Celebrate MLK Day 2022 with Hopkins’ trailblazing black citizens

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As Hopkins County celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2022, let’s take a look back at some of the trailblazing black citizens of Hopkins County and honor the legacy they left. Note: this list does not include living public figures. 

H.W. Grays– Harrison Wheat Grays (1913-1978) was a community leader and former county extension agent for whom Pacific Park’s H.W. Grays building was named. Grays served Hopkins County at AgriLife for 37 years and was widely known for his civic and church service. As a lifelong member of Morning Chapel Baptist Church, he was one of the leading forces in its rebuilding following a January 1974 structure fire. He was a huge proponent of hay shows, and helped to establish Hopkins’ hay testing laboratory. 

Prince Beachum– Prince Anthony “Big Ham” Beachum (1969-2021) was a former SSHS baseball standout who went on to become a strong proponent of preserving black history and culture. As a dedicated leader of the Juneteenth committee, he helped oversee the annual festivities celebrating the end of slavery from 2009 until his death. He was an employee of OceanSpray for over 20 years, and a member of Mitchell Chapel C. O. G. I. C. His memory lives on, as a placard at Pacific Park now stands in his honor. 

Gloria & JD Franklin– Gloria Nash Franklin (1940-2021) and JD Franklin (1940-present) have served as a political power couple in Hopkins County, and together achieved great things. During his career, JD served as Hopkins County’s first black commissioner (1973), Sulphur Springs’ first black mayor (1979), delegate to the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (late 1970s, mid-1980s), Chamber of Commerce Civic Improvement Chair (1983) and more. 

Married for 62 years, JD regularly states he could not have done any of it without devoted wife Gloria. In 2019 the couple were surprised to learn the Sulphur Springs city council had honored them by renaming the street they live on from Jackson Street to “JD Franklin Street.” Gloria passed in December 2021, while JD continues to work in the maintenance department at SSHS.

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Valanderous Bell– Valanderous Wayne Bell (1952-2021) was a community organizer and racial equality activist. Bell was elected to city council in 1993, was elected mayor in 1998, and ultimately sat three terms until 2001. He acted as pastor at MLK Church, Central Baptist Church, and Arbala Road Church of Christ. 

Key projects Bell championed included the Sulphur Springs Public Library, city government diversity training, south town water tower, and multicultural representation for citizens. After his time on council, he remained active, leading Citizens for a Better Government and, in 2020, he helped lead Sulphur Springs’ Black Lives Matter march at Pacific Park. 

Bill Dirks– Billy G. Dirks (1934-2015) became Hopkins County’s first black sheriff in 1990 when he served the position as interim after former sheriff Mark Bassham’s retirement. He was formally and officially elected into the office in 1992. Prior, Dirks served as HCSO’s chief deputy. Dirks served 27 years in the US Air Force and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and numerous other honors.  He served in both the Korean & Vietnam Wars.

Upon his election, he stated he felt a great sense of pride to serve the office of Sheriff, as his grandfather was formerly enslaved. He went on to remain Sheriff until 1996, and received numerous awards from the Texas Sheriff’s Association, African-American Pioneers of Law, and others. He was the second African American Sheriff in the state of Texas.

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Julius Pitts– (1913-2002) As proprietor of the Julius Pitts Cafe on Fuller Street, Pitts made a space where all could come to enjoy fantastic food and atmosphere during the 1980s. The restaurant specialized in Pittsburg hot links and homemade chili. 

Pitts also ran the concession stand at Pacific Park from 1977 until 1987 when, at age 74, he retired. He was also a fisherman of some renown and practiced the hobby at Century Lake in the 1960s.   

H.W. Ridge– (1914-1986) In 1982, Mr. Ridge was the first black ballot box judge in Hopkins County, along with numerous other accomplishments. Some of these include: president of the Sulphur Springs Political Action Committee, board of trustees of Morning Chapel Baptist Church, branch chairman of the NAACP and a strong supporter of the Democratic Party of Texas. 

As early as 1954, Ridge and his wife Dorothy were documented demanding school integration in Sulphur Springs. Following a petition he wrote the same year, the Ridges home was “blasted with gunfire,” according to the NAACP, although no one was injured as they were not there at the time. 

Zebedee Clayton– (?-1983) as a proud member of the Pleasant Hill community, Clayton served as Hopkins County’s first black law enforcement officer. Beginning in 1953, Clayton acted first as a Sulphur Springs police officer and then as a sheriff’s deputy. 

Clayton was a US Navy WWII veteran. Also a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he operated a 235-acre farm in Arbala. He served as post commander of the American Legion Auxiliary and coached the first little league baseball team created for East End boys. 

Rowena Johnson– (1949- 2020) after growing up on a dairy farm in Como-Pickton, Ms. Johnson attended East Texas State Teacher’s College and thereafter devoted herself to serving the children of Sulphur Springs. 

Johnson taught at SSISD for 50 years and was principal of the Lamar/ Johnson school for 27 years. She was SSISD’s first African American principal overall. 

On May 11, SSISD approved the renaming of Lamar Primary School to Rowena Johnson Primary, after legendary black educator Ms. Johnson who passed in July 2020. On October 16, the name change was made official as the school’s front exterior sign was revealed bearing Johnson’s name. 

“The Legacy of Rowena Johnson is one of character, faith, integrity, and courage,” said her son Marques.

By Taylor Nye. Sourced from the Hopkins County Echo, Mayor John Sellers, individual obituaries, National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) and original reporting. 

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