| Keysville, GA: Old Dreams, New South |
On January 4, 1988, 63-year-old Emma Gresham
became the first black mayor - the first
mayor in half a century- of Keysville, Georgia.
She won the election over her opponent by 10
votes. In the town courthouse, on a trailer
mounted on cinderblocks, a banner reads:
Justice Knows No Boundaries. It's a constant
reminder of both the town's troubled history
and the dreams the mayor has for the town.
In this small, mostly black, southern town,
Emma Gresham employed education, patience,
and political action, along with her famous
biscuits, to realize her dream of a better
life for her constituents. Producer Dan Collison
takes us to Keysville for a look at the struggle
for survival in the town that time forgot.
Links:
Georgia Magazine
A feature article on Emma Gresham, mayor of Keysville.
Long Haul Productions-Place Portraits
Visit Dan Collison's website and listen to more of his "place portraits."
Listening Projects- Keysville, Georgia
Part of a larger initiative, teams of "listeners" entered Keysville with a goal of bringing peace to the community.
The Burden of Power- Monday August 7, 1989
Time Magazine article about Emma Gresham's work in Keysville
Books:
 A Voting Rights Odyssey: Race and Voting Rights in Georgia
by: Laughlin McDonald 2003
Discover the role race has played in politics of the American south.
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