Page 121 - South Mississippi Living - Ocotber, 2022

ORIC Men of the Coast
John Robinson
This future aviator attended high school in Gulfport, where he discovered his passion for mechanics and machinery. In 1919 he was not allowed to continue his education past the tenth grade in Mississippi, so he attended Tuskegee University
in Alabama. After continuing his education and doing many great things with his career that broke ground for Black men, he encouraged Tuskegee University to begin an aviation program. For this, Robinson is known as the “Father of the Tuskegee Airmen.”
The Anderson Brothers
It feels like it would be Coastal sacrilege to not mention this widely beloved artistic family. They may not originally be from Ocean Springs, but they lived there for much of their lives. Peter Anderson, Walter Anderson, and James “Mac” Anderson are still prominent along the Coast. Peter Anderson is honored by the festival in his name each November. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art showcases some of his finest pieces
that highlight local flora and fauna. All three of their impacts can be felt to this day at Shearwater Pottery, which Peter opened and where Walter and Mac worked for many years. Their molds and art styles are still used on the pottery today!
James Carroll Booker III
You may recognize this name from The 100 Men Hall’s Booker Fest – but
who is this honoring? While he may have been born in New Orleans, Booker spent much of his childhood in Bay St. Louis with his aunt. This is where he discovered his love of music. He was a master of the piano by age seven and went on to master the saxophone as well. He recorded and/or toured with many musical greats, like Aretha Franklin and Fats Domino. He was known for his skill of blending classical music with jazz and blues.
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