TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – John Gilmore Riley was born into slavery in 1857 with no formal education, but went on to build a legacy that continues to touch lives more than a century later.
As the United States celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, WCTV and its parent company, Gray Media, are taking a moment to celebrate our local history. Our “We The People” series commemorates and honors local history in the Big Bend and South Georgia.
According to Tallahassee historian Althemese Barnes, Riley became a teacher despite having no schooling himself. He worked in three counties across the Panhandle before becoming principal at the original Lincoln High School — the first Leon County school built for newly freed slaves and their descendants. He served in that role for 33 years…