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An Open Report – What A Difference A Day Makes – Armon Sgt. Middle School, Newnan, Georgia
My schedule would indicate that on December 9, 2008 I would make a 5 mile March into the beautiful town of Fairburn, Georgia. However, Brigade Commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Sparks Ramey, and his beautiful wife, local United Daughters of the Confederacy President, felt that I would do more good if they marched me right over to Armon Sgt. Middle School located in Newnan, Georgia where they had secured a speaking engagement for me before the 4th and 5th grade classes.
Just the day before I almost got the opportunity to write my letters from the Conyers, Georgia jail for refusing to furl the Southern Cross from the entrance to Salem High School, and here a day later, I would be welcomed before the student body to tell the story of not only the brave Confederate soldier and his flag, the place of honor and dignity earned by his Black family on and off the field of battle alongside him, but also because of the kind and generous donations from Mr. and Mrs. Ramey, I would be able to present the students with my Dixie Outfitters shirts from the Black Heritage series, one of which includes the historic HK Edgerton March Across Dixie shirt, as well as Confederate battle flags and ink pens that carried the image of the Battle flag. What a difference a day makes!
It was apparent by the questions these young students asked of me that they had learned more than one side of the story told about the War Between the States. After viewing all the thank you letters that they had sent to Commander Ramey and his wife from a previous visit they had done at the school, it was clear why these youngsters were so well versed on the subject. Ms. Bloodworth and her Board of Education down the road in Conyers would do themselves a world of good and their students and the community that they serve if they would follow the lead of some very progressive and kind administrators here at Armon. I would sign the only copy I had left of Mike Scruggs Un-Civil war and present it to a beautiful Black teacher, give all the students a group hug, after which they insisted that I do the same for the teachers. I did and thanked them for allowing me to come into their school.
Later that evening I would speak before the local Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp that was attended by so many folks who had come great distances to hear me speak. I want to thank all the ladies of the UDC also for their kind hospitality. It had been a great day in Dixie.
