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African American Heritage Trail to Take Shape in Downtown Columbia

Jamie Hobbs
/
KBIA

The Sharp End Heritage Committee dedicated a new trail marker Tuesday morning for the African American Heritage Trail. The trail through downtown Columbia will provide 15 markers, each of which will commemorate a different historical location of the pre-1960s African American community known as the Sharp End.

Various businesses and individuals throughout Columbia are set to sponsor the future markers. The one dedicated Tuesday was sponsored by Veterans United Home Loans.

“When we became aware of this project, it was definitely something we wanted to get behind,” Media Relations Specialist for Veterans United Home Loans Chris Cline says. “We put a lot of emphasis on culture here, and this really fits right along with that mission.”

For the Sharp End Heritage Committee, one of the goals is tell the story of the past.

“It’s a story that we feel needs to be told, that hasn’t been told,” says James Whitt, Sharp End Committee Chairman. “Telling the complete story of Columbia makes our city whole.”

The committee plans to unveil the rest of the markers throughout the spring and summer of 2018. Each future marker is already sponsored, and the sites have been selected. 

Jamie Hobbs hails from Southeastern Missouri, and is a senior at the Missouri School of Journalism. She is also studying Spanish. She specializes in reporting stories on the environment and human rights.