Historic Markers Honor Black History in Columbus, MS | WCBI TV

Columbus Honors Black Excellence with New Historic Markers

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Research conducted by students at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) has resulted in the dedication of two historic markers in Columbus, Mississippi, honoring significant figures and institutions in the city’s African American history.

The markers, unveiled on Friday, February 20, commemorate Henry Baker, Junior, and Union Academy, recognizing their contributions to the community and the broader struggle for equality and educational opportunity. The dedication ceremonies were attended by students, teachers, and local leaders.

Henry Baker, Junior, was born enslaved in Columbus shortly before the start of the Civil War. Following emancipation, he excelled in school and became the third African American appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy, and the first from Mississippi. Despite facing significant racial discrimination and ultimately being dismissed from the academy, Baker persevered, earning a law degree from Howard University and securing a position in the Patent Office. There, he championed the work of Black inventors, documenting their contributions in two published books.

“He overcame challenge after challenge for his period to do the best he could,” said Chuck Yarborough, a History Teacher at MSMS. “We like to say we’re standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, his shoulders are the shoulders we’re standing on right now.”

State Representative and Chairman of the Mississippi Black Caucus, Kabir Karriem, emphasized the importance of preserving and sharing Baker’s story, particularly in a time when history is being challenged. “He made it his life’s mission to make sure people knew the genius of black excellence here in America,” Karriem said. “It’s always the right time to tell the truth, and with the mood of the country going the way it is, with denying history being taught, it’s even more reason to do all we can to make sure folks know who Henry Baker Jr. Was and he did his life’s work preserving history.”

Althea Wells, a senior at MSMS, expressed hope that Baker’s story would inspire others. “I just want people to know, their circumstances do not have to hold them back,” she said. “I hope people remember our history because these are triumphant moments of our history. We should look at the past and consider it, but be proud of how far we’ve come.”

Approximately nine blocks south of the Baker marker, on 9th Avenue, a second marker was unveiled at the original site of Union Academy. Established in 1865 by the Freedman’s Bureau, Union Academy served as the sole educational institution for African Americans in Columbus for roughly four decades.

“This is where over 140 years of educational opportunity started,” Yarborough explained. The school later relocated to a more prominent location on the north side of Columbus in 1903.

Yarborough noted that at the outset of the Civil War, approximately 70% of Lowndes County’s population was enslaved. Union Academy played a crucial role in providing educational access to a significant portion of the community.

Karriem highlighted the symbolic importance of placing the marker at the academy’s original location. “This school was built, put aside so that blacks would have a chance at education. This marker here is symbolic because it shows the foundation, the site, where this school once stood,” he said.

Vincent Young, another senior at MSMS, reflected on the lasting impact of Union Academy. “Just remembering what Union Academy has done for Columbus, especially me being a Columbus Native, you hear about Union Academy all the time, and it was an incubator that shaped the community and created leaders. It just shows perseverance to beat the odds, to overcome your challenges and push through hardship,” Young said. “I believe it’s just important to know our history, honor it, preserve it, and keep it close to your heart.”

Yarborough concluded by emphasizing the importance of honoring the past to inspire a better future. “I think honoring our past and all the people who contribute to the community we have is a way to inspire people to then work toward a better future. So, I think the lives of those who dedicated their lives to educating people in this community is that we have to carry on that legacy.”

The Henry Baker Jr. Marker is located at Main Street and 9th Street South, while the Union Academy marker can be found on 9th Ave. South between 8th and 9th Street South.