Troy in Pike County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Troy & Pike Pike County SCLC Scope Project, 1965

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 1, 2025

1. Troy & Pike Pike County SCLC Scope Project, 1965 Marker, Side One

Inscription.

Troy and Pike Pike County SCLC Scope Project, 1965. . , In the weeks following the Selma to Montgomery March, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) planned a widespread southern voter registration campaign. Anticipating passage of the new Voting Rights Act, the Summer Community Organization and Political Education project (SCOPE) called upon collegians to travel to the South and assist in registering to vote more than a half-million eligible African Americans. Hundreds of students from nearly sixty schools participated in the project. Rev. Hosea Williams, beaten in Selma alongside Pike County native John Lewis on Bloody Sunday, was SCOPE's director., On July 9, 1965, SCOPE workers arrived in Pike County and set up offices in Troy and Brundidge. Throughout the summer, these young activists, alongside local volunteers, canvassed African American communities and held mass meetings across the county. They transported hundreds of people here to the Pike County Courthouse to register, many of whom endured intimidation and threats of violence. Some lost their jobs., Passage of the Voting Rights Act in August 1965 aided the project's efforts. It outlawed many forms of suppression employed by states like Alabama, including literacy tests and the poll tax. During the summer of 1965, the Pike County SCOPE project registered nearly 1,000 new voters., The following individuals participated in the 1965 Pike County SCOPE project: , Leon Gutherz, project director . Mike Kane . Elizabeth Shamberger . Frechettia Ford, assistant project director . Ned Moore . Pat Sweeney . Diana Courtney . Mary Pjerrou . Daniel R. Thompson . Norma Daniels . John Reynolds . Daniel Harrell, supervisor, Members of Pike County's African American communities who assisted SCOPE Workers included: , Jenny Baker . Nellie Mathews . Sonny Starks . Jim Baker . John Nolan . Charles Stringer . George Burks . Liz Pennington . Charles Terry . George Dix . John Reynolds . Eddie Warren . W.L. Felton . Frances Robinson . Elaine Warren . George Grubbs . Brenda Smith . Johnnie Mae Warren . Roddy McKinney . Roberta Starks . Jessie Williams, The following public officials aided the Pike County SCOPE project: , Pike County Probate Judge Ben Reeves , Pike County Chief Registrar Malcolm Gilcrist , U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson

In the weeks following the Selma to Montgomery March, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) planned a widespread southern voter registration campaign. Anticipating passage of the new Voting Rights Act, the Summer Community Organization and Political Education project (SCOPE) called upon collegians to travel to the South and assist in registering to vote more than a half-million eligible African Americans. Hundreds of students from nearly sixty schools participated in the project. Rev. Hosea Williams, beaten in Selma alongside Pike County native John Lewis on Bloody Sunday, was SCOPE's director.

On July 9, 1965, SCOPE workers arrived in Pike County and set up offices in Troy and Brundidge. Throughout the summer, these young activists, alongside local volunteers, canvassed African American communities and held mass meetings across the county. They transported hundreds of people here to the Pike County Courthouse to register, many of whom endured intimidation and threats of violence. Some lost their jobs.

Passage of the Voting Rights Act in August 1965 aided the project's efforts. It outlawed many forms of suppression employed by states like Alabama, including literacy tests and the poll tax. During the summer of 1965, the Pike County SCOPE project registered nearly 1,000 new voters.

The

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following individuals participated in the 1965 Pike County SCOPE project:
Leon Gutherz, project director • Mike Kane • Elizabeth Shamberger • Frechettia Ford, assistant project director • Ned Moore • Pat Sweeney • Diana Courtney • Mary Pjerrou • Daniel R. Thompson • Norma Daniels • John Reynolds • Daniel Harrell, supervisor

Members of Pike County's African American communities who assisted SCOPE Workers included:
Jenny Baker • Nellie Mathews • Sonny Starks • Jim Baker • John Nolan • Charles Stringer • George Burks • Liz Pennington • Charles Terry • George Dix • John Reynolds • Eddie Warren • W.L. Felton • Frances Robinson • Elaine Warren • George Grubbs • Brenda Smith • Johnnie Mae Warren • Roddy McKinney • Roberta Starks • Jessie Williams

The following public officials aided the Pike County SCOPE project:
Pike County Probate Judge Ben Reeves
Pike County Chief Registrar Malcolm Gilcrist
U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson

Erected 2022 by Scope 50 / Alabama Historical Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Government & Politics. A significant historical date for this entry is July 9, 1965.

Location. 31° 48.432′ N, 85° 58.397′ W. Marker is in Troy, Alabama, in Pike County. It is on East

Troy & Pike Pike County SCLC Scope Project, 1965 Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 1, 2025

2. Troy & Pike Pike County SCLC Scope Project, 1965 Marker, Side Two

Church Street 0.1 miles north of Love Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 E Church St, Troy AL 36081, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Black Belt,

and in the Wiregrass.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pike County Foreign Wars Veterans Memorial (here, next to this marker); Soldiers Memorial (here, next to this marker); Pike County War Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Three Notch Road (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Confederate Memorial (about 400 feet away); Pike County WWI Memorial (about 600 feet away); First United Methodist Church (about 700 feet away); The Historic Troy Post Office (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Troy.

Pike County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 1, 2025

3. Pike County Courthouse

Credits. This page was last revised on March 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 207 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 8, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.