Black History Month: Jackie Collins
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This week, WBBJ is profiling Jackie Collins, a Tennessean who has dedicated time, research and money to preserve an old Hardmeman County cemetery where he believes dozens of African-Americans born into slavery are buried. Former slaves, civil rights activists and even children are buried in the cemetery that Collins says most people have forgotten. The cemetery is behind the now demolished old Toone church, and sits on 60 acres overlooking the town. Collins says after the church was torn down in the 1960s, the cemetery wasn’t maintained and most of the people buried here were undocumented, until now. Collins and a small group of people helping him have found at least 12 tombstones, including one belonging to Hamilton Finley’s great-grandmother. Collins has done his research, which includes checking with Hardeman County officials, tracing family members, and searching library archives. Collins says he lives by the saying “You have to know where you come from to know where you’re going.” He says cleaning the cemetery is one of the ways he hopes to preserve their rich history. Collins hopes to have the cemetery cleaned in time for the Pirtle and Crisp family reunion held in May, where he says people from all over the country have come to Hardeman County for the past 226 years to reunite.
