green hawkins
1894-1943
Life Story
Early Life in Neshoba County
Green Hawkins was born around 1894 in Neshoba County, Mississippi, to Hebert Hawkins (1864–?) and Mitt Hawkins (1871–?). He was raised in a rural farming community where agricultural labor shaped daily life.
As a young man, he worked as a farm laborer on the family farm in Neshoba County. He completed the sixth grade of elementary school—an important educational milestone for a Black child growing up in the early twentieth-century South.
Marriage and Family
Green Hawkins married Nellie McNair (1893–1987). Together they built their household between Neshoba and Newton Counties, reflecting the mobility common among farming families seeking steady work.
From this union, the following children were born:
Jimmie Hawkins (1913–?)
Grady Hawkins (1915–?)
Annie L. Hawkins (1918–?)
Annie M. Hawkins (1921–?)
Sammie Hawkins (1924–1990)
Herbert Hawkins, Jr. (1926–?)
Dennis Hawkins (1929–?)
By 1920, Green and Nellie were residing in Union, Newton County, Mississippi, where Green worked as a laborer in a sawmill. By 1930, the family had returned to Dixon in Neshoba County, where he resumed farming. Throughout his life, his usual occupation was listed as farming, reflecting the agricultural foundation of his household.
Tragic Death
Green Hawkins passed away on January 16, 1943, at 9:00 p.m., at Laird’s Hospital in Union, Mississippi, after a 16-day stay. He was 47 years old.
His death certificate provides stark details. The immediate cause of death was gangrene and perforation resulting from a gunshot wound. Medical findings noted lacerations of the colon and stomach. The manner of death was officially classified as homicide.
The injury occurred on January 2, 1943, in Union, Mississippi, reportedly “in the woods.” His wife, Nellie Hawkins, served as the informant on his death certificate.
He was laid to rest at Springhill Baptist Church Cemetery on January 17, 1943. Funeral arrangements were handled by J. T. Halaway of Union, Mississippi.
Sidebar: Why the News Might Be Missing
Despite the severity of his death, no known newspaper articles have been located documenting the incident. Several historical factors may explain this absence:
Selective Reporting:
In 1943, Mississippi newspapers were deeply segregated in both readership and editorial priorities. Crimes involving Black victims were often underreported unless they were considered sensational or involved white citizens.
War-Time Paper Shortages:
During World War II, many local newspapers reduced their page counts due to paper rationing and shifted focus toward international war coverage, leaving limited space for local reporting—particularly concerning African American communities.
The “Woods” Context:
The notation that the shooting occurred “in the woods” leaves room for speculation. It may have involved a hunting dispute, an altercation away from public view, or a targeted act of violence that authorities chose not to publicize. In many cases during this era, details surrounding the deaths of Black men were either minimized or omitted from public record.
The absence of coverage does not diminish the gravity of the event. Instead, it highlights the unequal documentation of violence in the Jim Crow South.
Legacy
Green Hawkins’ life reflects the resilience of Black working families in early twentieth-century Mississippi—moving between counties, shifting between farming and mill labor, and raising children amid economic uncertainty and racial inequality.
His death, recorded clinically on a certificate but largely absent from public newsprint, reminds us that historical silence is not historical insignificance. Through preserved records and family memory, his story continues to be told.
Resting Place
Spring Hill M.B. Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- Mississippi, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1912-1943
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
- U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918
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