Historical Marker For Jackie Robinson In Georgia Found Covered With Bullets

Georgia has as many as 2,300 historical markers out of which many belong to the Civil Right’s Trail that marks the locations and events of the civil rights movement.

One of such markers was found to have received several bullet shots. The historical marker was erected for commemorating the birth of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in the Major League Baseball (MLB).

Historical Marker For Jackie Robinson In Georgia Found Covered With Bullets

The Georgia historical society stated that the vandalism of historic markers, especially those that re devoted to the Black personalities in history, is on a rise. The recent vandalism act is one of them.

They said that the vandals had not been identified yet. The Georgia historical society is a non-profit organization that is responsible for erecting such historical markers in the State.

Todd Groce, CEO of the Georgia historical society, told CNN that such acts are increasing in frequency now and the markers are not only attacked by paint or something but weapons.

Groce added that the markers that also signifies that how Georgia once was in engulf of racism. The vandalism of these markers shows that society had not yet moved far from those periods of discrimination. 

Two such historical signs were vandalized in last years. When the Georgia historical society came to know about this recent act, few members of the society were sent to Cairo, Georgia, the birth place of Jackie Robinson. 

The member reported that the historic sign was vandalized with gunshots fired on both sides. Grady County Sheriff’s office was involved in the investigation. Lt. Daniel Lindsey said that the bullet marks on the sign appear to come from a shotgun.

According to Lindsey, the sign is vandalized in a remote area of the county. They could not track the exact timeline of the vandalism act. Because of these limitations, the suspects are not yet identified.

Erroll B. Davis Jr. is a member of the Georgia historical society and former chancellor of the University system of Georgia. Davis criticized the damage caused to the historical marker.

He said that one should be proud of the marker that belongs to Jackie Robinson who had broken the colour barriers and has acquired love and fame as an MLB star.

Davis said that the vandalism acts of destroying such historical markers of the civil right movements in Georgia and beyond is shameful. 

In late 2020, another marker was vandalized by the gun shots. Robinson’s marker in Georgia is the second to have faced such sort of vandalism.

Earlier, a marker near Valdosta that was devoted to the lynching victims along with Mary Turner was found to be shot by unknown suspects. Mary Turner was a 21 years old Black woman who was burned and shot to death by a mob. She was 8 months pregnant at that time.  The incident took place in 1918 after a white panther was killed by a Black employee.

According to Groce, the marker at Valdosta was severely damaged by the gunshots and it was taken down to recast again at the place. The bullet shots pierced through the marker and it had converted the sign into a sieve. 

Both the signs that received gunshots are located in the rural area of Georgia. These locations are isolated for anyone to create mischief. This is the reason the suspects are not been identified yet. 

Groce said that the markers were erected so that all the Americans of all races can embrace the stories they tell and reflect on us who we really are, sometimes showing us the ugly faces. The markers aim is to debate and discuss the events, to start a difficult conversation, about the dark history. 

Georgia has as many as 2,300 historical markers out of which many belongs to the Civil Right’s Trail that marks the locations and events of the civil rights movement.

One of such markers was found to have received several bullet shots. The historical marker was erected for commemorating the birth of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in the Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Georgia historical society stated that the vandalism of historic markers, especially that re devoted to the Black personalities in history, is on a rise. The recent vandalism act is one of them.

They said that the vandals had not been identified yet. The Georgia historical society is a non-profit organization that is responsible for erecting such historical markers in the State.

Todd Groce, CEO of the Georgia historical society, told CNN that such acts are increasing in frequency now and the markers are not only attacked by paint or something but weapons.

Groce added that the markers that also signifies that how Georgia once was in engulf of racism. The vandalism of these markers shows that society had not yet moved far from those periods of discrimination. 

Two such historical signs were vandalized in last years. When the Georgia historical society came to know about this recent act, few members of the society were sent to Cairo, Georgia, the birth place of Jackie Robinson. 

The member reported that the historic sign was vandalized with gun shots fired on both sides. Grady County Sheriff’s office was involved in the investigation. Lt. Daniel Lindsey said that the bullet marks on the sign appears to come from a shotgun.

According to Lindsey, the sign is vandalized in a remote area of the county. They could not track the exact timeline of the vandalism act. Because of these limitations, the suspects are not yet identified.

Erroll B. Davis Jr. is a member of the Georgia historical society and former chancellor of the University System of Georgia. Davis criticized the damage caused to the historical marker.

He said that one should be proud of the marker that belongs to Jackie Robinson who had broken the colour barriers and has acquired love and fame as an MLB star.

Davis said that the vandalism acts of destroying such historical markers of the civil right movements in Georgia and beyond is shameful. 

In late 2020, another marker was vandalized by the gun shots. Robinson’s marker in Georgia is the second to have faced such sort of vandalism. Earlier, a marker near Valdosta that was devoted to the lynching victims along with Mary Turner was found to be shot by unknown suspects.

Mary Turner was a 21 years old Black woman who was burned and shot to death by a mob. She was 8 months pregnant at that time.  The incident took place in 1918 after a white panther was killed by a Black employee.

According to Groce, the marker at Valdosta was severely damaged by the gunshots and it was taken down to recast again at the place. The bullet shots pierced through the marker and it had converted the sign into a sieve. 

Both the signs that received gunshots are located in the rural area of Georgia. These locations are isolated for anyone to create mischief. This is the reason the suspects are not been identified yet. 

Groce said that the markers were erected so that all the Americans of all the races can embrace the stories they tell and reflect on us who we really are, sometimes showing us the ugly faces. The markers aim is to debate and discuss the events, to start a difficult conversation, about the dark history.