A Deaf Newspaperman is remembered

Bill Keziah was a deaf newspaperman in the 1930s and 40s.

Indian Trail ancient oak tree at Keziah Memorial Park

Keziah conducted his interviews through sign language and a paper tablet that he carried with him. Keziah was working as an editor of “The News Reporter” in Whiteville, North Carolina in 1928 when he decided to to move 60 miles east to the coast and launch a newspaper himself—the “State Port Pilot.” The new publication was printed in Whiteville with the printing press of the “The News Reporter” and then trucked into Southport each day. After several years, when Keziah couldn’t make the payments for the printing service, the owners of “The News Reporter” took over the Southport publication and appointed a new editor. He re-hired Kenziah, as he was an excellent reporter just not that good with running a business. Kenziah led the paper while the editor served with the U.S. Navy in World War II, along with the editor’s wife. Kenziah continued to work for the newspaper until his death in the 1950s. The community of Southport still remembers Kenziah for a park that was named after him. The "Keziah Memorial Park" is best known for its Indian Trail ancient oak tree estimated to be as much as 800 years old. Tradition says the tree was a trail marker used by the Cape Fear Indians, members of the Siouan Nation.