George Fish Memorial Speaker Bios

MARSHALL WASHINGTON-CABINESS ABUWI
Professor Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi is the senior great-grandson of The Honorable Dr. Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856-1915), founder of Tuskegee University and the National Negro Business League, author from Up from Slavery and The Future of The American Negro.

Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi is also known by his Islamic name, Musa Muslim Abuwi. He was born at the Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF) Hospital near Tuskegee, Alabama on December 5, 1943.  His father, the late U. S. Air Force Reserve First Lieutenant Marshall S. Cabiness, Sr. was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, having qualified as one of the first African American Army pilots.  Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi’s mother was the late Mrs. Margaret Washington Cabiness Clifford, (the grand-daughter of Booker T. Washington).  At age fourteen, Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi was awarded a full scholarship to attend the prestigious St. Emma Military Academy, near Richmond, Virginia.

Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi entered the St. Emma Military Academy in September, 1958.  In 1961, Mr. Abuwi graduated from the St. Emma Military Academy with the rank of Cadet Captain.  He was the Distinguished Military Graduate of his class.  He served on active duty in the Regular United States Army from December, 1961 until September, 1964, leaving with the rank of Specialist Five (Sergeant).

From September, 1964 to June, 1966, Mr. Abuwi studied at Tuskegee Institute before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March, 1977, and retired as a Chief Information Systems Technician in 2001 after serving for twenty-four years. He enjoys being called, “Chief”.  Marshall Washington-Cabiness Abuwi was commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel (Honorary) by the governor of the State of Alabama in 1983.

He holds an Associate in Arts degree in Humanities, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Educational Philosophy and African American History, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English (Creative and Professional Writing), a Master of Education (Instructional Technology) degree, and a Master of Arts in Military History.  He completed his Ph. D. in Education coursework and the comprehensive doctoral examinations with a 4.0 GPA.  He is currently earning his Doctor of Education degree in teaching adult learners at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona. Marshall Washington Cabiness Abuwi serves as a professor of History in the University System of Georgia, and a professor of History at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.  He was awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the University of Georgia for Excellence in College Teaching. He also serves as a reference assistant and research consultant at Reese Library, Augusta University.

Professor Washington-Cabiness Abuwi is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (March 31, 1967, Xi Gamma Chapter, San Jose State College), the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, and the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.  He is a past-president of the National Hills, Augusta, GA Chapter of the International Lions Clubs. He recently was awarded the U. S. Army Public Service Medal for his decade and a half of service as a volunteer Islamic chaplain on the Fort Gordon, U. S. Army installation, in Augusta, Georgia.

He is the author of Booker T. Washington and the Black Revolution: A Message That Will Change America (2015), and Booker T. Washington for a New America: Are We There Yet? (2019), both books are his personal reflections on the legacy of his great grandfather, Booker T. Washington.  He is a nationally-known, much sought-after motivational speaker.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Business League.

GILBERT SCOTT BELL
Gilbert Scott Bell, the great-grand nephew of George Fish, was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and, at age 2, relocated to Charlotte, NC, where he graduated from the Providence Day School. In 1990, Mr. Bell relocated to Fort Mill where he now lives and works as a Quality Control Technician at Broad River Retail. Mr. Bell enjoys the outdoors. Being a history buff,  one day in 2018, he walked into the Fort Mill History Museum to learn more about the George Fish School.

STEPHANIE DEUTSCH
Stephanie Deutsch is the author of You Need a Schoolhouse: Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald and the Building of Schools for the Segregated South, published by Northwestern University Press.  Since the book came out in 2011 she has been a frequent speaker at Rosenwald school alumni events, at public and private schools, and at Q&A sessions after the documentary film “Rosenwald.”  Ms. Deutsch writes often for neighborhood newspapers and her book reviews and columns have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Weekly Standard and on the Millions Blog.  She is currently at work on a book about the men and women whose work was supported by Julius Rosenwald fellowships.  Stephanie grew up in Arlington, Virginia and, as the daughter of a Foreign Service officer, also in New Zealand and France. She holds a BA in Russian Studies from Brown University and a MA in Soviet Union Area Studies from Harvard.  She lives in Washington, D.C. where, for twenty years, she served as chairman of the grants committee of the Capitol Hill Community Foundation which raises and gives away $350,000 a year in small grants.  She is married to retired television director David Deutsch; she is the mother of four grown children and grandmother to five little boys.

CONSTANCE E. DUNLAP
Constance E. Dunlap, MD, DFAPA is an alumna of the George Fish School (1964-67). She is a physician, psychoanalyst, and board certified psychiatrist, who lives and works in Washington, DC, where she maintains a private practice. The focus on whole body health, the elimination of health disparities, and the promotion of health equity have been central to Dr. Dunlap’s mission as a physician, patient advocate, medical educator, and psychiatric consultant.

