Fifteen distinguished alumni of Hattiesburg’s city schools will be inducted into the 2019 Hattiesburg Hall of Fame by the Hattiesburg Public School District Foundation.
Inductees for the 2019 Class, the second ever announced, come from fields of business, politics, education, healthcare, journalism and sports.
“These individuals are unique in their accomplishments but reveal a common theme of the excellence that has evolved from Hattiesburg, Rowan, Eureka and Royal Street high schools”, said Hugh Bolton, a member of the Hall of Fame Steering Committee. “I encourage our community to embrace and acknowledge these worthy individuals and their accomplishments.”
The Foundation’s Hall of Fame Steering Committee, with help from Primary Publicity Partner Pine Belt News, gathered nominations from the community. This year alumni and community members were also able to nominate via the online public engagement vehicle at HattiesburgHOF.com. The public is encouraged to nominate school alumni through this online opportunity.
The 15 alumni selected, including 3 posthumous nominees, for the Hattiesburg Hall of Fame Class of 2019 are:
Lt. Col. Raylawni G.A. Branch, Ret., Civil Rights Pioneer
Charles J. Brown, Bronze Star Veteran
Dr. Richard Clark, Founder, Hattiesburg Clinic
Janet Gurwitch, Cosmetics CEO
Dr. Eddie A. Holloway, University Dean of Students
Steve Knight, Most Basketball Coaching Wins in State History
Dr. Lynn McMahan, Founder, Southern Eye Clinic
Carlton “Corky” Palmer, College World Series Baseball Coach
Ora Lee Shaheed, Healthcare Administrator
Randy Swan, Television News Anchor/Director
Lawrence Warren, Paving Magnate
Percy Watson, State Legislator
Posthumous Members
Peggy Jean Connor, Civil Rights Activist
Jackie Dole Sherrill, First Female Sergeant/Detective, Hattiesburg Police Department
Iola Craft Williams, Executive Director, African-American Military History Museum
The HPSD Foundation hosts the Hall of Fame gala as a scholarship benefit, with proceeds going to students and staff of Hattiesburg Public School District. Funds generated by the event are earmarked for student scholarships, teacher grants and early childhood education readiness.
The event will be staged on Thursday Night, October 24, at Eureka School Civil Rights Museum, which has recently been restored to historical accuracy by the Hattiesburg Convention Commission. The black tie dinner and reception are ticketed events but the public will have an opportunity to meet the Class of 2019 when they are presented pregame during Homecoming Activities at D I Patrick Stadium on Friday Night, October 25.
A Thursday Downtown Hattiesburg Luncheon and a meet-the-students Friday morning brunch at Central Office are also planned during the two-day event.
“The number of worthy graduates seems to be inexhaustible and others will certainly be recognized in future classes,” said Jerome Brown, President of the HPSD Foundation. “While the spotlight will be on Hall of Fame inductees, our hope is that the current HHS Student Body will notice the success of these graduates,” adds Dan Kibodeaux, Executive Director of HPSD Foundation.
Retired Educator and Event Chair Michael Marks acknowledges the Hall of Fame’s mission. “We are excited to join Hattiesburg Public Schools in their effort to reclaim alumni who typify national standards of excellence.” In a nod to the recent Masters Golf Tournament outcome, Marks adds, “The Tiger is back!”
Business patrons and alumni who would like to become official sponsors for the scholarship gala should go online to HattiesburgHOF.com or request more information at
HAttiesburgHOF@gmail.com.
CHARLES J. BROWN
Charles J. Brown (Rowan High, 1958) is a Hattiesburg resident known nationally for his valor in the Vietnam conflict, as he was featured in The History Channel’s documentary “Vietnam in HD.”
Brown, who was Senior Class President at Rowan, joined the U.S. Army straight out of high school. He began his Army career with the 101st Airborne Division and later served as Platoon Sergeant in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
After taking shrapnel in both legs, Brown returned to the front lines and fought in the battle of Dak To in 1967. He risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers during the battle, and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his leadership role and courage.
In 1994, he was honored as Hattiesburg's first Veteran of the Year. Following his military career, Brown went to William Carey University, graduating in 1973.
Brown worked for the Mississippi Employment Security Commission for 27 years and was Counselor of the Year twice.
Brown was one of the original commissioners in 1991 to serve on the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, and in 2011 was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award as the Hattiesburg Rotary International Non-Rotarian of the Year.
STEVE KNIGHT
Steve Knight (Hattiesburg High, 1975) is the record-setting basketball coach at William Carey University.
Knight was named All-Big 8 Conference and All-State in basketball at Hattiesburg High and started on the 1974 state basketball championship team.
He played basketball and baseball at Southern Miss and spent two seasons pitching in the Seattle Mariners organization.
Knight became the Carey men’s basketball coach at age 25 and became the all-time winningest basketball coach for four-year colleges in Mississippi history in 2010. His overall record in 37 seasons, is 705-479. Last season, Carey advanced to the NAIA Final Four.
His team in 2013-14 went 28-3, 18-0 in the conference, and Knight was named the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Coach of the Year.
His Carey teams have won 20 or more games 20 times, have won 13 conference or district championships and have advanced to national tournaments 13 seasons. He has been named the conference Coach of the Year 11 times.
While athletic director, Knight increased Carey from five sports teams to 17.
Knight is the only person with Carey ties in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
CARLTON D. “CORKY” PALMER
Carlton D. “Corky” Palmer (Hattiesburg High, 1972) coached baseball, and he coached it well.
After playing catcher at Hattiesburg High and the University of Southern Mississippi, Palmer became a coach, starting in high school at Newton, going to Columbus and Columbia, moving on to Meridian Community College and finally taking charge of the University of Southern Mississippi baseball program.
His overall 32-year career coaching record in high school, community college and Division I college was 946-493. He coached USM to its only berth in the College World Series, in 2009. That team finished the season ranked No. 8 in the country, the highest USM has ever finished.
His teams won numerous championships and he coached Southern Miss to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven in a row. In 2003, Palmer was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year. He also served on the coaching staff of a team of U.S. all-stars that played in Tokyo in 1996.
Palmer, now retired, also is in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Southern Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the USM Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
PERCY WATSON
Percy Watson (Rowan High, 1969) is an attorney in Hattiesburg who also is a representative of District 103 in the Mississippi State House of Representatives.
Watson, a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Iowa College of Law, has been a representative since 1980. He is currently serving his 10th term.
In the Legislature, Watson is the vice chairman of the Ethics Committee and also is a member of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Appropriations Committees.
He is the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Watson also studied at the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University.
Watson also is a member of the Alaska Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Judicature Association, the Hattiesburg Chamber of Commerce, the Iowa Bar Association, the Jesse Brown Lodge, the Mississippi Bar Association, Mississippi Legal Services, the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association the NAACP, the National Bar Association and Phi Beta Kappa.
Other civic and community involvement for the former Student Body President and Honor Society member at Rowan High School include Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Regions Bank Advisory Board and Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Ebenezer Baptist Church.