- Published on
Thirty-seven years ago today, on July 29, 1989, my world was completely shattered. Just five months after losing my beloved mother, Hattie Lee Peters Clark, a devastating house fire took my father, Wilkie Clark. In a single year, the two foundational pillars of my life were gone.
Out of that unspeakable grief came a lifelong calling. I have spent the last 37 years as his daughter, frequent companion, and confidante meticulously documenting, protecting, and honoring his historic legacy. I do this because I saw firsthand the heavy price he paid.
Long before it was popular or safe, my father possessed the grit, unyielding backbone, and radical courage to stand up against the oppressive systems of the Jim Crow South. For over 30 years, he anchored Randolph County’s NAACP Branch #5053 as President. When others "jumped ship" out of fear, Daddy never shirked his duty and never backed down. Together with my mother — a brilliant educator who quietly steadied the ground beneath his feet— they turned our family business, Clark Memorial Funeral Service, into the unofficial headquarters of the local Civil Rights Movement in East Alabama.
They wanted his name forgotten. They wanted his work erased. But his blueprint for perseverance and unselfish service to humanity is too massive to be hidden.
"Daddy, your tragic end could never dim the light you left behind. The work continues, and your story is safe in my hands."
Please join me today in remembering a true giant, an unsung Civil Rights hero, and the man I am proudest to call my father. Explore his real, archived history at the Wilkie Clark Historic Landmark Site.
Your beloved daughter, ALWAYS AND FOR ETERNITY
Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson aka "Wilkie Clark's Daughter"
Out of that unspeakable grief came a lifelong calling. I have spent the last 37 years as his daughter, frequent companion, and confidante meticulously documenting, protecting, and honoring his historic legacy. I do this because I saw firsthand the heavy price he paid.
Long before it was popular or safe, my father possessed the grit, unyielding backbone, and radical courage to stand up against the oppressive systems of the Jim Crow South. For over 30 years, he anchored Randolph County’s NAACP Branch #5053 as President. When others "jumped ship" out of fear, Daddy never shirked his duty and never backed down. Together with my mother — a brilliant educator who quietly steadied the ground beneath his feet— they turned our family business, Clark Memorial Funeral Service, into the unofficial headquarters of the local Civil Rights Movement in East Alabama.
They wanted his name forgotten. They wanted his work erased. But his blueprint for perseverance and unselfish service to humanity is too massive to be hidden.
"Daddy, your tragic end could never dim the light you left behind. The work continues, and your story is safe in my hands."
Please join me today in remembering a true giant, an unsung Civil Rights hero, and the man I am proudest to call my father. Explore his real, archived history at the Wilkie Clark Historic Landmark Site.
Your beloved daughter, ALWAYS AND FOR ETERNITY
Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson aka "Wilkie Clark's Daughter"
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A Vote Is Not Just a Right — It Is a Responsibility: Why This Workshop Matters Now
At a time when so much feels uncertain, one truth remains constant: the power of the vote is still one of the most important tools we have.
And yet—too many people are disconnected from it.
Across generations, we are witnessing a dangerous combination of voter fatigue, misinformation, and quiet disengagement. Hard-fought rights that once demanded courage, sacrifice, and even bloodshed are now too often treated as optional. That is not just unfortunate—it is risky.
Because history has already shown us what happens when voices go silent.
That is why the upcoming Voter Education Workshop hosted at the Clark Historic Landmark Site is not just another community event—it is a call to awareness.
This workshop is rooted in a deeper purpose: to reconnect people with the meaning behind their vote. Not just how to cast it—but why it matters. Why it has always mattered.
The Clark Historic Site itself stands as a living reminder of a legacy built on perseverance, dignity, and the pursuit of justice. It is only fitting that conversations about civic responsibility are taking place in a space grounded in that history. This is not abstract. This is personal. This is generational.
We are living in a moment where policies are shifting, rights are being debated, and decisions are being made that will affect communities for years to come. In times like these, disengagement is not neutral—it has consequences.
“If you don’t use your vote… someone else will use it against you.”
That statement is not meant to provoke fear—it is meant to awaken responsibility.
This workshop aims to equip attendees with knowledge, clarity, and confidence. It is an opportunity to ask questions, to understand the process, and to walk away informed rather than overwhelmed. Whether someone is a first-time voter or someone who hasn’t participated in years, there is space for them here.
More importantly, it is an opportunity to restore a sense of ownership.
