Welcome
Whitfield Remembrance Project is a community remembrance initiative in Dalton, Georgia, inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative. Our mission is to honor victims of racial injustice in Whitfield County by speaking their names and telling their stories.
Our work began with efforts to memorialize the last known lynching in our county. In 2024, we held a community remembrance for A.L. McCamy, locating his burial site and dedicating a headstone alongside nearly one hundred community members.
Our current project focuses on honoring Juliette Derricotte, a gifted speaker, educator, and peacemaker whose faith and warmth inspired many. She died in 1931 after a car accident near Dalton, Georgia, when segregation prevented her from being taken to a whites-only hospital.
This fall, we are hosting a regional art exhibition and literary contest, “Unconquerable Peace of Soul,” and developing a documentary exploring the events surrounding her death.
Meet the Team
The Whitfield Remembrance Project is a community-based, volunteer-led initiative focused on honoring and preserving local history.
Curtis Rivers
is the director of the Emery Street School African American Museum and Multicultural Center in Dalton.
Valerie Silva
is a Dalton native (DHS class of '99) and longtime Spanish teacher at a Catholic high school in the Chattanooga area. She has been involved with the Whitfield Remembrance Project since its founding in 2023. Her work in the classroom has always centered on helping students think critically, engage with culture, and better understand the world around them—values that naturally connect to this project. Being part of Whitfield Remembrance has been one of the most meaningful experiences of her life. Contributing to the A.L. McCamy memorial and participating in our community trip to Montgomery to visit the Equal Justice Initiative were especially powerful moments that deepened her commitment to remembrance and justice. She is grateful to be part of a group doing this important work in our community.
Sam Gowin, Esq.
is a real estate attorney based in Ringgold, Georgia. He enjoys exploring new places and ideas, accomplishing tasks, promoting hospitality, and pursuing other adventures with his wonderful wife, Sarah, and his three children, Jack, Grace, and Lucy.
Stonewall (Stoney) Ponders
President, Ponders Funeral Homes, Inc. Lifelong resident of North Georgia.
Debra Dickerson
Debra began participating with WRP in the fall of 2024, for the remembrance ceremony of Lon McCamy. She wanted to join in on the work of WRP and started attending meetings after that. The trip to Montgomery, AL in February 2025 to the EJI sites were meaningful and impactful for her. When not doing things with WRP, she spends time in nature.
Emily Moore
is a graduate from Covenant College in 2024 with a degree in Community Development and Social Innovation. She has supported the team in marketing and historical research.
Regena & Charles
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Shannon Bearfield
is a healthcare worker with deep Appalachian roots and is currently pursuing a degree in social work to better serve her community. A visit to the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2021 profoundly shaped her perspective on our nation's Black history and inspired her to return home to Dalton to share what she had learned. Through those efforts, she found like-minded individuals, and together formed the Whitfield Remembrance Project. "I believe that by remembering and teaching even the most difficult parts of our history, we can foster understanding, promote peace, and work toward reconciliation in our community."
Cheryl Phipps
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We believe that by confronting our history of racial injustice, we can create a more just and equitable future for all.
Our Mission
Our Vision
Our mission is to honor the victims of racial violence in our county. We seek to provide a space for remembrance, reflection, and healing, where visitors can learn about the history of racial injustice and its ongoing impact on society.
Our vision is to create a more just and equitable future by confronting our history of racial injustice and promoting healing and reconciliation. We believe that by acknowledging the truth of our past, we can build a better future for all Americans.