History
On July 25, 1946, four young African Americans—George & Mae Murray Dorsey and Roger & Dorothy Malcom—were shot hundreds of times by 12 to 15 unmasked white men in broad daylight at the Moore's Ford bridge spanning the Apalachee River, 60 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. These killings, for which no one was ever prosecuted, enraged President Harry Truman and led to historic changes, but were quickly forgotten in Oconee and Walton Counties where they occurred. No one was ever brought to justice for the crime.
In 1991, Clinton Adams, a witness to the murders, told his story to the FBI. Only ten years old at the time, Adams had been on the run for 45 years fearing for his life because of what he saw.
In 1992, The Atlanta Constitution finally told Adams' story and the history of the event. Five years later, the Oconee Enterprise, Walton Tribune, and the Athens Daily News retold the story.
Civil Rights worker Robert Howard of Social Circle, Georgia led four efforts to "do something" about the events at Moore's ford. Seeds planted by Howard, the Walton County NAACP, and others germinated in the late 1990's.
In August 1997, a large biracial group of Georgians formed the Moore's Ford Committee to commemorate the Dorseys and the Malcolms. They incorporated and acquired non-profit status to boost fund raising and create a permanent, living memorial.
The Moore's Ford Memorial Committee is committed to telling the story, honoring the dead, promoting healing and social justice, and creating a living memorial to the victims of this horrible crime.
Several hundred Georgians searched for the missing graves of the victims. Finding three of four, they worked 25 days to restore two cemetaries. Committee members installed grave monuments inscribed: "May your suffering be redeemed in brotherly Love." A military service on Memorial Day 1999 honored World War II veteran George Dorsey, killed only nine months after returning from duty in the Pacific.
Songfest, joint church services and covered dish meals built unity among the group and led to many friendships. An art exhibit to promote social justice and racial healing raised public awareness about the killings.
The work of the Moore's Ford Committee has been recognized by local, regional and national groups working toward healing and reconciliation. Local Baha'is gave MFMC a "Race Unity Award." The Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta credited the group for "Outstanding Work in Human Relations." In 1998 the President's Initiative on Race named the Moore's Ford Memorial Committee a "Promising Practice" that other communities might emulate.
A major component of our work now is granting the Moore's Ford Memorial Scholarships. Each year, students from area public high schools in Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Morgan and Walton counties are awarded a scholarship for promoting community service, social justice, and racial reconcilation.