Voting is not just about elections—it is about voice. It is about influence. It is about ensuring that the needs, concerns, and values of a community are represented and respected.
The truth is simple: democracy does not function on autopilot. It depends on participation.
And participation begins with education.
This workshop is a step toward that—an intentional effort to meet people where they are and remind them that their voice still carries weight.
At this critical juncture in our history, that reminder is not just needed—it is essential.
And yet—too many people are disconnected from it.
Across generations, we are witnessing a dangerous combination of voter fatigue, misinformation, and quiet disengagement. Hard-fought rights that once demanded courage, sacrifice, and even bloodshed are now too often treated as optional. That is not just unfortunate—it is risky.
Because history has already shown us what happens when voices go silent.
That is why the upcoming Voter Education Workshop hosted at the Clark Historic Landmark Site is not just another community event—it is a call to awareness.
This workshop is rooted in a deeper purpose: to reconnect people with the meaning behind their vote. Not just how to cast it—but why it matters. Why it has always mattered.
The Clark Historic Site itself stands as a living reminder of a legacy built on perseverance, dignity, and the pursuit of justice. It is only fitting that conversations about civic responsibility are taking place in a space grounded in that history. This is not abstract. This is personal. This is generational.
We are living in a moment where policies are shifting, rights are being debated, and decisions are being made that will affect communities for years to come. In times like these, disengagement is not neutral—it has consequences.
“If you don’t use your vote… someone else will use it against you.”
That statement is not meant to provoke fear—it is meant to awaken responsibility.
This workshop aims to equip attendees with knowledge, clarity, and confidence. It is an opportunity to ask questions, to understand the process, and to walk away informed rather than overwhelmed. Whether someone is a first-time voter or someone who hasn’t participated in years, there is space for them here.
More importantly, it is an opportunity to restore a sense of ownership.
Voting is not just about elections—it is about voice. It is about influence. It is about ensuring that the needs, concerns, and values of a community are represented and respected.
The truth is simple: democracy does not function on autopilot. It depends on participation.
And participation begins with education.
This workshop is a step toward that—an intentional effort to meet people where they are and remind them that their voice still carries weight.
At this critical juncture in our history, that reminder is not just needed—it is essential.
The question is not whether this moment will pass—but whether we will meet it prepared. This workshop is one opportunity to do just that.
The responsibility is ours. The time is now.
Join us.
The responsibility is ours. The time is now.
Join us.
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I’m Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson, speaking on behalf of the Randolph County Branch, #5053, NAACP. I am speaking NOT ONLY on behalf of myself as a life-long supporter and member of this National Association;
NOT ONLY THAT: But as A Past President of this Branch #5053, from 1992 — 2006.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, also as the daughter of the late Wilkie Clark, the Founding President of Branch 5053 here in Randolph County, and the longest serving Local Branch President during the TURBULENT years of the Civil Rights Era, having served this community for probably 40 years more or less;
During that time, I watched my late father take life-threatening personal risks, and make courageous sacrifices as a local Civil Rights Champion of the BLACK community; I saw what it took to get streets paved in our black communities; to get sewerage lines in black neighborhoods; to get blacks appointed as “Poll Workers” on Election Day; to fight “At-Large” elections to ensure that blacks got elected to public office throughout this county; and to PUBLICLY and OPENLY challenge the mistreatment of black students in local public schools. And much of the progress we enjoy TODAY — is because of the Heroic efforts that black leaders in our area put forth YESTERDAY! We owe much of that progress to our village maintaining a STRONG — VIBRANT CIVIL RIGHTS Community, under-girded by strong black men and women in all neighborhoods. Far too many for me to name one by one. But the people in our communities joined and supported the NAACP, and that’s what MADE it strong, and KEPT it strong.
In just 7 days, the NAACP — this nation’s oldest and largest Civil Rights Institution, will be 117 years old. . . Founded on February 12, 1909 — the Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.
Our Branch President, Elder Delvan L. Houston has planned an event to observe the Founding of the NAACP, which will be held Thursday, February 12, 2026. Also during this time, we are hosting a membership drive. On that day, I will be available at Clark Memorial Funeral Service, 252 Lafayette Highway all afternoon, [from 1:00 until 5:00 PM] to accept memberships. President Houston has expressed a desire to receive at least 100 new memberships or renewals. Many of you have memberships that have expired. But we must remember this is an ANNUAL commitment.
