MASSILLON – The Massillon Museum's newest exhibit will showcase a little-known but important chapter of the city's history.

Opening Saturday, "Missing History of Massillon: Unheard African American Stories" will highlight the experiences and contributions of its Black citizens shortly after the city's beginnings as the village of Kendal in 1812, to today.

The free exhibit runs through Nov. 9 at the museum, 121 Lincoln Way E. An opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday.

Alexandra Nicholis Coon, the museum's executive director, said the exhibit has been two years in the planning.

"We didn't know what shape it would take," she said. "We started with recording oral histories and then we invited Marva (Dodson) to feature her collection. Marva has devoted decades to preserving her work on this history. "

Dodson is the founder of CHARISMA, Contributions of Historic African Americans Whose Roots and Influence Are of Significance to the Massillon Area.

"My collection began, trying to highlight Massillon's firsts," she said. "The first settlers. The first educators. The first health care providers. That's how it all began."

Dodson said many people are aware of Robert Pinn, Massillon's first Black attorney and a Civil War veteran who was one of the first Black Americans to win the Medal of Honor.

She noted that after Pinn died in 1911, the city didn't have another Black attorney until the late Burton Jones, a Timken Co. executive and city clerk of courts, opened an office in 1969.

There are more stories to tell, she said. Drs. William Braxton Mallory and Viola Garnes Mallory, both graduates of the famed Meharry Medical College, arrived in 1924. Leada Richardson Brooks was the city's first teacher. Harold Ford was a Tuskegee Airman.

"My goal is to help people become more aware that African Americans have been a major contributor to the fabric of the Massillon community," she said. "Up to now, we've only focused on a few." 

For Dodson, the collection is not just history, but reminders of friendships and connections to some of the people she grew up knowing, such as Dr. Raymond Ballinger, who was her childhood next-door neighbor. His microscope and journal are in the exhibit.

"There were a lot of stories shared on the front porch," she said. "They were our friends. I went on house calls with Dr. Ballinger and his daughter on Wednesdays. As an adult, I worked for him in his office for about five years."

There's also the uniform worn by Marine Frank Clendening who won a Bronze Star during World War II, and items from current Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

"I went to Lori's inauguration," Dodson said.

Coon said the project began in earnest following discussions with members of the Sisterhood of Jewels Community Connections, a group which seeks to invest in community activities.

"It was at that point we started to develop oral histories and collections," she said. "We recognized that we were deficient in our collection reflecting African American history. It was spurred by conversations people were having in the community, stemming from George Floyd. We're a community museum."

Mandy Altimus Stahl, the museum's archivist, said the exhibit will feature more than 100 photos and artifacts going back to the 19th century. People hearing about the exhibit have stopped by and brought even more materials.

"There are so many more stories than I imagined, in the best way possible," she said. "There were family archives we didn't know existed and now we can share that with a wider audience."

One of the rarest pieces is a set of "Freedom Papers" from 1835 belonging to a formerly enslaved couple from Virginia.

Altimus Stahl said they were discovered in the papers of Kent Jarvis, a white real estate developer.

"We have no idea how they got there; whether he was keeping them for safekeeping, or what happened to them," she said.

There's also a copy of a letter dated Aug. 14, 1820, from George Duncan, a former slave, thanking Massillon's founder Thomas Rotch for helping him in his bid for freedom. Rotch's Springhill Farm was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

A portion of the exhibit is devoted to racism and controversy. A 1848 petition requests that the city segregate Union School. A high school book of cheers contains a racial slur, and there's a newspaper ad blatantly stating that a new housing development is for whites only.

There also are photos of Black-owned farms that were demolished to make way for state Route 21, and the little-known Hill School for Girls.

"We tried to save it but we couldn't," Altimus Stahl said.

In addition to historical materials, the exhibit includes 11 contemporary portraits of citizens shot by Cleveland photographer Amber Ford.

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Cyrus Ausar, owner of the Greatness Cafe located in the museum, and chef Bradly Grizzard recorded and produced 10 oral histories.

"I believe it's important to tell the stories of people who not only get recognized, as well as those who do not," Ausar said. "A guidance counselor who works for 40 years affects a lot of kids, but you may not hear about it."

Ausar said that in addition to his father, Valkeys, others who have offered him positive guidance include Mark Bigsby and Ramier Martin.

"They took time when no one else did; they didn't have to," he said.

"Missing History" is sponsored through grants from the Stark Community Foundation, Massillon Community Charitable Fund, and Marathon Petroleum.

"It's not encyclopedic, but it's a start," Coon said. "We're hoping it conveys that we're committed to sharing the story of the entire community."

To learn more, visit www.MassillonMusem.org or call 330-833-4061.

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com