Harrison G. Goree

Harrison G. Goree was the first black principal of the colored free school in Atlanta. He moved to Texas in 1879 and finished his schooling at Bishop Baptist College in Marshall.

Goree bought his first acre of land from E.B. Allday in 1886. The tax office in Linden has a Goree addition section along what is now Young Street formally named Goree Street.

Goree married Sally Lincoln Brown and they were blessed with seven children; two of whom died in infancy.

Of the five remaining children, one son, Presley, died as a direct result of discrimination. Presley became seriously ill. It is said he suffered a ruptured appendix and white doctors in Atlanta refused to treat him.

The family attempted to rush him to Texarkana to be seen by a black doctor but they were too late.

The Gorees became a well-respected, strong black family in Atlanta.

Goree was active in politics, community affairs and was a good example of true merit. If we were all like him there wouldn’t be any friction between the races.

After being in Atlanta for 35 years, the Goree family moved to Texarkana where black doctors were practicing medicine.

The Gorees loved children and immediately became involved in local efforts to develop better resources to educate young black children.

Goree resigned his positon as principal in Texarkana in 1916 to become Grand Master of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Texas.