Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/644136
16 FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 1, 2016 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM "Well-behaved women seldom make history." ~Laurel Thatcher Ulrich March is Women's History Month. Women Rock! We make it happen in the board room, court room, classroom, and any other room in which we reside. Very often the recognition that women deserve is overlooked, but some women will receive their kudos because the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local His- tory Museum will honor women in public service and government through presentations on Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in the State and Local History Room of Headquar- ters Library on Maiden Lane. "Our city has some great wom- en who go far back and we are going to talk about many of them," said Heidi Bleazey, the museum specialist at the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum. "There is so much of Fayetteville's his- tory that focuses on military campaigns, the Civil War, Fort Bragg and the traditional roles that women play." Bleazey added that they are presenting Flora MacDonald, Ann Simpson, Katie Broad- foot, Sallie Evans and other women because they are pivotal figures who have molded our community. One of the women featured in a new exhibit at the museum is Sallie Evans, the wife of Edward Evans. "Both of them were premiere African-American educators in our commu- nity a few decades past the Civil War," said Bleazey. "Both were educated at the State Colored Normal School, were teachers, very active in the church and active in the Masonic community." Bleazey added that Sallie was this figure sort of unto herself who owned a large amount of property by herself. This was amazing for a black woman during this time who made her own way and made a statement. Another woman who will be recognized is Ann Simpson. She was known for her murder trial in which she was found innocent. "Ann Simpson was a beautiful young girl in Fayetteville who married an older man," said Bleazey. "She grows bored of her husband and visits a fortune teller who informs her that her husband will not live to see the end of the week." Bleazey added that Ann stopped by the drug store to purchase some arsenic to get rid of a rat and after her husband eats his favorite dessert, he falls ill and dies. She acted a little suspicious, so an autopsy was performed and the findings indicated that he was poisoned with arsenic. She flees the area and returns a year later for the trial of the century. She was the first woman in Fayetteville to be held in jeopardy for her life. She is found not guilty. The story does not end here. Ann moved to Charleston and married someone and he died of mysterious causes. She moved to the mid-west and married again and he died of mysterious causes. They tried her and found her guilty. She was hanged. "These women are rich in character with the things that they did and the important stories that they tell," said Bleazey. "I hope people bring questions with them." The event is free and open to the public. For more informa- tion call 433-1944. Power in Petticoats at the Cumberland County Public Library by DR. SHANESSA FENNER DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Principal, WT Brown Elementary School, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910.484.6200 Sally Evans. Photo courtesy of the Clarkson Fam- ily (descendants of Sallie Evans) and the Fayetteville Area Transporta- tion and Local History Museum. 80th Anniversary Presents Friday, March 11, 2016 • 7:30 PM Crown Theatre For Boyz II Men Tickets go to: CapeFearTix.com at 1-888-257-6208 or Visit the Crown Box Office: www.CrownComplexNC.com For Information: (910) 303-3996 or www.community-concerts.com On Sale Now! SPONSORED IN PART BY: Master of Ceremonies The Fayetteville Observer Eben Concepts - Chris Harrison Mohler Homes, Inc. Nathan's Heating & Air ERA Strother Real Estate Lafayette Memorial Park Riddle Commercial Properties Spring Lake Dental Group, The Law Offices of Dr. David Dickerhoff Lonnie M. Player, Jr. Greatest R & B group of all time! CROWN C O M P L E X