The Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation (CCHLF) will hold its winter Quarterly Meeting on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m. in the Sheffield Public Library Conference Room located on 316 N. Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, AL.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel Arthur D. Graves will be the guest speaker. His Black History Month presentation will cover the three basic structures (the family, church and schools) that African Americans relied upon as social support systems that aided them to “go from the out-house to the White House.”

Colonel Graves, a World War II veteran received his AFROTC commission from Tuskegee Institute in 1949 and entered active service in 1951; serving at Hondo AFB, Texas; Reese AFB, Texas; Laredo AFB, Texas; Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL; Brookley AFB, Mobile; Eglin AFB, Florida; Moulin’s AFB, France; Daharan AFB, Saudia Arabia; Clark AFB, Philippine Islands; and Southern Command Headquarters in the Panama Canal Zone.

Lt. Col. Graves is a graduate of Trenholm High School, and Tuskegee University. He earned a Master’s degree from Tennessee State University and Ed.S. Degree from the University of North Alabama.

In 1949 he began his teaching career as a public school teacher at the Old Courtland Colored High School.

Serving there a year, he later taught at Decatur High School for a year. While living in Lawrence County, he began working for his uncle, Mr. George Reynolds, at Reynolds Funeral Home in Decatur, Alabama. He then entered the United States Air Force and remained in service for 20 years.

He is owner and operator of Thompson & Sons Funeral Home in Tuscumbia.

Married to Mrs. Jean Long Graves, they are the parents of three children: Dr. Lisa Graves Minor (Julian), Professor of English at the University of North Alabama; Attorney Kenneth D. Graves (Tamekia), Chief Legal Officer for Huntsville Hospital; and Attorney Sherri Graves-Smith (William), Legal Counselor at Coca-Cola Headquarters in Atlanta, GA and two granddaughters: Leslie Minor and Kristen Graves.

The meeting is free to the public. Refreshments served following the meeting.

For more information please call Programs Chairman Tom McKnight at 1 (256) 635-8940, or Chairman Lanny Perry at (256) 383-4204.