I came to know about “Blind Willie” McTell late in my life — about 11 years ago when I was working on Del Presley's “A Place to Call Home” at the brand new Emma Kelly Theater. The musical, a bicentennial celebration, told the story of Statesboro's early families, folks with names like Blitch, Olliff and Averitt. And it included the stories of African-Americans Dr. Van Buren, the Rev. William Daniel Kent and, significantly, Minnie and Willie McTell.
Black History Month
Blind Willie McTell; the Statesboro years
![](https://statesboroherald.cdn-anvilcms.net/media/images/2018/05/26/images/W_Blind_Willie_Mctell_.max-1200x675.jpg)
![W Blind Willie Mctell](https://statesboroherald.cdn-anvilcms.net/media/images/2018/05/26/images/W_Blind_Willie_Mctell_.max-752x423.jpg)
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