A Proclamation
Whereas:
Little Mary Phagan was born to Frances Elizabeth L. "Fannie" Phagan Benton Coleman and William Joshua Phagan in Florence, Alabama, on the 1st day of June, in the year of our Lord 1899; and
Whereas:
After the death of William Joshua Phagan, the family moved to Marietta, Georgia; and
Whereas:
Fannie Phagan married John W. Coleman in 1912, moving into the downtown Atlanta community of "Cabbagetown" where Little Mary Phagan began employment at the National Pencil Factory in the Spring of 1912; and
Whereas:
On April 26, 1913, Little Mary Phagan was on her way to celebrate Confederate Memorial Day by attending the parade of those aging Confederate veterans; and
Whereas:
Little Mary Phagan never made the parade, as she was beaten, raped, and brutally murdered, body thrown down an elevator shaft at the age of thirteen years old; and
Whereas:
The United Confederate Veterans and the Masons raised money to bury her at Marietta City Cemetery. She lies in the Southeast corner where Cemetery Street and West Atlanta Street intersect, adjacent to the Confederate Cemetery; and
Whereas:
Our Confederate heroes regarded her death as such importance to have buried her with Confederate veterans watching over her from her right, and Masons to her left; and
Whereas:
The Sons of those men in grey shall forget her not; now
Therefore:
I, Jack Bridwell, Commander,
Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans
do hereby
Proclaim June 1st, 2013, and each June 1st hereafter, as Little Mary Phagan Day.
