Preserving Oliver Springs’ African American History: The Mayme Carmichael School Organization
Updated: Mar 27, 2023
The town of Oliver Springs is perhaps one of the most fortunate in our state. Multiple organizations work tirelessly to preserve its rich history and heritage, ensuring it for the many generations to come. One such organization is the Mayme Carmichael School Organization. The organization was founded in 2012 as nonprofit 501(c)(3) with the goal of preserving Oliver Springs’ and the Tri-County region’s African American history and educating the communities surrounding it. The MCSO is actively working to accomplish this goal. The organization is named after educator Mayme Carmichael. Her career spanned 40 years, teaching the children of Oakdale for 10 years and the children of Oliver Springs for 30. Three generations of students passed through the doors of the Oliver Springs Colored School with Mayme Carmichael at the helm. In that one-room schoolhouse, Carmichael stressed the importance of education and perseverance for her students, always urging individuals to follow through with tasks to completion. “You can do whatever you want to do, be whatever you want to be,” was the philosophy of Ms. Mayme, according to Mayme Carmichael School Organization President Julia Daniel.
This legacy still permeates through the town of Oliver Springs and is still being exemplified by the MCSO. The organization, along with the support of the town of Oliver Springs, established Carmichael Park on the former grounds of the Oliver Springs Colored School. The park features a picnic area, playground, and a placard displaying not only the school’s history, but of local Civil War history. The latest venture for the organization is the creation of the Tri-County African American Cultural Museum. Set to open in May of this year, the 5,000 square foot property is located in the Tri-County Complex. It will display the heritage of black individuals across the 10 to 12 cities and towns of the tri-county area. Featured stories include that of jazz musician Clarence Beeks (better known as King Pleasure) whose prowess was compared to the likes of Duke Ellington, the 60 to 70 black coal miners of the Windrock mine, remarkable alumni of the Oliver Springs Colored School, and the story and descendants of Julia Daniel’s own great-great grandmother Adeline, who came to this area in 1850 as a slave. Her descendants include Jo Ann Allen Boyce, member of the Clinton 12 and author of This Promise of Change, actor Cameron Boyce, Tuskegee Airman 2nd Lt. Samuel Harper, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware, and several generations of notable educators, farmers, and doctors (including Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Wake Forest Doctor Ebony Boulware).
The Mayme Carmichael School Organization is always active within the community. During the October Sky Festival, members staff the Heritage at the Depot event where they display history and fry fish to help fundraise for the organization. They also fundraise through their Soul Food Sundays held at the DAV (most recently on February 12th) and through banquets which were previously held at the DoubleTree in Oak Ridge. The organization meets monthly, but as the opening of the Tri-County African American Cultural Museum quickly approaches, their meeting times have now become weekly. Membership is open to all those who are interested, and they are especially looking for students to become involved in the MCSO. The importance of the work this organization is doing is far beyond comprehension. They are giving voice to stories that have gone unheard or unnoticed for years. The preservation of history, especially that of African American history, is something that is so extremely important and necessary for our culture as a whole. “We need to know our history; you need to know where you come from to know where you’re going,” says Mrs. Daniel when asked about the importance of preservation. She then recited an old African proverb: “It’s very important that you tell your history. If you don’t tell your history, then the story will not be told.” These are poignant words to describe an ever-so important duty that this remarkable organization is fulfilling every day.
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