The regular Adult Membership Fee is $30.00. PLEASE LET ME EMPHASIZE, WE realize that — FINANCIALLY — times are difficult. And, while inwardly, we may be thinking, “I can’t afford to join.” Under our present political climate in this nation, YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO JOIN!” This is the ideal time to renew.
So, please remember take out some time and come by our home, Clark Funeral Home, the Clark Historic Landmark Site, and “Unofficial Home Of The Civil Rights Movement in Randolph County!” And MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT known to STAY IN THE FIGHT — for Freedom, Justice, and Equality! Then meet us in the Front Lobby at Clark Funeral Home, for a short Founders Day Observance from 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM.
NOT ONLY THAT: But as A Past President of this Branch #5053, from 1992 — 2006.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, also as the daughter of the late Wilkie Clark, the Founding President of Branch 5053 here in Randolph County, and the longest serving Local Branch President during the TURBULENT years of the Civil Rights Era, having served this community for probably 40 years more or less;
During that time, I watched my late father take life-threatening personal risks, and make courageous sacrifices as a local Civil Rights Champion of the BLACK community; I saw what it took to get streets paved in our black communities; to get sewerage lines in black neighborhoods; to get blacks appointed as “Poll Workers” on Election Day; to fight “At-Large” elections to ensure that blacks got elected to public office throughout this county; and to PUBLICLY and OPENLY challenge the mistreatment of black students in local public schools. And much of the progress we enjoy TODAY — is because of the Heroic efforts that black leaders in our area put forth YESTERDAY! We owe much of that progress to our village maintaining a STRONG — VIBRANT CIVIL RIGHTS Community, under-girded by strong black men and women in all neighborhoods. Far too many for me to name one by one. But the people in our communities joined and supported the NAACP, and that’s what MADE it strong, and KEPT it strong.
In just 7 days, the NAACP — this nation’s oldest and largest Civil Rights Institution, will be 117 years old. . . Founded on February 12, 1909 — the Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.
Our Branch President, Elder Delvan L. Houston has planned an event to observe the Founding of the NAACP, which will be held Thursday, February 12, 2026. Also during this time, we are hosting a membership drive. On that day, I will be available at Clark Memorial Funeral Service, 252 Lafayette Highway all afternoon, [from 1:00 until 5:00 PM] to accept memberships. President Houston has expressed a desire to receive at least 100 new memberships or renewals. Many of you have memberships that have expired. But we must remember this is an ANNUAL commitment.
The regular Adult Membership Fee is $30.00. PLEASE LET ME EMPHASIZE, WE realize that — FINANCIALLY — times are difficult. And, while inwardly, we may be thinking, “I can’t afford to join.” Under our present political climate in this nation, YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO JOIN!” This is the ideal time to renew.
So, please remember take out some time and come by our home, Clark Funeral Home, the Clark Historic Landmark Site, and “Unofficial Home Of The Civil Rights Movement in Randolph County!” And MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT known to STAY IN THE FIGHT — for Freedom, Justice, and Equality! Then meet us in the Front Lobby at Clark Funeral Home, for a short Founders Day Observance from 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM.
- Published on
Below, is the narrative we have prepared for our Determination of Eligibility for the National Register Of Historic Places. We strongly believe in this action and are ready to defend it. We believe we have the documentation to prove every sentence, and thus we are moving forward with this request.
Historic Narrative
The Clark Historic Landmark Site, located at 252 LaFayette Highway in Roanoke, Randolph County, Alabama, embodies more than a century of architectural survival and a half-century of civil rights history. The building itself, constructed over 100 years ago, was inherited by Hattie Lee Peters Clark and became the foundation for the entrepreneurial vision of her husband, Wilkie Clark.
In the late 1960s, when Wilkie Clark sought to establish his funeral home, he encountered significant resistance — not from white neighbors, but from within his own African American community. Many of the protestors were church-going neighbors, some from the very congregation the Clarks attended, who opposed the presence of a funeral home in their neighborhood. Their objections reflected longstanding cultural fears and stigma surrounding death, as well as social divisions that often shaped Black life in the mid-20th century South.
