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For Josh White Jr., the return to the birthplace of his father was a bittersweet homecoming that offered moments of redemption inextricably bound up with a reckoning with the past. He was in town for the dedication of a sculpture honoring the life and work of his father, Josh White Sr. The bronze sculpture by artist Joe Thompson was unveiled to the public in October of 2021 and stands at the intersection of Falls Park Drive and Hammond Street in Greenville's Historic West End. Born in Greenville in 1914, Josh White Sr. embarked on a musical journey that took him from roaming the South, shoeless, as an escort for blind blues musicians, to playing packed concert halls across Europe. One of his generation's great musical talents, White enjoyed widespread success and acclaim during his career. As time passed, his musical legacy largely faded from cultural memory, but recent efforts by 4
LIBRARY NOW // Issue 7 2022
“I am proud of the fact that under our system of freedom, everyone is able to speak out— or in my case sing out—against what we consider wrong and what we consider right.” the Committee to Commemorate Josh White have begun the process of restoring it. At a young age, White Sr. was exposed to the harsh realities of life for a Black family living in the South in the early 1900s. His father was assaulted by police officers and, when he attempted to defend himself and struck one
