The 'journey of love' to commemorate Black history in Columbia's Sharp End

The Sharp End, located on both sides of Walnut Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, was Columbia's historic Black business district.

Urban renewal brought an end to the district, but not to its memories and legacy.

The Sharp End Heritage Committee formed about eight years ago, with a historic marker erected in 2015 to commemorate the district. The ongoing efforts of the committee were recognized Thursday during the Columbia Values Diversity breakfast.

The ceremony recognizes people whose "work exemplifies the life and teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," Mayor Brian Treece said.

Jim Whitt, who died Nov. 15, formerly chaired the heritage committee. Whitt's wife, Annelle, accepted the group Diversity Award, along with other committee members.

More: Sharp End Heritage Committee ready to celebrate African American Heritage Trail

The recognition is overwhelming, Annelle Whitt said.

"My husband did not seek recognition," she said. "For him to be recognized and that committee recognized, it makes me very proud."

The legacy of Jim Whitt

The work by the committee to gather and recognize the contributions of Columbia's Black history was a "true journey of love," Annelle Whitt said, adding the committee is just one of her husband's legacies.

"He would be the first one to say this was not him who did this. It was a committee of people who love this community that did this," Whitt said.

Whitt and her late husband would learn about the Sharp End at their church after Sunday School.

"(Jim) became intrigued with it," Whitt said, noting there was a similar business district in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where her husband grew up. "He knew when the city wanted to really start moving toward increasing woman- and minority-owned businesses, he realized there was a lot of pain associated with the Sharp End and urban renewal."

To move forward, you have to deal with the hurt of the past, Whitt said, saying that was a mantra of her husband.

The committee includes families of those who owned businesses in the Sharp End and know the district's history and significance.

“It’s important that these stories really be told from a Black perspective,” Jim Whitt said last February during a roundtable discussion at Columbia College about the Sharp End. “Particularly (in light of) our bicentennial celebration ... we want to make sure that the history of Black people in Columbia as told by the Blacks who lived here and grew up here is included in that overall history.”

One marker grows to a heritage trail

The Sharp End historic marker was just the first of now at least 22 markers that are part of the city's African American Heritage Trail.

"My husband was really big on doing one thing at a time so you can get something done," Annelle Whitt said. "He would say he was just facilitating. He operated from a place of love."

Once the initial Sharp End marker was in place, work began on establishing the trail. The trail starts at Fourth Street and the MKT Trail and encircles the downtown area.

More: Sharp End project started 'on faith' realized in heritage trail dedication

"(Jim) loved this community. We came here in 2001, and he loved this community. I think he would be very proud," Whitt said, choking back tears.

The trail is still growing, and the African American Heritage Trail Committee will work to determine what the next markers should be, Whitt said.

"Eighth-grade students will walk the trail as part of their study," she said, noting some students have been trained as trail tour guides.

Tours were conducted last year as part of the city's bicentennial celebrations in the summer.

Continuing the work

Jim Whitt acquired a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation as part of the efforts of the Sharp End Heritage Committee.

The Sharp End Heritage Committee Fund provides grants to female- and minority-owned businesses.

Grants have been awarded for businesses to purchase equipment or conduct employee training, Annelle Whitt said.

Jim Whitt wanted to make sure these businesses were able to purchase what was needed to do their work and build revenue, she said.

"This last year we gave almost $20,000 in grant seed money. We give twice per year," Annelle Whitt said. "I am going to continue the nonprofit as part of his legacy."

Recognizing other contributions

The Diversity Awards have been given out in Columbia since 1998.

Gertrude Marshall Marble was the inspiration, Treece said.

"She spent her adult life in Columbia and gave so much back to this community," Treece said of Marble, who died in 1997. "Her life is an example of the types of people that have made Columbia a better place."

This year's individual Diversity Award winner was Hsiao-Mei Wiedmeyer.

She was recognized on stage as Treece read her contributions to the community.

Wiedmeyer came to Columbia around 40 years ago from Taiwan. She has helped Chinese visitors to Columbia feel welcome, along with celebrating the diversity of the city's Chinese-American community, Treece said.

Wiedmeyer created the Columbia Friends of China organization dedicated to educating the public on Chinese culture, one of many ways she has deepened "Columbia's appreciation of the diverse cultures found in our community," Treece said.

Inclusive excellence

The journey toward equity and inclusion in the community needs to continue, implored Kari Utterback of the Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence committee to Thursday morning's audience.

"The work is never done. We can all do better and we can all make change," Utterback said. "We need to hold each other accountable. That is what the journey is for. Individuals and organizations."

She asked the audience to think about three questions.

"Where did you last witness oppression or marginalization?" "What has been sitting on your heart to do or say?" And, "Who do you do the work of (equity and inclusion) for?"

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia continues work to recognize Black history, Sharp End district