Homer Lee Wallace was an Effingham County native. He was educated in the Effingham County School System graduating from Springfield Central High School and attending Savannah State College. As a life-long member of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Clyo, Ga, he began his 50-year service as superintendent of Sunday School as a high school senior in 1961. Mr. Wallace served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1965. He enjoyed a long career in the insurance industry. He co-founded the Effingham County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1968, a very dangerous time in the Civil Rights Era. He played a significant role in the integration of schools in Effingham County. Mr. Wallace also founded L.O.V.E. (Local Organization for Voter Equality).
In 1985, he was elected as the first and only African American county commissioner in the history of Effingham County serving for nearly 18 years from 1985-2002. During his tenure as County Commissioner, Mr. Wallace started the Feed-a-Kid program in 1986, which has fed hundreds of children and is still thriving today! On January 20, 2014 during the Annual Effingham County Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast, Georgia State Senator Jack Hill (District 4) presented Mr. Wallace with resolutions made by the Georgia State Senate and House recognizing his work to make Georgia a better place for all citizens.
The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance for a student who is active in their high school and in their community promoting social justice. The Homer L. Wallace scholarship will award one $500 scholarship to a graduating senior.