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A Nebraska woman watching Alex Haley's roots was inspired to find out about her own family's roots.

Her journey eventually led to here, Mount Olivet Cemetery in Jackson.

Hello, I'm Peter Noll, the West Tennessee PBS Channel 11 General manager and CEO.

When WLJT first heard about Ms. Rhonda Williams, great-great uncle, the Corporal George Burney Jr. a World War I veteran who received an award from the French government for his acts of bravery during his service in Europe, we wanted to know more.

Channel 11 was invited to a special ceremony, honoring Corporal Burney, involving the honor guard, dignitaries, and the dedication of a special memorial.

It is here at Mount Olivet Cemetery where Corporal Burney is buried and where he is now remembered for the war hero he is.

This is all about home history.

I realized that this was a man who had never had the chance to be recognized by his own hometown.

It is with great honor that I recognize Corporal George Washington Burney Jr. and his service for France during World War I.

It's a wild ride, and I'm blessed.

I hope that Uncle George is looking down saying, "You did it kid."

[music] We're hometown proud of our history, we're built on solid ground.

It's all about home.

It's all about history.

It's all about West Tennessee.

This is all about home history.

[music] It's all about home.

How long of a journey has it been?

You said your interest in family started with roots.

Tell us about that journey to this day.

I started trying to do the roots the follow-up, the research.

Didn't know at first where to start.

Just so happen.. by a cousin's house and she was elderly.

She was telling me about my great-great-grandfather, who was great-great uncle's dad.

She was telling me about how he was a CME gospel minister and he traveled.

He was a traveling minister.

Then from there on, she had a picture of the award that Dr. Carls has showed.

I asked her about it and she was like, "Oh, he got killed eight minutes after being home from the war."

I said, "Can you tell me more about him?"

Then I just started searching and searching with him.

My sister-in-love, Joyce, she brought me to Jackson and we started all the way up and came on down and we've been searching and searching and searching.

Then I ran into Mr. Ricky Long.

My name is Ricky Long.

I'm the Madison County historian.

My role is to help each of us learn and appreciate better our county's rich history.

Today we're here to add an important chapter to that history.

About a year ago, I met by sheer chance, Ms. Rhonda Williams at the Tennessee Room of the Jackson Madison County Library.

She had come here all the way from Nebraska to try to learn more and research her ancestors, Reverend George and Amanda Burney.

In particular, she wanted to know more about her great-great uncle George W. Burney Jr. As Rhonda told me about George Burney Jr.

I realized that this was a man who had never had the chance to be recognized by his own hometown for his contributions to our freedom, and he deserves better.

He was born and raised here in Jackson.

He grew up on Webster Street.

He attended St. Paul CME Church, where his daddy was the minister.

His father was a friend and traveling companion to Bishop Isaac Lane.

In 1917, George and his brother John both entered the US Army to serve in World War I. George was assigned to Company I of the 368th Infantry Regiment, part of the 92nd Division, an all-Black unit in what was then a segregated US army.

He went to France in 1918 and fought in the Meuse-Argonne campaign that fall, where his regiment suffered heavy casualties, including several from right here in Madison County.

According to newspapers of the time, George Burney was decorated for individual heroism in combat by the government of France under whose flag he was fighting.

One news account said that he had used his service revolver to shoot down two German airplanes and take 25 enemy soldiers prisoner.

Only a few days after returning to the States, Corporal Burney was killed in a domestic shooting in Illinois.

His remains were brought home by his family for burial here at Mount Olivet Cemetery in what would remain for over 100 years, an unmarked grave.

He never got the chance to see his family again.

He never got the chance to be welcomed home to what might have been a hero's welcome.

He never got the chance to be told, thank you, for his service and his heroism.

Today, we're here to write that wrong.

All of you have come here to join with his family in saying thank you to Corporal George Washington Burney Jr. who was a true Jackson, Tennessee hero.

Regardless of the exact details of his military service, all of which we may never know, he served with honor, with dedication to his country, and with the courage that did, does now, and always will make his family proud of their Uncle George.

His hometown is proud of a Jackson hero.

It is indeed a pleasure to be here.

I am your city councilman for this district.

It is touching that we today honor this veteran and what he did for our country.

This is a proclamation from the mayor.

I would like to read this for you.

"Whereas George W. Burney Jr. was born in Jackson, Tennessee on March 13, 1895, the son of Reverend George W. Burney Sr. and Amanda Burney.

Whereas he entered into the US Army during World War I and was assigned to Company I 386 Infantry Regiment of the 92nd division of the Allied Expeditionary Force.

