"Bench by the Road" Ceremony

On June 18, 2024, The Toni Morrison Society and the Concord Covered Bridge Historic District dedicated a new bench at the Silver Comet Trail entrance to honor nearly 4,000 enslaved people of Cobb County, including Matilda Ruff and her family. Pat Burns, who discovered Matilda’s name through historical documents, highlighted the lack of recognition for Matilda and her children compared to the well-documented Ruff family.

This bench is the 34th in the Toni Morrison Society’s “Bench by the Road” project, commemorating important aspects of African Diaspora history. The dedication took place on the eve of Juneteenth, with State Representative Terry Cummings sharing Matilda’s history, including her emancipation and subsequent life. Matilda, who lived near her former owner’s son post-emancipation, accumulated wealth and secured steady work.