Allen Holmes, President
Allen is a retired Civil Rights Attorney who even in his retirement, helps bring justice to the marginalized. He is past president of the Avoyelles NAACP chapter and currently serves within the Church as a Baptist Minister.

Reverend James G. Theus, Founder & Vice President
James Graves Theus, Sr. resides in Louisiana and is a native of Monroe, Louisiana. He holds a master’s degree in theology from the University of the South. Jim has served in the ministry of the Episcopal Church since 1969 to the present. He became involved in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s during his first assignment as a Chaplain to the students at the then all black Grambling College. Now retired, he continues to work for harmony among all people. He is married to Caroline and together they have six children. Jim is the founder of the Solomon Northup Committee for Commemorative Works and the visionary behind the project.

Wilbert Carmouche
Wilbert is the Executive Director of Avoyelles Commission of Tourism in Marksville, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. He is actively engaged in seeking opportunities to keep Solomon Northup’s time spent in Avoyelles Parish and Central Louisiana alive. Wilbert was on the organizing committee for the 2014 Northup Freedom Day Celebration event in Avoyelles, and was instrumental in the development of the Northup Trail alongside its creator the late Dr. Sue L. Eakin in mid-1980’s. Wilbert is committed to the mission of the Solomon Northup Committee for Commemorative Works in seeing this jewel of a monument installed at the City of Marksville, and bring the story of Solomon Northup full circle in Central Louisiana.

Jacques Goudeau
Jacques Goudeau is a local businessman and community leader with a primary focus on economic development. As a proponent of the community benefits of historic downtowns, Jacques and his wife, Melissa, founded Marksville Main Street, a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization of downtown Marksville. Born and raised in Marksville, Jacques graduated college from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from LSU and a master’s in International Studies from American University in Washington, DC. He worked for the Defense Department for twelve years prior to returning to Marksville in 2017.

Nealie Hale, Secretary
Nealie is the Library Director of the Avoyelles Parish Library in Marksville, LA. Her love of learning transmits through her devotion to educating the next generation.

Melissa Howell, Project Manager & Direct Descendant of Solomon Northup
Ms. Howell is a great, great, great granddaughter of Solomon Northup and was born and raised in the Finger Lakes region of New York- a hotbed of Underground Railroad activity and the home of the Women’s Rights movement of the 19th century. Melissa’s great pursuit is to protect and perpetuate her third great grandfather’s life story as told through his 1853 autobiography Twelve Years A Slave, the 1984 award winning television movie Solomon Northup’s Odyssey, and the internationally acclaimed 2013 film 12 Years A Slave. In 2014, she founded The Solomon Northup Legacy organization. Her research and work includes the establishment of the Solomon Northup Memorabilia Collection; the Solomon Northup Legacy Historical Collection at Seymour Library, Auburn, NY; installation of the Derby & Miller historical marker, Auburn, NY; and inclusion of Solomon Northup in the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center, Auburn, NY. She has founded the annual Solomon Northup Freedom Day at Auburn, NY, and the annual Solomon Northup Homecoming Day at Glens Falls, NY. She is also the co-founder of the Solomon Northup Partner Cities Union in collaboration with seven municipalities in the New York Capital region in support of the Northup’s historical ties which unite them pre- and post-enslavement, and it is the foundation to the establishment of the New York Northup Trail. Ms. Howell was recognized in 2019 by New York State in “The People of New York” exhibit for her work and how it continues to impact, inform and instill a sense of identity amongst New Yorkers.

Charles Riddle, III, ESQ., Legal Adviser
Charles was born and raised in Marksville, Louisiana. He is currently the District Attorney for the 12th Judicial District in Marksville, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana where he resides with his wife Jamie. Charles holds a law degree from LSU Law School, and in 1981 he opened the Charles Riddle Law Firm. He works tirelessly to apply the law evenly and fairly through the legal justice system. His interest in Solomon Northup’s harrowing saga dates back to his collegiate years and a professor by the name of Sue Eakin. Charles has been most inspired by Solomon’s life story for its ties to local history having authored the 2019 work The Life and Diary of John P. Waddill; The Lawyer who Freed Solomon Northup, 1813-1855 published by UL Press.

Larry Wilmer
Larry is an active community member and lifelong native of Louisiana. He is a retired law enforcement office.