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Thurgood Marshall Statue Set to Be Dedicated in Downtown Columbia on Friday

Issue #571

October 01, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

☀️ Columbia’s Weather - Mostly sunny w/ High of 87, low of 62

📰 Thurgood Marshall Statue Set to Be Dedicated in Downtown Columbia on Friday

📰 Mailing Gifts This Year? USPS Holiday Price Hikes Begin Soon

🗓 List of Upcoming Events
 
🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Thurgood Marshall Statue Set to Be Dedicated in Downtown Columbia on Friday

A statue of civil rights attorney and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall will be unveiled on Friday, Oct. 3 in downtown Columbia, honoring his pivotal role in defending those charged in what became known as the 1946 Columbia Race Riot, an event that marked the early stirrings of the Civil Rights Movement.

The unveiling will take place at 5 p.m. at the roundabout on Main Street and East Eighth Street. The statue is a gift from the Columbia Peace and Justice Initiative (CPJI) to the City of Columbia.

The new “Thurgood Marshall Roundabout” is intended to serve as a lasting symbol of Columbia’s place in the larger civil rights struggle. City leaders and CPJI worked together on the project, placing it at the entrance to the city’s historically Black district. Alongside the statue, four historical markers will highlight the racial tensions leading up to the 1946 events, the names of those who stood trial, and those who lost their lives in custody or prior to trial.

The confrontation in February 1946 began when Gladys Stephenson and her son James argued with a store clerk over the repair of a radio. The dispute turned violent when the clerk struck James. After the Stephensons were arrested, a white mob formed and rumors of a lynching spread. Two Black businessmen posted bail for the family, and members of the Black community armed themselves to defend against the threat. The situation escalated when law enforcement arrived; shots were fired, and about 100 Black men were arrested.

Marshall, then chief counsel for the NAACP, came to Columbia to defend 25 of the individuals who faced trial. Though illness limited his presence during much of the proceedings in Lawrenceburg, he later returned to represent two additional defendants.

The trials and Marshall’s presence marked a turning point in local and national resistance to segregation and racial violence. Marshall went on to argue landmark cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, which ended segregation in public schools, and later became the first African American appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967.

The Columbia statue, designed by artist David Alan Clark and based on a 1956 Associated Press photograph, depicts Marshall striding uphill toward the Maury County Courthouse — a symbol of his fight against injustice and oppression.

Mailing Gifts This Year? USPS Holiday Price Hikes Begin Soon

Holiday shipping will cost a little more this year, with the U.S. Postal Service set to introduce temporary rate increases starting Sunday, Oct. 5., and lasting through Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.

The seasonal adjustments affect Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Parcel Select, and USPS Ground Advantage services. USPS said the changes are intended to offset additional handling costs during the busy holiday period and to keep its rates competitive.

Holiday shipping deadlines
To help ensure gifts arrive in time for Christmas, USPS recommends sending packages by mid-December. For addresses in the continental U.S., the cutoff dates are:

  • Wednesday, Dec. 17, for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail

  • Thursday, Dec. 18, for Priority Mail

  • Saturday, Dec. 20, for Priority Mail Express

For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories:

  • Tuesday, Dec. 16, for USPS Ground Advantage

  • Wednesday, Dec. 17, for First-Class Mail

  • Thursday, Dec. 18, for Priority Mail

  • Saturday, Dec. 20, for Priority Mail Express

Temporary retail price increases

Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage (Zones 1–4)

  • $0.40 increase for 0–3 pounds

  • $0.60 increase for 4–10 pounds

  • $0.95 increase for 11–25 pounds

  • $3 increase for 26–70 pounds and oversized packages

Priority Mail (Zones 5–9)

  • $0.90 increase for 0–3 pounds

  • $1.45 increase for 4–10 pounds

  • $3.25 increase for 11–25 pounds

  • $7 increase for 26–70 pounds

Priority Mail Flat Rate

  • $1.45 increase for large flat-rate boxes

  • $0.90 increase for all other flat-rate products

For the complete list of updated rates, visit USPS.com

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Wednesday, October 1st

Thursday, October 2nd

Friday, October 3rd

Saturday, October 4th

Sunday, October 5th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

Oct 11: Columbia Fall Fest
Oct 11: Whole Hog Festival

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Thursday, October 2nd

Todd Ciprian, Tito’s Spring Hill, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Chords for a Cause, The Mulehouse, 7:00 PM
Jordan Priest, Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30 – 9:00 PM

Friday, October 3rd

TBA, The Spot: Burgers & Beers, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Tommy Wheatley, Buck & Board, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Mike Peters, McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Josh Keas & Roxy, Grinder’s Switch Winery, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Scott Southwest & The Honky Tonk Anonymous Band, Puckett’s, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Ministry of Fun, Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30 – 9:00 PM

Saturday, October 4th

Crossbridges, Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Andy Ross Band, The Rebel Bar & Grill, 4:00 PM
Bethany Trainer, Buck & Board, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Tom Saffell & Robert Johnson, McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Rett Stocstill & The Ministry of Fun, Twisted Copper Brewing Company, 7:00 – 10:00 PM
The Heels, Puckett’s, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Fall Series, The Bourbon Gospel, 7:30 PM

Sunday, October 5th

Braise Killen, Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

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