A man who lived through the Civil War, World War I, and World War II; a devoted missionary; and a U.S. Army medic who died while held as a prisoner of war are among the remarkable individuals featured in the Garner Historical Society’s third annual Voices of the Past. The living history event will take place Sunday, Oct. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Juniper Level Missionary Baptist Church at 9104 Sauls Road, about five miles south of Garner. Admission is free, though donations to the Garner Area Historical Society are encouraged. Among those highlighted are Rufus Holloway, born on New Year’s Day in a slave cabin in Durham County who lived to the age of 117; Mary Marable, remembered for her tireless missionary work; and Earnest Allen, one of the first Black U.S. Army medics assigned to a racially integrated unit. All six of the men and women honored this year are buried at Juniper Level Baptist, a church founded in 1870 by formerly enslaved people who had worshiped at New Bethel Baptist in Garner. Guides will lead visitors to the headstones, where costumed interpreters will share their stories through dramatic monologues. In addition to the cemetery tour, guests will be invited inside the historic Juniper Level sanctuary and will also visit one of the few remaining Rosenwald Schools—located at 9109 Sauls Road, just across the street and restored by the church. Built through a partnership between the Rosenwald Foundation and local communities, these schools provided vital educational opportunities for Black children in the early 20th century.
