Preserving the legacy of Elmore Bolling,who was lynched in 1947, by telling the full history of Lowndes County, Alabama and empowering the region’s citizens today.
In 1940s Jim Crow Alabama, Elmore Bolling was a young, self-made Black entrepreneur with a genius for business.
Against all odds, he built a network of trucking and farming businesses that nourished his community -- he offered good paying jobs for Black people, services valued and used by white business owners, and philanthropy for churches and individuals.
He paid for his success with his life: in 1947, angry whites, aggrieved that Elmore was winning business contracts they thought should be theirs, lynched Elmore, cutting his life short at age 39.
Entrepreneurship. Education. Citizenship.
These are the ideals Elmore Bolling stood for, and the ideals we embrace in our projects.
Lowndesboro School Project
The National Park Service recognized our project to restore the Lowndesboro School with an African American Civil Rights Grant in July 2021.
The grant will help us to tell the long history of African Americans striving for education in Lowndes County and throughout the South and offer educational and career support to the people of a county with one of the most violent histories of White Supremacy in the United States.
Essential Education Project
Alabama ranks 47th nationwide for child well-being and Lowndes County ranks among the bottom of the state’s counties for key indicators of health, economic security, and education. It is one of the most challenging places in America for children and parents to live and to learn.
We are dedicated to helping Lowndes County families thrive through our literacy, tutoring, test preparation, and parent involvement programs.
Community Support
We look for opportunities to provide direct relief to the Lowndes County community.
Remembrance Coalition
: History Revealed in “Bloody Lowndes”
“We cannot heal the deep wounds inflicted during the era of racial terrorism until we tell the truth about it.”
— Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative
The Elmore Bolling Initiative convened the Lowndes County Community Remembrance Coalition to bring present day residents into dialogue about our shared history.