Because of this opposition, Clark was forced by zoning pressures to physically relocate the structure. The century-old building was literally cut in half and moved several hundred yards to its present site along LaFayette Highway, where it opened as Clark Funeral Home in 1969. From that moment forward, the property stood not only as a place of business but as a center of Black economic independence and social activism.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Clark Funeral Home became known as the “Un-Official Home Of The Civil Rights Movement” in Roanoke and Randolph County. It provided a safe space for organizing, a platform for civic leadership, and a tangible symbol of resilience during a time when African Americans faced both systemic discrimination and internal community pressures. The building has remained in continuous use as a Clark family enterprise since its relocation, preserving the physical and symbolic integrity of its role in Alabama’s civil rights landscape.
Assessment of Significance
The Clark Historic Landmark Site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A: (Events) and Criterion B: (Persons), with additional consideration under Criterion C: (Architecture):
While the National Register generally limits consideration of moved buildings, this site remains eligible because its significance is primarily derived from its association with events and persons of historic importance. The relocation itself, forced by community opposition, enhances its interpretive value and deepens its historical resonance.
Conclusion:
The Clark Historic Landmark Site clearly meets the National Register’s eligibility requirements under Criteria A, B, and C. It is a rare surviving example of an African American–owned institution that embodies the tensions, struggles, and triumphs of the Civil Rights era in rural Alabama. Its story—rooted in perseverance against both external barriers and internal community resistance—represents a vital chapter in the larger American pursuit of equality and dignity.
The Clark Historic Landmark Site, located at 252 LaFayette Highway in Roanoke, Randolph County, Alabama, embodies more than a century of architectural survival and a half-century of civil rights history. The building itself, constructed over 100 years ago, was inherited by Hattie Lee Peters Clark and became the foundation for the entrepreneurial vision of her husband, Wilkie Clark.
In the late 1960s, when Wilkie Clark sought to establish his funeral home, he encountered significant resistance — not from white neighbors, but from within his own African American community. Many of the protestors were church-going neighbors, some from the very congregation the Clarks attended, who opposed the presence of a funeral home in their neighborhood. Their objections reflected longstanding cultural fears and stigma surrounding death, as well as social divisions that often shaped Black life in the mid-20th century South.
Because of this opposition, Clark was forced by zoning pressures to physically relocate the structure. The century-old building was literally cut in half and moved several hundred yards to its present site along LaFayette Highway, where it opened as Clark Funeral Home in 1969. From that moment forward, the property stood not only as a place of business but as a center of Black economic independence and social activism.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Clark Funeral Home became known as the “Un-Official Home Of The Civil Rights Movement” in Roanoke and Randolph County. It provided a safe space for organizing, a platform for civic leadership, and a tangible symbol of resilience during a time when African Americans faced both systemic discrimination and internal community pressures. The building has remained in continuous use as a Clark family enterprise since its relocation, preserving the physical and symbolic integrity of its role in Alabama’s civil rights landscape.
Assessment of Significance
The Clark Historic Landmark Site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A: (Events) and Criterion B: (Persons), with additional consideration under Criterion C: (Architecture):
- Criterion A (Events): The site is directly associated with the Civil Rights era and the struggle for African American self-determination in the Deep South. The forced relocation of the building due to community opposition is itself a historically significant event, illustrating the complex social, cultural, and political dynamics within African American communities as they navigated economic empowerment and cultural traditions.
- Criterion B (Persons): The property is inextricably linked to the lives of Wilkie Clark and Hattie Lee Peters Clark, whose entrepreneurial achievements, community leadership, and civil rights activism left a lasting impact on Roanoke, Randolph County, and East Alabama. Their legacy is preserved not only in the ongoing work of the funeral home but also in the broader historical narrative of African American leadership in rural Alabama.
- Criterion C (Architecture): The building, more than 100 years old, retains its historic workmanship and materials despite relocation. Its survival and adaptation to new use illustrate vernacular building practices in the early 20th century and their continuity into the modern era.
While the National Register generally limits consideration of moved buildings, this site remains eligible because its significance is primarily derived from its association with events and persons of historic importance. The relocation itself, forced by community opposition, enhances its interpretive value and deepens its historical resonance.
Conclusion:
The Clark Historic Landmark Site clearly meets the National Register’s eligibility requirements under Criteria A, B, and C. It is a rare surviving example of an African American–owned institution that embodies the tensions, struggles, and triumphs of the Civil Rights era in rural Alabama. Its story—rooted in perseverance against both external barriers and internal community resistance—represents a vital chapter in the larger American pursuit of equality and dignity.
