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Pioneer female politician honored
Monument for former Walthourville Mayor Carrie Kent
0926 Kent monument
Attendees at Saturday mornings ceremony pose for a photo with a granite monument honoring former Walthourville Mayor Carrie Kent. - photo by Photo by Lewis Levine

A granite monument honoring former Walthourville City Councilwoman and Mayor Carrie Kent was unveiled Saturday morning before a crowd of political supporters, family members and friends as Walthourville observed Mayor Carrie Kent Day. Kent, who served the city for more than 25 years and died in June 2009.
About 100 people milled around Walthourville City Hall as Leah Hayes sang during the ceremony and Liberty County Commission Chairman John McIver and Pastor Hermon Scott of Baconton Missionary Church spoke.
McIver said he and Kent both were first elected in 1978 — Kent in Walthourville and McIver in Riceboro. In those days, the commission chairman said, newly elected African-Americans were set up to fail.  
“We would have individuals offer us bribes to see if we would accept it,” McIver said.
He, Kent and other mayors organized the Georgia Elected Association of Black Elected Officials to ensure future minority elected officials received training.  
Scott, who proposed the monument to the city council earlier this year, after the ceremony said, “I thought it was important that Walthourville recognize a woman of her character. After Walthourville recognizes her, then the state and the nation could do a better job of recognizing her.”  
Walthourville Mayor Daisy Pray, Councilwoman Luciria Lovette and Scott unveiled the monument.
Carrie Anderson, Kent’s seventh child, attended the ceremony.
“It made me miss her more, but made me feel good these people still care about her, that they still love her, and that she will always live on,” she said. “And once in awhile, I can walk over here and know she is still part of the city.”
Kent’s political career began in 1974 when she was appointed as a charter council member by then-Gov. James Carter. She later was elected mayor and is credited with helping to advance the city of Walthourville, which sits west of Hinesville.

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