Whereas Mr. Burney entered into combat in the Meuse-Argonne offense on September the 25th, 1918 in France, during this pivotal battle, Corporal Burney exhibited courage and selflessness performing acts of heroism that earned him the French crossed the air with palm from French government.

Whereas his unit returned to the US on February the 11th, 1919, but shortly thereafter, George Burney tragically died.

He was returned home by his family for burial in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Jackson, where his grave went unmarked until 2024.

Whereas he is now buried there among his fellow US service members, ranging from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.

Whereas the City of Jackson honors Corporal Burney's legacy and bravery while recognizing his exceptional contributions and service to his country.

Now, therefore, I, Scott Conger, mayor of the City of Jackson, do hereby proclaim August 17, 2024 as Corporal George W. Burney Jr. Day and witness thereof, I set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Jackson to be affixed the 17th day of August, 2024, Scott Conger, mayor of Jackson, Tennessee."

He's not forgotten.

In the annals of history, it would reflect that during that period of time of Burney's service, we were segregated.

The armed services were segregated, segregated on purpose because they would not allow the 368 that regiment to serve with the rest of United States Army personnel.

Fortunately, the French, being in need of bodies, accepted them and gave them full privileges as all the other French soldiers who fought in that war.

Because of that, he was able to do what-- With a pistol, shoot an airplane down.

That's unbelievable.

That's who most of those soldiers were.

Who was not allowed to fight alongside their fellow Americans, was able to fight alongside those countries that didn't see color as a barrier to service in the war arena.

I, too, am a veteran, served in the 3rd Armored Division in Europe.

I might look like I'm from World War II, but I was in the Vietnam era.

Days like this is too few in order for us to recognize those who gave exceptional service, including their life, to make sure that these fallen heroes were honored with respect.

On the NAACP, we are very thankful that through the efforts of Professor Carls and others, that we're able to attend this and recognize this hero.

He was a hero.

We will have a proclamation for the family, will be sent to you at a later date, recognizing his service and recognizing his contribution to the freedom that he did not have when he came back to Jackson, because it was what they called the Red Summer.

The Red Summer was a very difficult time.

The town was burning, people were being hung, and riots was all over the place.

We were at war, and unfortunately there was a sickness going on.

I don't know if it was yellow fever or some of those things that was happening.

It was a very difficult time.

What he gave, we cannot measure.

What he means to the family, what he means to us, as a local Jacksonian and Madison Countian, he'll always be remembered as our hero.

To the family, we can say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

May Mr. Burney rest in peace, knowing that his family's here and being honored in this manner.

I thank you very much for your time.

Thank you very much for your sacrifice.

It is my great honor to speak to you this morning on behalf of the French government, and especially the French consulate in Atlanta, that wrote a letter of commendation for Corporal Burney, and I'm here to read this letter to you.

I want to show a copy of the plaque that Corporal Burney did receive.

Perhaps as a beginning, I should read what the plaque says, because it is really quite awesome.

It was written by the Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces, Marshal Foch, who gave a plaque to all the Allied soldiers.

Every Allied soldier received a plaque that read, "Liberty's Eternal Triumph, a tribute to one who served 1917-1918, officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of the Allied armies, after having resolutely stopped the enemy, you have for months fought him with faith and indefatigable energy without respite.

You have won the greatest war in history and saved the most sacred cause, the liberty of the world.

Be proud, you have adorned your flags with immortal glory.

Posterity preserves for you its recognition."

Underneath, present to George W. Burney, Company I, 368th Infantry.

I find it very telling that this American unit, like the American Expeditionary Forces, fought under French command, and that the French gave the plaque to the Allied soldiers in English.

I think it's remarkable.

Now for the letter of the French Consul in Atlanta.

This is the letter.

It reads, "To Rhonda M. Williams and the descendants of Corporal George Washington Burney, Jr. As the Consul General of France in Atlanta, it is with great honor that I recognize Corporal George Washington Burney, Jr. and his service for France during World War I. Burney, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, was inducted into the 368th Infantry Regiment of the American Expeditionary Force on October 28, 1917, as part of the 92nd American Division.

The 368th was assigned to a French Army Division due to segregation of the United States Army and thus participated in the Lorraine and Meuse-Argonne campaigns.

Burney is credited with heroic actions during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in late September 1918.

Upon completion of his service on the Western Front, he was presented with the Liberty's Eternal Triumph plaque awarded by Marshal Foch to Allied soldiers in recognition of their bravery, faith, and indefatigable energy in combat.

