Black History: Nellie Essex had only just begun
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Friday, March 14, 2008
A book begun by Emporian Nellie Essex is the centerpiece of a display at Emporia Middle School.
Essex had begun documenting the history of her church, St. James Baptist, and other Emporia churches before her death in January.
The book will be donated to the Lyon County Archives.
Ione Moore, a paraeducator at EMS, Moore said that much of the display is dedicated to Nellie, a longtime Emporian and co-author of a historical book, “Black Emporia,” with Elizabeth Williams and Carol Marshall.
The display also highlights the lives of other Emporians, including Edward Alexander, Paul Terry, Kathy Williams and Charlotte Lee.
Moore also included some photos and stories about herself when she became the first woman to work in construction in Topeka with an all-male crew at the Gas Service Company.
She later became the first woman foreman for the company, which by then was Kansas Power & Light.