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On Saturday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m., at Concord Cemetery in the Lovett Community, the Bolden family from Old Bailey, Fla. will be hosting festivities commemorating the removal of the old headstones of James and Ellen Wilson Bolden and the replacement of new ones. These headstones were placed on their graves in 1957 (Ellen) and 1959 (James). Over time, the weather has washed away all lettering from the graves.
It is easy for families to lose their existence in the world. If families do not use methods such as memoirs, pictures, artifacts or oral presentations to preserve past family history, then the next generation will not know where they began in life.
If these gravestones were not being refurbished, then future generations would have no knowledge of the location of family members' burial sites, family members' lifestyles or events that made them who they were. Most of our young adults have heard of these two people, but know very little about their life in Bailey, Fla.
In order to better enhance the younger generation's awareness of these two people, the Madison County Planning Committee for the Bolden Family Reunion decided to spearhead this one-day ceremony before the three-day Bolden Reunion, which will be held June 21 through June 23 in Madison County.
The commemorative program, to be held on Jan. 19, is one that will be recreated from the timeline of James and Ellen Wilson. The festivities will consist of Old Negro Spirituals such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "I'm Going Home on the Morning Train," "Somewhere Around God's Throne," and "Keep Your Whole Heart and Mine on Jesus." There will be lots of singing, many prayers and powerful, spirit-filled messages from the Holy Word. These were the key elements that made up all festivities in Negro life during the time frame of their existence. Afterwards, everyone will convene at New Canaan M.B. Church for a traditional meal of the time: fried chicken, rice, t-cakes, syrup bread and drinks.
Come out and go back in time for a while. If you come, please bring your musical instruments such as washboards, tops, buckets, etc. Don't forget to bring a chair.