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We're happy to announce that beautiful enlarged photos of our Historic Marker have been featured on HMbd.org, a database website dedicated to featuring Historic Markers from all over the world.
According to the editor and publisher, J. D. Pratts, "We are a small, all-volunteer organization — myself included — and at times our single internet server cannot cope with the volume of visitors. This website boasts 240,000 pages and 800,000 photos, thanks to the numerous volunteers who contribute to the site. I had the good fortune to communicate with the editor & publisher as the result of a technical glitch in their site after trying unsuccessfully add photos of our historic marker. After several failed attempts, I had no choice but to reach out to Pratts, and the response I received was nothing short of inspiring. I have to share it with you.
"Preserving local history is my passion, and as I have learned from your submission, yours also. I learn something new with each and every historical marker I come across, and yours is no exception. The Clarks described on this marker were remarkable history-makers. It takes significant work and perseverance (and cash!) to get historical markers erected, but they are so important to not only preserve local history, but to present it to passersby. A dusty book at the library preserves history, but a historical marker presents a little bit of that history to every person who passes by, should they care to stop for a moment and read a few lines.
I want to encourage everyone who loves history, to join, and if you happen to pass by a historic marker that's not listed on hmdb.org, snap a photo of it and take the time to add it to their amazing database.
To Visit our listing on HMbd.org, please visit the following link:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=282042
While visitng the HMbd.org website, you will also find the listing for the historic Randolph County Training School at the following link:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=235575
According to the editor and publisher, J. D. Pratts, "We are a small, all-volunteer organization — myself included — and at times our single internet server cannot cope with the volume of visitors. This website boasts 240,000 pages and 800,000 photos, thanks to the numerous volunteers who contribute to the site. I had the good fortune to communicate with the editor & publisher as the result of a technical glitch in their site after trying unsuccessfully add photos of our historic marker. After several failed attempts, I had no choice but to reach out to Pratts, and the response I received was nothing short of inspiring. I have to share it with you.
"Preserving local history is my passion, and as I have learned from your submission, yours also. I learn something new with each and every historical marker I come across, and yours is no exception. The Clarks described on this marker were remarkable history-makers. It takes significant work and perseverance (and cash!) to get historical markers erected, but they are so important to not only preserve local history, but to present it to passersby. A dusty book at the library preserves history, but a historical marker presents a little bit of that history to every person who passes by, should they care to stop for a moment and read a few lines.
I want to encourage everyone who loves history, to join, and if you happen to pass by a historic marker that's not listed on hmdb.org, snap a photo of it and take the time to add it to their amazing database.
To Visit our listing on HMbd.org, please visit the following link:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=282042
While visitng the HMbd.org website, you will also find the listing for the historic Randolph County Training School at the following link:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=235575
- Published on
Today, I received a sweet reminder of a quest that we took on, back in July of 2005 — the establishment of this area's first black weekly print News Media Publication, which we affectionately named "The People's Voice."
I was reminded by way of a heartwarming birthday greeting from my dear friend, Jeanetta Springer, who was right in there with me, front and center, when I got a groups of our friends and comrads together, and put forward the idea of a Weekly black Newspaper publication of our own design.
The project was one of the very first projects of the Wilkie Clark Memorial Foundation. And it was HUGE. We really wanted to do something HUGE, and impactful.
For months, a large group of interested friends who love our community, regularly met, put our heads together, hammered out the plans, and meticulously pooled our meager resources to put out that HUGE FIRST EDITION of The Peoples Voice.
As a tribute to our effort to establish our own black-owned print news media publication I can't fail to thank all of those, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES who helped us by supporting our black print publication.
Amazingly, the idea took hold, and in spite of the many many obstacles, and everything working against us, we managed to roll out weekly issues of The People's Voice Weekly News, from July of 2005, until around the early part of 2009 — nearly 5 years. It was a bold undertaking. But, we were up to the task.
It was long overdue for there to exist in our communities, a publication FOR US, BY US, AND ABOUT US!! And this is what we attempted to do.
I was reminded by way of a heartwarming birthday greeting from my dear friend, Jeanetta Springer, who was right in there with me, front and center, when I got a groups of our friends and comrads together, and put forward the idea of a Weekly black Newspaper publication of our own design.
The project was one of the very first projects of the Wilkie Clark Memorial Foundation. And it was HUGE. We really wanted to do something HUGE, and impactful.
