WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK (June 25-July1) — When Cindy Banks discovered this space last week, she wrote; “I know so many of these people & was not aware of the history!!!” That captures much of what 550+ in this group are feeling. I learned soooo much from 100 or so responses (comments and replies to them) that poured in after Valarie Cornell asked: “Did we or do we have any locals that ‘made’ it in entertainment or sports or at whatever they were doing?” If you haven’t read through the answers — in comments and in replies — then you have really missed a treat. Use the search bar with her name or just scroll through to find her post from June 26.

I learned that people have not discovered some of the “history lessons” that I posted so I will shamelessly promote them. Please check out what I wrote about how children got to school (and where those schools were) in response to a 1953 photograph Willie Norman posted showing children and school buses. And what I wrote about R. B. Carr and the MORAL ELEVATION SOCIETY, an organization founded at Shady Grove in 1890 to take care of people in need. And, finally, what I wrote about racism and even terrorism that are also a part of our history in a place that thinks of itself as a community of friendly people. It’s called RACISM’S UGLY LEGACY.

Aldren Sadler Sr filled in the gaps in our knowledge about the Citizens Progressive Club in three posts. Raymond Carr, Jr. provided great information about the George W. Levett Funeral Home, the oldest black business in Rockdale County; and J Philip Baker had us on pins and needles with a brainteaser about the oldest black church. Be sure to check that out! Did anyone pick up on the fact that one building on Bryant Street — a building that was next door to a house in which I spent several years of my childhood and that was in front of the house that Howard Anthony Milsap grew up in — was the site of THREE separate black businesses? First, it was a dry cleaner that was opened by the father of Beverly Veal , Robert Lee, and his partner Howard Carr around 1950. Then it became, as Sierra Sawyer and Stan Lee have reminded us, the Triple L Barbershop. After that it was the Levett and Sons Funeral Home. Wow!

Keep coming back. Revisit the posts you’ve read before: there might be new information. And keep sharing your information and your observations. Please include PHOTOS as often as possible. Read from the bottom up on occasion to be sure you don’t miss some of the goodies. Don’t forget to read what others have said BEFORE you add your comments to a conversation. It’s actually a revelation to wade through how everyone has weighed in on a topic, whether its Jesse Baker or the oldest black church.

A final note: We should all be so proud that so many younger folks are making such professional strides (as evidenced in those responses to Valarie Cornell's post). Let’s make sure they know that “the village” is behind them. I look forward to talking history with you in August, when I’ll be home for my summer visit — God willin’ and the creek don’t rise!

E. R. Shipp post on The Black Heritage of Rockdale Facebook page.