Other Black Individuals Also Deserve Recognition

While I do not live within the town of Mooresville, Mooresville is my hometown. Over the years, I have watched how Mooresville has grown from a sleepy textile mill town to a small city that I hardly recognize anymore.

Recently, I noticed that something else is being named after Selma Burke. I think that it is nice that Ms. Burke is being recognized for her accomplishments; however, she is not the only black person who deserves recognition in Mooresville. Indeed, she is one of Mooresville’s most famous individuals, but once she left the town in the 1930s or 1940s, she did not return, except for visits with her family who remained in Mooresville.

Specifically, a family member who remained, and was an integral part of the Mooresville and Iredell County community was Geneva Burke Miller, a younger sister of Selma’s. Mrs. Miller was an educator and the mother of George Miller, who in 1957, at just 11 years old, was the winner of a national quiz show called Giant Step.

Giant Step was created by producers of the popular quiz show, the $64,000 Question. As the winner of the contest, the pre-teen public school student from Mooresville received a full scholarship to the college or university of his choice (he chose Harvard University). He also received prizes that included a movie camera, watch, television set (a big deal in 1957), and copies of the United Nations Charters signed by Henry Cabot Lodge and Ralph Bunche. Upon graduation from college, Miller and his family also received a year-long trip to Europe.

Now, getting back to Mrs. Miller. She was a long-time educator in the Iredell County public schools and was one of my former teachers. She was actively involved in special events and the arts – engaging individuals, particularly youth in plays, poetry recitations, music, and exposure to other cultures. She was an active member of Watkins Chapel AME Zion Church. Mrs. Miller is buried at Green Acres Cemetery in Mooresville, alongside her husband, mother, other siblings, and relatives. Her former residence is still in use (located directly across from Cascade Gardens apartments).

It is commendable to honor Selma Burke, but I think individuals such as Geneva B. Miller, and others should be acknowledged and honored more so for their consistency to the lifeblood of the Mooresville/Iredell County community.