For months, a large group of interested friends who love our community, regularly met, put our heads together, hammered out the plans, and meticulously pooled our meager resources to put out that HUGE FIRST EDITION of The Peoples Voice.
As a tribute to our effort to establish our own black-owned print news media publication I can't fail to thank all of those, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES who helped us by supporting our black print publication.
Amazingly, the idea took hold, and in spite of the many many obstacles, and everything working against us, we managed to roll out weekly issues of The People's Voice Weekly News, from July of 2005, until around the early part of 2009 — nearly 5 years. It was a bold undertaking. But, we were up to the task.
It was long overdue for there to exist in our communities, a publication FOR US, BY US, AND ABOUT US!! And this is what we attempted to do.
Pictured at right is an image similar to many others I have received from Jeanetta every July since 2005 — the month and year the inaugural issue of People's Voice Weekly News was first published here in East Alabama.
I have never forgotten what we did OR why we did it. I KNOW THAT SHE HASN'T EITHER.
It was a phenomenal undertaking for a small rural black community of people who fully understood that "Real Change" was — and is — in order... OVERDUE!!
I have never forgotten what we did OR why we did it. I KNOW THAT SHE HASN'T EITHER.
It was a phenomenal undertaking for a small rural black community of people who fully understood that "Real Change" was — and is — in order... OVERDUE!!
Interested and COURAGEOUS BLACK PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER EAST ALABAMA AND WEST GEORGIA — the eight (8) counties surrounding Randolph which we targeted as our market — diligently helped us hammer out the newspaper, get them printed, and distribute the papers every week.
WHO WAS INVOLVED?
The Wilkie Clark Memorial Foundation (Publisher)
Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Wilkie S. Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Je'Lynn M. Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Clark Memorial Funeral Service, Roanoke
T. Jeanetta Minnifield Springer, Roanoke (Assoc. Editor)
Carolyn J. Davis, Roanoke, Administrative Assistant
David B. Baker, Anniston (Board Mbr)
WHO WAS INVOLVED?
The Wilkie Clark Memorial Foundation (Publisher)
Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Wilkie S. Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Je'Lynn M. Frieson, Roanoke (Co-Publisher)
Clark Memorial Funeral Service, Roanoke
T. Jeanetta Minnifield Springer, Roanoke (Assoc. Editor)
Carolyn J. Davis, Roanoke, Administrative Assistant
David B. Baker, Anniston (Board Mbr)
(John Ceroy Bell, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
Esther Brown, Fredonia (contributor)
(Project Hope To Abolish The Death Penalty)
Beotis Clark, Augusta, GA (Board Mbr)
Belle Bennie Saxon Clark, Agusta, GA
Reverend Willilam A. Dean, Roanoke
Christopher Daniel, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
Barbara Evans (Esther's Trumpet)
Lucius Gantt, Florida (The Gantt Report
Jerome A. Gray, Evergreen (Board Mbr)
Darrel Grayson, dec. (Death Row Correspondent)
Bruce W. Griggs, LaGrange (Advertiser)
Reverend R.L. Heflin (Board Mbr)
Elicia Jaxon, Mobile (Contributor)
Esther Brown, Fredonia (contributor)
(Project Hope To Abolish The Death Penalty)
Beotis Clark, Augusta, GA (Board Mbr)
Belle Bennie Saxon Clark, Agusta, GA
Reverend Willilam A. Dean, Roanoke
Christopher Daniel, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
Barbara Evans (Esther's Trumpet)
Lucius Gantt, Florida (The Gantt Report
Jerome A. Gray, Evergreen (Board Mbr)
Darrel Grayson, dec. (Death Row Correspondent)
Bruce W. Griggs, LaGrange (Advertiser)
Reverend R.L. Heflin (Board Mbr)
Elicia Jaxon, Mobile (Contributor)
Sonia Lovelace, LaGrange, Tony D. Malone, Lanett (Editor-In-Chief)
Julia Minnefield, Wedowee
Kimberley A. Minnifield, Roanoke, (Writer)Brenda Poole, Franklin, Georgia
Reverend Jeffery D. Rosser (Board Mbr)
Frances Drake, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
Gene A. Thornton, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
L.C. Thornton, Stone Mtn (Board Mbr)
Earnestine Thornton, Atlanta (Board Mbr)
Mary Turner, Five Points (Board Mbr)
Betty Woody, Five Points (Board Mbr)
Lola Mae Wright, Wedowee (Board Mbr)
Quan Wright, Roanoke (Sports Writer)
Julia Minnefield, Wedowee
Kimberley A. Minnifield, Roanoke, (Writer)Brenda Poole, Franklin, Georgia
Reverend Jeffery D. Rosser (Board Mbr)
Frances Drake, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
Gene A. Thornton, Roanoke (Board Mbr)
L.C. Thornton, Stone Mtn (Board Mbr)
Earnestine Thornton, Atlanta (Board Mbr)
Mary Turner, Five Points (Board Mbr)
Betty Woody, Five Points (Board Mbr)
Lola Mae Wright, Wedowee (Board Mbr)
Quan Wright, Roanoke (Sports Writer)
AND MANY MANY WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES
Gratitude To Our Funeral Service Colleagues Who Supported Us By Advertiing & Helping Distribute Newspapers
As we celebrate and remember The 20th Year Anniversary since the People's Voice's debut in East Alabama, we can't forget all of our colleagues in Funeral Service, who were very faithful and supportive with their advertising dollars. Not only did they advertise, but they placed papers in their establishments which helped us tremendously with distribution. They diligently helped to support this publication and kept it alive for the years in print. We will NEVER forget this.
