New Executive Director of LSP...
We are excited to announce that John Ashworth will take on the role as Executive Director of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis. John previously served as Project Manager for the May 21, 2017 centennial commemoration of the lynching of Ell Persons.
John Ashworth has served as Chairman of the Elbert Williams Memorial Committee in Brownsville, Tennessee. Mr. Elbert Williams was a lynching victim in 1940 as a result of his leadership in organizing a chapter of the NAACP in Brownsville (Haywood County).
John is also the founder of the Dunbar Carver Museum in Brownsville, a new museum there dedicated to African American history. He is also a founding member of the Geneva Miller Historical Society of Brownsville, which was responsible for the research and dedication of a Tennessee Civil War Trails Marker in the City of Brownsville with the names of over 200 African Americans from Haywood County who served in the Civil War. These projects have been a part of his lifelong interest in African-American history and black political involvement in small rural communities. John’s experience in Haywood and adjoining counties with his work now spreading to Memphis will support new initiatives in other counties to shine the light of truth on these buried histories.
Mr. Ashworth’s latest career in African American history and black political empowerment was preceded by careers in the military and in management for three airlines. He served 21 years in the Army with specialization in administration and personnel management. He is a Vietnam veteran. His work at Valujet, Eastern and Northwest Airlines included management of personnel, budget and other resources. He also brings extensive experience in the use of computers in management including database, desktop publishing, and social media programs. He is the creator and webmaster of a number of websites related to African American historical preservation.
We are excited to welcome John as our new Executive Director, and are planning big things for 2018!