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The True Citizen, Wednesday, June 2, 2021 — Page 13
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH
Local man notes the
positive impact of musi<
Burke County High School 2021 graduate Vincent Nolan Jr.
says music acts like a time machine to revert back to the
memories of his past.
JADA CURD
Student Contributor
June is African American
Music Appreciation Month.
The celebration was initi
ated as Black Music Month
by President Jimmy Carter in
1979. In 2009, the commemo
ration was given its current
name by President Barack
Obama. The earliest form of
black musical expression in
America emerged in spiritual
music. Now, Hip-Hop and rap
are musical traditions firmly
embedded in African Ameri
can culture. This month, the
True Citizen is honoring Burke
County citizens who are part
of the local African American
music scene.
Vincent Nicholas Nolan Jr.,
son of Patricia Bell and Vincent
Nolan Sr., is a former Burke
County High School student
and a soon-to-be student of
Georgia Southern University.
Nolan began his musical ca
reer in the 1st grade when he
was offered the opportunity to
participate in the Waynesboro
Primary School Chorus.
“The Waynesboro Primary
School Chorus really sparked
my interest in singing and
music overall,” he said. “There
was always such a welcoming
atmosphere that motivated me
to sing to my best ability.”
Nolan continued to pursue
his music career, singing in
the gospel choir at his church,
as well as partaking in chorus
as an extracurricular activity
throughout all of his academic
years. He also took chorus to
the next level by competing
with the Georgia High School
Association (GHSA) Liter
ary tournament alongside the
members of his quartet. They
placed every year they com
peted.
Life moved on, but Nolan’s
love for music remained. In
fact, music assisted him in
getting over one of his great
est hurdles, the death of his
father. Like most tragedies, it
came suddenly for him and left
a lasting impact on the rest of
his life. Like father, like son,
his dad also loved music. They
used it to build their bond.
The father-son team listened
to music like “The Man” by
Aloe Blacc, which was his fa
ther’s favorite song. They sang
together while accomplishing
everyday tasks.
Although those are days
Nolan holds close to his heart,
one of the most memorable
moments he recalls with his
father is receiving a drum set
he desired with all his heart.
“It meant the world to me,”
he said. “I had seen the church
band playing drums and it was
just something that I was set on
doing because the sound of the
drums would have the whole
church moving, and I wanted to
have that much positive impact
on people.”
Nolan’s dream of being a
positive influence came to
fruition during his high school
years. He participated in sev
eral service projects such as
Project IMPACT. He donated
clothes to those in need, par
ticipated in efforts to revise a
local park, cleaned up litter,
helped feed the elderly and
provided a helping hand in his
mother’s care home.
Even now, he makes it a
prerogative to go out of his
way to help those in need. He
gives back to the community
that has assisted him in ways
they would not understand.
Music continues to help him
throughout all of his endeavors,
and he wants to set the example
that it can do the same for other
people.
Music yields him an outlet
for expression of both creative
and emotional energy as well
as providing him with a means
to increase productivity and
calm his thoughts. Along with
all of those benefits, music
gives Nolan a time machine to
revert back to the memories of
his past.
The City of Waynesboro officially dedicated its new mural last week with local elected officials,
Chamber members and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members in attendance.
The interactive mural, painted by April Henry King, was sponsored by DDA in conjunction with
the Georgia Council of Arts.
Waynesboro catches mural fever
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The city may have caught
a bit of mural fever since the
completion of April Henry
King’s project commissioned
by the Downtown Develop
ment Authority (DDA) and
matched by The Burke County
Chamber of Commerce.
Owner of the Boxwood An
tique Market, Tony Leckey, has
approached DDA Director Don
Lively about the possibility
of having a mural painted on
the west end of the building.
Burke County High School Art
Teacher Stan Dodson said he is
interested in exploring the idea
of having students complete
the project.
That may not be the only
new display of artistic talent
around the city; Acting Mayor
Chick Jones has brought up the
possibility of a mural at the 6th
Street Park.
Additionally, there is talk
about possibly painting a mural
with a first responder theme on
the side of the Superior Clean
ers building, Myrick St.
"We don’t have to stop at
one, there is a lot we can do,"
Lively said.
Pictured are, from left, front row: Charlene Cooper Burke, Annette Vaughn Hodge and Anna Kate
Stevens Brown: second row: Janice Gardner Atkins, Brenda Davis Ervin, Lori Eskew Chance,
Gary Burke and Roosevelt Wright; and back row: Danny Ervin, Scott Gay and Joliet Abrams.
WHS alumni remember fallen classmate
The reunion planning com
mittee for Waynesboro High
School Class of 1981 met in the
City park Saturday afternoon,
May 29, to discuss and plan
the upcoming 40th reunion to
beheld July 2-3.
Several of the members
noted as they arrived for the
meeting they had observed
the cross of Jeffrey Stokes,
a Marine classmate killed in
the Beirut bombing in 1983,
had been placed along Liberty
Street at the park. In conjunc
tion with the upcoming reunion
event, the committee decided
to honor Jeffrey in his memory
with a Memorial Day holiday
picture to be displayed at the
reunion.
The classmates also offered
great thanks to the members
of American Legion Post #120
and Bud North for remember
ing all veterans each Memorial
Day and Veterans Day with the
cross placements throughout
the city.
Business after hours
The Chamber of Commerce was able to celebrate its first Business After Hours in more than a
year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lakeview Restaurant, owned by Russ and Erin Drake,
hosted the event and also held the ribbon cutting for their grand reopening. They were joined
by many local leaders, friends and family for the occasion.
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(706)551-5094
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