of Georgia’s last known mass lynching expect a large crowd from across the state, but hope they won’t have to keep reliving the bitter history much longer. The reenactments of the 1946 killing of two black couples on the Moore’s Ford Bridge in Monroe, Ga., were designed to rattle the consciences of some of the 200 or so witnesses in hopes they would come forward and lead investigators to the perpetrators who have escaped prosecution all these years. Last year, one man did come forward to relay tales he had heard as a boy of his family members recounting atrocities they participated in against blacks. The event organizers have written the chairmen of the congressional judiciary committees to ask for hearings to pressure federal investigators to step up their actives. One organizer, state Rep. Tyrone Brooks, president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, speculates that part of the ...

October 3rd, 4th and 5th: we are hosting a living history event to commemorate the 149th anniversary of Stonemans Raid on Watkinsville. We are planning to recreate the event by bringing in re-enactors and transforming part of Watkinsville to 1864. The event will consist of a soldiers camp, cavalry demonstrations, a ladies tea, and a story teller with stories from the area, a broom maker, a photographer and many "famous people" that will entertain with their encounters before, during and after the war. We are coming to you for help because in order to make this a success we need lots of things. The largest need is money - in the way of supplies, gas cards, water, ice and prepared food for the re-enactors, hay, and grain for the horses, printing of banners and flyers, as well as volunteers. Please consider this as a way you and your business can give back to the community and step back in time for the weekend. Thank you in advance and if you have any questions, feel free ...

Renewed calls for justice in an unsolved murder case

I love the History Channel and the Moore's Ford incident, as horrible as it was, needs to be accurately recreated for future generations to never forget our inhumanity. CAST + CREW CALL :: HISTORY CHANNEL RE-ENACTMENT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Producers from the HISTORY CHANNEL are seeking actors, crew and production assistants for a historical re-enactment shoot of the Moore's Ford lynching to be shot near Athens on FRIDAY MARCH 7th From the Producer…. We need to cast: 2 Black males - 22-28 years range. They should appear young and trim. 2 Black females - 20-25. They should appear young and trim. 12-16 white males - from 20 to 50 years of age. Our 4 young black actors need to have some acting skills as they will be playing the part of the very distressed victims. The white men don't need any major acting skills. They'll be tying up the black males, dragging them through the clearing, and firing the prop guns at the mock exec...

Moore's Ford has forever stained the Walton-Oconee county border with the indelible stain of racism. Rich Rusk and friends invite you to their Christmas festivities December 1. The following video re-enactment they had nothing to do with in terms of staging, but it gives you a good idea of why racial reconciliation is so important. Keep in mind the following is an invitation from Rich and the Moore's Ford Memorial Committee and goes on here in Watkinsville Dear Moores Ford friends and invited guests, Please attend our 11th Annual Moores Ford Christmas Party. See invitation below. For a better copy and our full, two page invitation, please open the attachment. We have had yet another good year and it is time to celebrate. Some very special guests have been invited to receive Moores Ford Community Service Awards, including: Amrey & Debra Harden, GABEO President Tyrone Brooks, organizers from the Maceo Snipes memorial effort – John Cole Vodicka, Prison & Jail Proj...