Author: Elaine Hobson
On Saturday, May 23, 2026, three neighboring communities—Greensboro, New Zion, and Zion Ridge—held their first joint community celebration, featuring a parade and picnic. The theme was “Coming Together Is a Beginning; Keeping Together Is Progress; Working Together Is Success.” People met at Winston County Self Help Campus in New Zion to line up for the parade and take photos.
At 9:00 a.m., the parade started, led by the Winston County Sheriff’s Department. It went through New Zion, then Zion Ridge, entered Greensboro, and crossed the Bypass (Highway 15/25), where the Louisville Police Department stopped traffic to keep everyone safe. The parade ended at the old site of the Greensboro Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the Greensboro School.
At the old Greensboro church and school site, guests and organizers continued taking photos. The picnic began with a formal program showing the communities as one family: “We are One.” Ms. Maxine Goss Talley, the event chairperson, thanked everyone and introduced Ms. Wille Ruth Goss-Oben from Texas as the Mistress of Ceremonies. With a warm voice, Ms. Goss-Oben welcomed all, introduced each speaker, and gave thanks to God for safe travels.
Following Ms. Goss-Oben’s introduction, Reverend Lee Mark Taylor, representing the Greensboro Community, read the scripture. He read from the fourteenth chapter of the Book of John, beginning with the first verse, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” He continued reading several verses.
After Reverend Taylor’s reading, Reverend W.L. Hightower of New Zion M.B. Church (New Zion Community) delivered a prayer for a peaceful celebration and thanked the communities for uniting as one and celebrating together.
Next, Ms. Joe Ann Miller Campbell, a former Greensboro resident now living in Michigan, gave the opening remarks, welcoming everyone to the first joint community celebration of New Zion, Greensboro, and Zion Ridge. She said these communities have come together to celebrate friendship, build stronger connections, and create lasting memories.
After the opening remarks, Mr. Steve Eiland inspired guests by singing the gospel song “Let Us All Go Back to the Old Landmark.” It was the perfect song for those gathered at the old Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and Greensboro School site as they remembered the church and school.
Ms. Arlexis Yarbrough gave the Occasion, saying, “We celebrate the strength and unity of the communities.” She praised the hard work, dedication, and kindness of volunteers, leaders, and families who give their time and energy to strengthen communities and create opportunities for future generations.
Next, Reverend Matthews talked about Greensboro’s history, calling Greensboro a strong and supportive community: a place where everyone mattered, a community that stuck together through hard times. He said everyone comes from Greensboro because Greensboro, New Zion, and Zion Ridge have always supported one another at church gatherings and other events. He remembered his mother selling homemade ice cream for five cents at many events.
He stated that Union Chapel M.B. Church was a strong church. Ms. Indiana Day Hathorn and Ms. Abbie Head Carter were outstanding Sunday school teachers. Ms. Abbie Head Carter also cared for and guided children with loving discipline as the church disciplinary person.
Reverend Matthews remembered Mr. Solon Miller, the first black man in Winston County to own a tractor. Mr. Miller transported people to church in a wagon attached to his tractor. He then recalled Brother Joseph (Little Joe) Miller, who served as church superintendent for over 50 years. Reverend Matthews took over the role for 11 years, during which he learned that everybody is somebody in God’s house and how to be a pastor.
Linda Miller, talking about New Zion, said that in New Zion, people share each other’s troubles; when one person hurts, everyone feels it. People slaughtered hogs together, shared the meat, and worked in the fields side by side. The New Zion community raised preachers, teachers, nurses, and coaches. Families in New Zion included the Millers, Gosses, Hannahs, Browns, Colemans, Stephens, Gladneys, Holmeses, Norths, Ashfords, and Davises. Today, most people living in New Zion are descendants of those families.
Ms. Linda Miller remembered that New Zion had a farrier, a man who shoes horses, four cafés, a candy store run by Pearlie Mae and George Miller, and two baseball fields. She ended by saying New Zion is everywhere because New Zion lives in people’s hearts.