Ms. Je'Lynn Frieson, Roanoke
Clark Memorial Funeral Service, Roanoke
Mr. Jeffery Harris, Opelika
Harris Funeral Home, Opelika
Ms. Madelyn Lee, West Point
M.W. Lee Mortuary, West Point
Mr. Samuel Seroyer, (dec)
Silmon-Seroyer Funeral Home, LaFayette
Clark Memorial Funeral Service, Roanoke
Mr. Jeffery Harris, Opelika
Harris Funeral Home, Opelika
Ms. Madelyn Lee, West Point
M.W. Lee Mortuary, West Point
Mr. Samuel Seroyer, (dec)
Silmon-Seroyer Funeral Home, LaFayette
Mr. Clayton Gibson, Jr., (dec)
Unity Mortuary, Valley
Ms. Marilyn Vines,
Vines Funeral Home, LaFayette
Ms. Juanita Harrell,
West Georgia Mortuary, LaGrange, GA
Mr. Greg Wright,
Wright's Funeral Home, Alexander City, AL
Unity Mortuary, Valley
Ms. Marilyn Vines,
Vines Funeral Home, LaFayette
Ms. Juanita Harrell,
West Georgia Mortuary, LaGrange, GA
Mr. Greg Wright,
Wright's Funeral Home, Alexander City, AL
It is our intention to make the history of our publication, along with all the archived back issues of the publication available on the Clark Historic Site, so that our Print Newspaper Publication will NEVER be forgotten. May ALL who come after us, do bigger and better things that we did.
The First Featured Photo
In that first "inaugural issue" we were abundantly clear about why we were doing this. We were doing this to honor of our community heroes and servants... So they would not be FORGOTTEN.
NOT JUST THOSE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY, BUT THROUGHOUT EAST ALABAMA AND WEST GEORGIA!
Here's that featured photo that appeared on our front page of our First Black Weekly Publication. This would be but one of many beautiful full color photographs of black individuals who would capture our hearts, during that majestic period in publication.
I will NEVER forget the first shipment of newspapers that were delivered by Fed-X or UPS (I can't remember). But what I DO REMEMBER, is that everybody rushed over to grab the paper and take a FIRST LOOK. The broadsheet was HUGE! Way bigger than any of us imagined. But what literally took everybody's breath away was the fact that NOBODY could speak. Everybody in the room, sat in SILENCE — and read. Nobody could speak. And for a good 30 to 45 minutes the entire room was silent. That moment was cathartic, to think about what a group of determined black rebels had accomplished.
To learn more about The People's Voice, please visit this link, found on the Clark Memorial Foundation Website.
In the coming weeks and months, we plan to devote an ENTIRE SECTION OF THE CLARK HISTORIC SITE, to preservation of the history of The People's Voice, where we will again revisit the entire journey, for the benefit of those who we will leave behind.
Download and Read The First Issue Of
The People's Voice
The People's Voice
FIRST ISSUE OF THE PEOPLES VOICE WEEKLY NEWS JULY 22, 2005
- Published on
By Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson | aka "Wilkie Clark's Daughter"
Where Courage Lives: The Clark Historic Landmark Site Now on YouTube
Some stories refuse to stay buried.
