Shiloh community members gather for an annual event in recognition of their elders, accomplishments during the year, and to empower the community to move forward.

One of Asheville’s Oldest African American Communities

staff reports

Just as autumn arrived, one of Asheville’s oldest African American communities celebrated its heritage and its future at the Shiloh Community Center. “We must know our history, feel pride, and move forward confidently,” said Accem Scott, Master of Ceremonies for the Shiloh celebration.

Many of the elders of Shiloh were present sharing stories of “old Shiloh,” among them Mrs. Melisa Payne, a resident of the community for 40 years, who blessed the food, and Mrs. Georgia Allen, Vice President of the Shiloh Community Association, a resident for 57 years. Residents joined together to honor the past, present, and future of Shiloh during the presentation of certificates.

Mrs. Joan Martinez, in attendance with her mother Mrs. Love, recounted the history of “Old Shiloh,” which began in the 1880s as a loose collection of African American families, and grew over the next hundred years into a well-established community with several of its own integral community organizations. The original Shiloh AME Zion Church was established in 1874, and later rebuilt and dedicated in 1928 on Shiloh Road.

In 1899 Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church was established in a small log cabin on Rock Hill Road; it moved to its current location in the 1950s. After Shiloh’s first school (a two-classroom building), burned in the early 1920s, a larger elementary school was built in 1927 on Shiloh Road beside Shiloh AME Church. This school was a nexus of community, and served as an activity center for multiple African American communities of South Asheville, until it was closed during integration. Now it houses the Shiloh Recreational Center.

Ms. Teka Foster, along with her grandmother, mother, and children, representing four generations of Shiloh natives, described what it was like to grow up in Shiloh. “Walking to and from church each Sunday, walking to school, or to visit a neighbor, was like growing up in a village,” she said. Community members looked out for one another, through such simple acts as leaving on their porch lights to help neighbors get home safely when they were out.

Ms. Foster also recounted the history of Shiloh Community Association, which began in 2000 with a group of concerned residents who came together to address ongoing challenges within the neighborhood. SCA has made many positive contributions to the neighborhood, one of which was represented by Mr. John Littlejohn, a relatively new homeowner.

Mr. Littlejohn became a Shiloh homeowner as a direct result of a workshop offered to the Shiloh community through collaboration between SCA and Neighborhood Housing Services, which has since merged into Mountain Housing Opportunities.

Ongoing activities and future goals of SCA include greater community involvement; activities for youth; expanded senior programs; the community garden; drug- and gang-prevention programs; educational programs in renewable technology; and housing education programs such as support for first time homeowners, programs for residents who already own their own homes, remodeling, weatherization tax credits, solar tax credits, etc.

The “New Shiloh” was in attendance as well, making many positive contributions of their own. The young Gekovie Simuel blessed the gathering, asking that the Lord bless “not just one family, but all families.” The Shiloh Youth Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Bobette Mays and her son Mr. Brandon Mays, inspired the crowd with their music. Sophia Futherford and Karisma Moore shared the response letters they received from President Obama when they wrote to him earlier in the year, and Miss Antwanet Johnson received a certificate of recognition as the Future of Shiloh for her active involvement in community life.

With good friends, food, and music, and multigenerational contributions of new and old residents of Shiloh community, the gathering was a great success. As Mrs. Norma Baynes stated, “Everyone enjoyed the whole event.”

A video of the event can be viewed at: www.vimeo.com (enter Shiloh – Asheville), and public access station URTV (Charter channel 20 in Asheville) was scheduled to air the Shiloh history video on Wednesday October 7 at 7:00 p.m.