Baldwyn in Lee County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Elijah Pierce

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 1, 2023

1. Elijah Pierce Marker

Inscription. A native of Baldwyn, Elijah Pierce (1892-1984) was a barber, Baptist minister and artist. In 1982, he was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment of the Arts for his woodcarvings. His work has been exhibited in the National Museum of American Art and the American Folk Art Museum in New York.

Erected 2020 by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Mississippi State Historical Marker Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 34° 30.518′ N, 88° 38.1′ W. Marker is in Baldwyn, Mississippi, in Lee County. Marker is at the intersection of West Water Street and South 3rd Avenue, on the right when traveling east on West Water Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 209 W Water St, Baldwyn MS 38824, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bonnie Lee "Country" Graham (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Baldwyn Garage and Gas Station (about 300 feet away); C.P. McWhorter - "The Hardware Man" (about 400 feet away); The Ritz Theater (about 400 feet away); Joe White's Dollar Store

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(about 400 feet away); Miss Archer's Millinery Shop (about 400 feet away); Epting's Five and Dime (about 400 feet away); Wallace White’s Grocery (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baldwyn.

Also see . . .
1. Black folk artist Elijah Pierce is Barnes Foundation’s first new show during pandemic. Elijah Pierce had the soul of a preacher, the hands of a craftsman, and the eye of a political cartoonist. About 107 of his pieces on display at the Barnes Foundation track more than a century of Black American life. (Peter Crimmins, WHYY-TV, posted Sept. 27,2020) (Submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Elijah Pierce. When Elijah was 9, his older brother Tom gave him a pocketknife. "When I was a boy I was always carving," he said. "I'd look at a tree, and I could hardly help it. I'd start carving." (Documentary Arts, "Masters of Traditional Arts" project) (Submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed By Mitch Caver

2. Elijah Pierce Marker

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 1, 2023

3. Elijah Pierce Marker

<i>Slavery Time</i> by Elijah Pierce image. Click for full size.

Elycefeliz via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), December 8, 2011

4. Slavery Time by Elijah Pierce

This carved and painted wood relief illustrates stories his father told him about slavery.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on April 10, 2023, by Mitch Caver of Baldwyn, Mississippi. 3, 4. submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.