At the Clark Historic Landmark Site, we’ve always believed in truth-telling — even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s inconvenient, and especially when it’s overlooked.
Now, we’re proud to bring that truth to a brand-new platform:
📽️ YouTube.com/@ClarkHistoricSite
We’ve officially launched our YouTube Channel to share the story of two powerful civil rights pioneers — Wilkie Clark and Hattie Lee Peters Clark — and the historic site in Roanoke, Alabama that stands as a living testament to their legacy.
A Legacy Built From Resistance and ResolveIn 1969, Wilkie and Hattie Lee built more than a funeral home — they built a stronghold for dignity, economic empowerment, and civil resistance in a deeply segregated Alabama.
Wilkie Clark was not just a business owner. He was a fighter — a man who stood toe-to-toe with racist power structures and refused to bow. Hattie Lee was more than a teacher — she was a quiet force, lifting young minds while protecting the foundation of a family determined to create change.
Their fight wasn’t waged in front of news cameras. It happened right here, in Roanoke — in boardrooms, courtrooms, church pews, and on porches where Black families learned that they could own, they could vote, and they could stand.
Why YouTube? Why Now?We launched our YouTube Channel because history deserves to be visible. Too often, stories like ours — stories of local Black excellence and resistance — are lost between dusty archives and fading memories.
But not this one.
Through this channel, we’ll be sharing:
Not just to see, but to understand.
Subscribe, Share, and Help Carry the TorchIf you believe in honoring the past while protecting the future — this is your invitation.
📍 Visit our YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/@ClarkHistoricSite
🌐 Learn more about the site: www.clarkhistoricsite.org
📸 Follow along on Facebook and Instagram: [@ClarkHistoricSite]
And most importantly:
📌 Subscribe. Share. Comment. Engage.
This is how we carry the torch forward — one story, one post, one truth at a time.
At the Clark Historic Landmark Site, we’ve always believed in truth-telling — even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s inconvenient, and especially when it’s overlooked.
Now, we’re proud to bring that truth to a brand-new platform:
📽️ YouTube.com/@ClarkHistoricSite
We’ve officially launched our YouTube Channel to share the story of two powerful civil rights pioneers — Wilkie Clark and Hattie Lee Peters Clark — and the historic site in Roanoke, Alabama that stands as a living testament to their legacy.
A Legacy Built From Resistance and ResolveIn 1969, Wilkie and Hattie Lee built more than a funeral home — they built a stronghold for dignity, economic empowerment, and civil resistance in a deeply segregated Alabama.
Wilkie Clark was not just a business owner. He was a fighter — a man who stood toe-to-toe with racist power structures and refused to bow. Hattie Lee was more than a teacher — she was a quiet force, lifting young minds while protecting the foundation of a family determined to create change.
Their fight wasn’t waged in front of news cameras. It happened right here, in Roanoke — in boardrooms, courtrooms, church pews, and on porches where Black families learned that they could own, they could vote, and they could stand.
Why YouTube? Why Now?We launched our YouTube Channel because history deserves to be visible. Too often, stories like ours — stories of local Black excellence and resistance — are lost between dusty archives and fading memories.
But not this one.
Through this channel, we’ll be sharing:
- Short videos on the Clark legacy
- Civil Rights history connected to East Alabama
- Family interviews and oral histories
- Behind-the-scenes of the Historic Site itself
- and soon — virtual tours and interactive educational content
Not just to see, but to understand.
Subscribe, Share, and Help Carry the TorchIf you believe in honoring the past while protecting the future — this is your invitation.
📍 Visit our YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/@ClarkHistoricSite
🌐 Learn more about the site: www.clarkhistoricsite.org
📸 Follow along on Facebook and Instagram: [@ClarkHistoricSite]
And most importantly:
📌 Subscribe. Share. Comment. Engage.
This is how we carry the torch forward — one story, one post, one truth at a time.
- Published on
The Video that follows offers a full recap of the Clark Historic Marker Unveiling Ceremony held on March 8, 2025, on the 102th Birthday of Wilkie Clark. Further down this page are the segments of the program that can be viewied without watching the entire program.
- Published on
The Video that follows offers a full recap of the Clark Historic Marker Unveiling Ceremony held on March 8, 2025, on the 102th Birthday of Wilkie Clark. Further down this page are the segments of the program that can be viewied without watching the entire program.
- Published on