05/25/2026
Today I stepped back into history.
I had the honor of spending time with Mrs. Perry Stith, niece of Dr. Robert Emile Hanson, a respected African American physician who delivered more than 2,000 babies throughout Nacogdoches County during segregation.
Alongside Archie Rison and civil rights activist Helena Abdullah, we toured historic African American sites in Nacogdoches, including E.J. Campbell School and locations connected to Black-owned businesses like Will Risper’s tamale truck and Jack Benton’s Pressing Shop. Mrs. Stith, Archie, and Helena even demonstrated some of the tap dance routines they learned as children from their beloved teacher, Mrs. Ella Mae Sheffield.
Helena also shared powerful firsthand memories from the Civil Rights Movement in Nacogdoches and the courage it took to peacefully demand equality, opportunity, and respect during segregation.
The day before, we worked together preserving local trailblazer signs and learning the traditional process of “tamping” used to secure posts before concrete became common.
I am grateful to the Nacogdoches African American Heritage Project (AAHP) and to individuals like Archie and Helena who are working tirelessly to preserve these important stories before they are lost. History matters. Preservation matters. Stories matter.
Please support the AAHP and help preserve the rich African American history of Nacogdoches and East Texas.
https://kingvision.org/king-vision-blog/f/walking-through-history-in-nacogdoches
