Rep. Derrick Jackson Remembers the Heroes of the Thiokol Chemical Corporation Explosion

ATLANTA - State Representative Derrick Jackson (D-Tyrone) today issued the following statement today in honor of those who lost their lives in the Thiokol Chemical Corporation explosion in Woodbine, Georgia, on February 3, 1971:

"Yesterday marked exactly 55 years since the ground beneath Woodbine, Georgia, shook with a force that could be felt for 50 miles. But for those in Camden County, the tremors didn't just shake the earth-they shattered families, silenced a generation of mothers and left a scar on our state's history that we are still duty-bound to remember.

"On February 3, 1971, the Thiokol Chemical Corporation's Building M-132 wasn't just a factory; it was a place where dreams were being built. At a time when opportunities were scarce, hundreds of local residents-primarily Black women-went to work every day to support their families and the American effort in Vietnam. They were manufacturing trip-flares to protect our soldiers overseas.

"But at 10:53 a.m., a spark in a curing room turned that building into a furnace. The fire was swift, and the explosion that followed was absolute.

"Twenty-nine souls were lost that day. They weren't just names on a ledger; they were the backbone of Woodbine. They were the 'Hidden Figures' of Georgia's industrial history. They were women who stepped into a dangerous workplace with courage and dignity, only to be met by a tragedy that was entirely preventable.

"For too long, their story was whispered in the marshes. For too long, their sacrifice was overshadowed. But today, we say their names:

"Emma Lou Ashby, Lillie Belle Baker, Doris Mae Brown, Mattie Lou Brown, Addie Mae Brown, Idell Brown, Evelyn Beatrice Cason, Leola Cook, Bernice Corley, Mildred Beatrice Dasher, Beulah Mae Dawson, Dorothy Ann Dunham, Geneva Florence, Gladys Gadsden, Mary Alice Gadsden, Ethel Mae Henderson, Gladys Jackson, Mary Elizabeth Jackson, Lillie Belle McGrew, Mildred McKnight, Julia Mae Moore, Catherine Patterson, Elnora Porter, Inez S. Roberts, Annie Mae Sallins, Beatrice Waye, Sadie Lee Welch and Mary Lee White.

"We honor the heroes who died trying to lead others to safety and the victims whose lives were cut short in that wall of fire."

Representative Derrick Jackson represents the citizens of District 68, which includes portions of Fayette and Fulton counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and re-elected in 2022. He currently serves on the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Defense & Veterans Affairs, Regulated Industries and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.

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