Dr. Dunlap is a former president of the Washington Psychiatric Society (WPS) Board of Directors, which acknowledged her as their 2007 Psychiatrist of the Year. She is an active member of the American Psychiatric Association Assembly, where she represents the WPS. She is a member of the editorial advisory board of Clinical Psychiatry News, where she is a contributing writer.

Dr. Dunlap is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. She completed her internship in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Washington Hospital Center and her residency in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Dunlap is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

She is a member of the Fort Mill History Museum. Interests include art history, gardening, jazz, and travel.

JAMES (CHUCK) EPPS, JR.
Dr. Epps’ service in public education and school experiences are broad and diverse.  They have encompassed all levels of pre-K-12 education – elementary, middle, and secondary.  He has served as a teacher assistant, classroom teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, director, and assistant superintendent.  He has participated in a variety of work assignments at the school, district, regional, and state levels.  His experiences with instruction at all levels give him a global insight of providing a district-wide program of continuous curriculum improvement.  His leadership in human resources has ensured that Fort Mill School District has maintained a high quality workforce throughout a period of explosive growth and teacher shortages.  Most importantly, he has knowledge and experience in planning and implementing strategies dealing with high growth districts, including budget management, bond referendum campaigns, community involvement, and student attendance area reassignments.

Dr. Epps has a Bachelor of Science degree in Administrative Management from Clemson University, Masters of Education and Education Specialist degrees in Educational Administration from Winthrop University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina.  His community involvement includes membership in the Fort Mill Rotary Club and the Fort Mill Area Chamber of Commerce.  He serves on the Community Advisory Board of South State Bank.  He was also recently elected to serve on the Board of Visitors for Clemson University.  Epps has previously served on the Board of Directors for the United Way, the Rock Hill Area YMCA, the Boys and Girls Clubs of York County, and the Springs Close Foundation.

ANN YARBOROUGH EVANS
Ann Evans is the Archivist & Curator for the Springs Close Family Archives at the White Homestead.  Mrs. Evans previously served as the director of the Fort Mill History Museum, and consultant to the Catawba Cultural Preservation, as well as archivist for the Winthrop University Archives.  Mrs. Evans earned her master’s degree from Winthrop University and her Archival Administration Certification from the Summer Archives Institute, Emory University & Georgia Dept. of Archives & History.  She currently serves on the Confederation of SC Local Historical Societies as District # 3 Representative. She is the proud mother of two, and grandmother of five-year-old Carson.

DANNY FUNDERBURK
Danny Funderburk is the former Mayor of the Town of Fort Mill.  Professionally, he’s a business development expert specializing in sales and marketing for the construction marketplace.  Danny is a life-long resident of Fort Mill and a product of the Fort Mill school system.  He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Winthrop University.  He has a lengthy list of civic contributions, most recently serving on the Fort Mill History Museum’s Board of Trustees, Chairing the York County Sports Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and serving as a committee member of the York County Pennies 4 Capital Campaign. He’s married to the former Maureen Hodgins of York, SC, father of Courtney and Jason and grandfather of Tucker and Savannah.

J. HALEY GRANT
J. Haley Grant is the Assistant Curator at the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program, a cultural resources management program located on the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. From the University of South Carolina, Ms. Grant earned a Master’s in public history with a concentration in historic preservation and a certificate of graduate study in historical archaeology and cultural resources management.

Ms. Grant is interested in the preservation of South Carolina’s rural built environments of the 19th and early 20th century, especially rural historic school sites. She has worked with Rosenwald Schools and Clemson Plan Schools for the past 12 years.

Ms. Grant serves on the Confederation of South Carolina Local Historical Societies’ executive council as the District 5 Representative for Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, and Orangeburg Counties. She is the Vice President for the Horse Creek Historical Society and lives in Aiken with her young son, Callum.

CORA DUNLAP LYLES
Cora Dunlap Lyles is an alumna of George Fish School (1965-67) and a member of the Fort Mill History Museum Board of Directors. Ms. Lyles is an Information Technology professional. She works with the York Technical College Information Technology Services Division in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Her passions are technology, history and genealogy research. She enjoys learning and writing about the history of Fort Mill and the people of York County. She is a Life member of the York County Genealogical and Historical Society and a board member of the Fort Mill History Museum.

Ms. Lyles earned her Bachelor of Science in Information Management and a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from the University of Maryland University College. She also is a certified Computer Security specialist. She loves gardening, reading and writing. She lives in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

JOHN L. SANDERS III
John L. Sanders III was born and raised in Fort Mill, SC, where he graduated from George Fish School in 1964. He served two years in the US Army and is a Vietnam Veteran. He graduated from York Tech with a degree in Industrial Arts. He was the owner and operator of Sanders Lawn Service for more than 23 years.

