Four days before Christmas in 1957, Clarence Horatious Pickett, a preacher and newspaper ad salesman in Columbus, Georgia, walked into town to pick up his paycheck. Forty-eight years old and known as “Reverend” to many, the tall, lean man with wire-rimmed glasses left his home and headed toward The Columbus World, a black newspaper where Pickett worked.

Pickett, who’d been a boy preacher, was showing signs of mental instability and had spent time in the county jail and the state mental hospital, which was notorious for employing doctors with addictions, poor training and racist beliefs. Before the day was over, Pickett would be arrested, jailed, and beaten senseless by a white police officer. An examining physician would conclude that Pickett was “putting on.” He wasn’t. His injuries would lead to his death two days later. Pickett’s killing would spur police and FBI investigations where a remarkable number of eyewitnesses would come forward to testify on what they saw. But would an all-white criminal justice system bring charges against a white cop for beating a black man?

Season 5 of Buried Truths follows the story of Pickett and the criminal justice and medical professionals who failed him. Why was he thrown in jail in the first place? Why wasn't he able to receive adequate medical care in those fragile days after his encounter with police? We'll explore Pickett’s life as a mentally disturbed Black man in the dark heart of the Deep South in the 1950s.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen at wabe.org/podcasts/buried-truths/ starting August 26.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A live panel discussion moderated by Rose Scott and featuring voices from series. In this bonus episode, Scott leads an insightful conversation with Sophia Dodd, co-host of 1912, Monica Goings, a researcher from Clark Atlanta University, and descendants featured on the podcast, Elon Osby, Charles Grogan, and Chase Evans. Panelists talk about origins of the podcast and myths surrounding Lake Lanier, while descendants ruminate on what the future looks like for them.

1912 is a limited series from Atlanta History Center and WABE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of 1912, hosts Rose Scott and Sophia Dodd reflect on Forsyth County’s journey from the violent expulsion of its Black residents in 1912 to today’s ongoing struggle for justice and reconciliation. The episode opens with the story of Alexander Akers, a biracial student who grew up in Forsyth County during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Akers endured relentless racism, highlighting how deeply rooted racial hostility persisted, even as the county’s demographics began to shift.

As Forsyth’s population grew, fueled by an influx of white families seeking prestigious schools and suburban security, the number of Black residents remained small. Yet, hope emerged through efforts like the Forsyth Descendants Scholarship. Established by Durwood Sneed, a white resident of Forsyth County, the scholarship honors the legacy of those forced out in 1912.

The episode also examines ongoing efforts toward reparations, focusing on the preservation of Black cemeteries and the restoration of historical sites like Bagley Park. While private initiatives have made progress, descendants are clear: true reconciliation must come from the county itself. Forsyth’s leadership has yet to fully confront the realities of 1912, and until they do, the past will continue to cast a shadow over the present.

1912 is a limited series from Atlanta History Center and WABE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.