Mr. Carey Miller talked about the Zion Ridge Community, which started in the mid-1870s. Some families of formerly enslaved people who settled there were Ashford, Brown, Davis, Goss, Johnson, Miller, and McMillian. Today, most residents are either direct descendants of those families or married into them. Zion Ridge was a busy community with its own school, an old wooden building at the corner of Zion Ridge Road and Shelley Brown Road, with a small auditorium. It had two classrooms: one for 1st to 6th grade, and the other for 7th to 12th grade.
Zion Ridge had several Black-owned businesses. Mr. Arthur Davis, called “Dad,” and his wife, Ms. Estelle Davis, ran a general store. Mr. Arthur Davis owned the first Black-owned lumber mill in Winston County. Ms. Estelle Davis was a midwife who delivered babies in the community. Mr. Lewis Goss owned a molasses mill. There were also many farmers, cooks, quilters, and sewers.
In the early 1970s, Ms. Minnie Montgomery Jobe donated land for the construction of the Zion Ridge Community Center. The Center was a place for fundraisers, gospel singing groups, revivals, and other events. Mr. Carey Miller remembered summer feeding programs there, where great cooks served breakfast, lunch, and snacks every day, and children played kickball and softball and took part in talent shows. Today, the Center is a voting place for Winston County District 4. Zion Ridge has always been a close-knit community, helping and caring for one another. As the sign says, “Don’t Talk about it. Be about it.”
The program ended with closing remarks from Mr. John (Melvin) Coleman, who said it is a blessing to come together as a community to support, encourage, and uplift one another. Communities grow when people care for one another. Small acts of kindness can make a lasting difference. Progress happens when people work together, listen, and believe in good change.
After that, Mr. Steve Eiland sang another gospel song, “Just Another Day the Lord Has Kept Me.” Then, the organizing committee was given a notebook/planner as a token of appreciation for their work in planning and running Community Day 2026. The cover said, “Volunteers plant seeds that grow forever.”
Reverend Kaiser Jones of Union Chapel M.B. Church (Greensboro Community) blessed the food, thanking God for keeping the communities safe and for the chance to come together. He prayed for God’s blessing on the food and for strength to keep doing His work.
Ms. Maxine Goss Talley donated the celebration cake that said, “1ST Community Celebration.” Volunteers served classic sides like potato salad, baked beans, and green beans, as well as desserts and drinks, while the Big Boys BBQ team — Sharonne Cooper and Octavious Cobbs — grilled corn on the cob, chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausages.
After the meal, Mr. Frank Taylor unveiled historical landmark signs that will be installed at the sites of the old Greensboro Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the old Greensboro School. He also showed new, larger signs to be placed at the entrances of the three communities: Greensboro’s sign reads “Welcome to Greensboro (Est. 1870),” and another sign reads “One Place, One Family.” Zion Ridge’s sign reads “Welcome to Zion Ridge,” with an additional sign that reads “Don’t Talk About It Be About It.” New Zion’s sign reads “Welcome to New Zion,” and another sign reads “Leave in Peace.”
Mr. Tony Orland Cistrunk became emotional, knowing that his mother, Ms. Dorothy Faye Cooper Cistrunk, with the assistance of Mr. Frank Taylor and other Greensboro residents, organized the first Greensboro Day Celebration in 1986. Over the years, many celebrations have taken place, and today the celebration has expanded to include the first-ever combined celebration of the Greensboro, Zion Ridge, and New Zion communities.
Former Greensboro resident Ms. Shelly Miller Steele returned for the community’s annual celebration. She said she always enjoys the event and values the chance to celebrate and reconnect with community members and friends.
This milestone event represented the closeness, togetherness, and unity of Greensboro, New Zion, and Zion Ridge—three communities coming together as one family, becoming stronger by helping one another and honoring and celebrating their common heritage. “WE ARE ONE!”
Organizers sincerely thank the Winston County Sheriff’s Department and the Louisville Police Department for guiding the parade and managing traffic. They also thank Melodee’s Restaurant, District 4 Supervisor Floyd Miller, the City of Louisville, Taylor’s Funeral Home, Winston County Self Help Cooperative, all participants, and everyone who helped organize and donate to the celebration.