John is married to Juanita Nash Sanders, a retired 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Springfield Middle School in Fort Mill, SC. They have two sons, John IV and Shawn, and one daughter, Sharon. John is a member of the Jerusalem Baptist Church, where he is a deacon, choir leader, Sunday School teacher, and mid-week Bible School teacher. He is also a member of the Fort Mill Optimists Club.

As President of the George Fish Alumni Association (2006-2007), Mr. Sanders was a guiding force in the erection of the George Fish School monument on Steele Street in Fort Mill.

He is now retired and enjoys studying God’s Word, playing golf, listening to music, traveling, visiting schools, churches and various municipalities reciting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech.

RUFUS (RUDY) SANDERS
Rufus (Rudy) Sanders is a 1963 graduate of George Fish School. Mr. Sanders enlisted in the Armed Forces after graduation and attended Manhattan Technical Institute and City College of New York. He lived and worked in New York for more than two decades before returning to the Carolinas in 2003, when he began to play a vital role in the civic development of Fort Mill. He is a Founding Member and Former Chairman of the Fort Mill History Museum.

As the architect, Mr. Sanders worked with a group of George Fish School alumni in 2006-2007 to erect a monument to George Fish School at the former site of the school on Steele Street. He  has worked with a committee, including a Nation Ford student, to help erect a historic marker at the site. He helped open the Fort Mill History Museum and he has helped the Paradise community with two Community Development Block Grant applications.

GUYNN SAVAGE
Guynn Savage is a native of Fort Mill, South Carolina. She is happily married to Russell Savage and they have three children: Jennifer, Matthew, and Sarah. Guynn worked for Duke Energy for twenty-five years in corporate communications. She retired in 2003 and has worked in public communications on bond referendums, political campaigns, and as a realtor, specializing in the Fort Mill area. She served on the Fort Mill Town council for nine years before becoming mayor in January 2016.  Mayor Savage is currently serving her second term in the role of Mayor.  Guynn’s goal as Mayor is to build partnerships that help manage the transition period of growth while preserving the connected, friendly community that so many call home.

REBECCA STUDER
Rebecca Studer is a senior at Nation Ford High School and will be graduating in June 2020. To earn her Girl Scout Gold Award, she has helped campaign and spread awareness about the George Fish project to the community by recording an interview documentary of alumni. She will be attending Clemson University as an Honors student in the fall.

DAVID R. WARD, JR.
David Ward, Jr. is a life-long resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina and gracious follower of Jesus Christ. David is a member of the Fort Mill Church of God and employed with Duke Energy in the Nuclear Generation Department. David enjoys serving Christ, spending time with family, exploring national parks, hiking, researching the past, reading, riding Harleys, and attending Dallas Cowboy football games. Dr. Ward received his Doctoral of Strategic Leadership from Regent University and is Historian for the Fort Mill Church of God and Fort Mill Fire Department. He has published From the Mountain to a Shining Hill - The First Eighty Years of the Fort Mill Church of God. (2012) and Innovate or Evaporate - Journal of Transformational Innovation, Vol. 3 Issue 1, Spring 2018. He currently serves as the Chair of the Fort Mill History Museum Board of Directors.

ELIZABETH PATTERSON WHITE
Elizabeth Ann Patterson White was born and raised in Fort Mill, SC. She is a 1959 graduate of the George Fish School. She was valedictorian of her graduating class, served as captain of the basketball team, and participated in the local and state marching bands.

In the fall of 1958, Ms. White became the first black female bus driver employed by the Fort MIll School District.  During the summer of 1959, Ms. White was accepted in the National Science Foundation Institute at Bennett College, in Greensboro and entered Bennett College as a first year student in September of that same year. The second semester of that school year, she withdrew and married her high school sweetheart, Simon A. White, Jr. They had two children, Ingrid and Corwin, Sr. 

Fall semester of 1967, Elizabeth re-entered Bennett College and,  in 1970, she graduated after earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology.

Ms. White was employed for 18 years as a math and science teacher in the Greensboro City Schools, two years at A & T State University School of Education. In October 1990, after acquiring two masters degrees and 20 years of work experience, she accepted an administrative position at Camden High School in Camden, NJ. She was employed for 10 years in the Camden School System and served as an administrator at several different schools from pre-kindergarten to senior high school. In June 2000, Ms. White accepted employment as Principal of North Main Street Elementary School in Pleasantville, NJ. She officially retired from the workforce in July 2002 after combined service of 32 years in the North Carolina and New Jersey school districts.

As Secretary of the George Fish Alumni Association from 2006-2007, Ms. White played an instrumental role in the establishment of the George Fish School alumni monument on Steele Street in Fort Mill.

In May 2010, the 40th year anniversary of graduating from college, Ms. Elizabeth Patterson White established a scholarship at Bennett College in recognition of her mother, Ms. Irene Barnes Patterson.