American newspapers reported in early 1919 that he was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palms by France.

His bravery, sacrifice, and strength will be remembered for generations."

The last paragraph is in French.

I'll translate it for you.

In the name of the French Republic, I join the descendants of Corporal Burney to give him homage and to commemorate and remember the bravery of American soldiers who fought on the French soil to defend liberty.

Signed, Anne-Laure Desjonckères, Consul General.

First of all, let me say how truly grateful I am for this long overdue recognition.

It was after watching Alex Haley's roots that I became interested in searching my ancestors.

After a long search with the help of my sister in love, Joyce Thompson, who travels with me, my cousin, Kim Tomlinson, who I found through Ancestry, and Martha Grisenbach, she's with the Omaha Genealogy Department in Omaha, Nebraska, I was able to learn about my great-great Uncle George Burney.

My maternal great-great Uncle George was the third child of Reverend G. W. Burney and Amanda Jane Payne Burney in Jackson, Tennessee.

As I was searching, I learned that he enlisted in the Army and was in World War I with Company I, 368th Infantry, 92nd Division as a corporal.

Records indicate that he received the Croix de Guerre with a palm for bravery after shooting down a German plane.

Unfortunately, when they returned home, the entire 368th Infantry and other Black infantries were not recognized.

Shortly after returning home from the war, he was murdered in East St. Louis, Illinois, and his body was returned to Jackson accompanied by my great-grandfather, Robert Puckett.

At this time, it is unclear exactly where he is laid to rest, but records indicate that most of my family are buried here at Mount Olivet.

As a matter of fact, he's buried close to his sister.

I am very proud that my great-great Uncle fought bravely for our country, and it is an honor to have him honored here today.

Thank you to Mr. Milligan for allowing the headstone to be placed here, and to the Maintenance Department for storing and placing it.

A special thanks to you, Mr. Ricky Long, for his diligent work in helping me put this all together.

I am forever grateful.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone that helped to make this day possible and everyone in attendance today.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[applause] Ready.

Aim.

[gun shots] Aim.

Fire.

[gun shots] Aim.

Fire.

[gun shots] All who are able, please stand for playing of the tap.

[music] Today, we're doing the Honor Bail Ceremony for Corporal George W. Birney.

At internment ceremonies, the Honor Bail is guarded and told by the bail guards.

Tolling is the deliberate, slow ringing of a bail to elicit sorrow and show respect.

While many bails are rung for joy, one bail tolls for sorrow.

Rendering bail honors is performed in a tradition known as the ancient tolling method.

A perfect complement to the military rites.

Today, the bail is tolled for Corporal George W. Birney, Jr. World War I veteran, an Infantry soldier.

The meaning of the seven tolls of the bail.

The first toll.

[chime] The choice to serve.

This toll represents the veteran's willingness to sacrifice their life for their country, a dedication to which few are called.

The second toll.

[chime] The second toll represents the friendship, family, and unity that bond all service members together.

The third toll.

[chime] Patriotism.

The third toll represents the veteran's pride in their country, a duty to protect, and the joy in celebrating the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution.

The fourth toll.

[chime] Respect.

The fourth toll represents the respect given to a veteran by their community, earned by them, and owed by us for their service.

The fifth toll.

[chime] Dignity.

The fifth toll represents the dignity with which a veteran's community treats their fallen heroes.

The sixth toll.

[chime] The sixth toll represents the honor that is due to a veteran when they have died, given by their fellow service members and community.

The seventh toll.

[chime] The value of life.

Represents the ultimate sacrifice that the veteran has made, whether killed in action or after long years of quiet service.

The value of a veteran cannot be adequately described by words alone.

The seventh toll poses today's ceremony.

After the rendering of this bell ceremony, the bell is not rung again until the next bell honors mission.

We thank you for the opportunity and for the honor and privilege to represent American citizens to award a World War I hero.

Thank y'all very much.

[applause] You never know what extraordinary hero you may have in your background.

You never know who you have in your background.

Because like I said, I found out that my great-great-grandfather was a CME gospel minister.

Then I found out about Uncle George being an extraordinary hero.

If you want to do the ancestry, go for it.

You never know what you might find.

Is there anything else you want to share with us?

Just that it's a wild ride.

I'm blessed.

I hope that Uncle George is looking down saying, "You did it, kid."

[music] This program you've been watching was made possible through the generous financial support of West Tennessee PBS viewers like you.

Please visit westtnpbs.org and make a donation today so that we can continue to make local programs like this possible.

Thank you.

[music] It's all about home.