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The faces of 44 hometown heroes have now been added to the downtown Oxford landscape.

They were officially unveiled and celebrated during the “Heroes on Main: Oxford’s Hometown Veterans Ceremony” held at Simmons Park on Saturday, May 31, 2025.

With the Oxford Fire Department’s American flag displayed overhead, more than 100 attended the newest Oxford tradition, which was developed by the Oxford Arts Council and Historic Main Street Oxford.

Each banner, designed by the Oxford Marketing department, bears the service photograph and military branch insignia of the veteran represented on each banner. Among the honored are 12 living veterans and two who were killed in action. They will be displayed each year from Memorial Day until Veterans Day along Choccolocco and Main Streets. After two years, the banners will be given to the families.

“I am pretty sure we will be doing this again,” said Oxford Arts Council president Cindy Lett Williams, suggesting there will be another opportunity for families to honor their family members who served after this set of banners has been retired. “We have so many veterans who deserve to be honored.”

The Oxford Police Department Color Guard presented the American flag as Col. Gregg Potts (Ret.) led the Pledge of Allegiance and Cheryl Mills sang the National Anthem.

Williams recalled it was in October when Oxford Performing Arts Center director John Longshore related how during a visit to Pennsylvania he saw a community which lined their streets with banners recognizing their veterans and thought that might be a project ideally made for the Oxford Arts Council.

“The participation was overwhelming, and we thank all who were the first 44 completing the application for banners,” Williams said. “We gather today as a grateful people to the ones who answered the call and fought for our nation. We want to celebrate their bravery and their sacrifice.”

“We’re not here just occupying time,” said Oxford Police Chaplain Rev. C.O. Grinstead in his invocation. “We’re here to pay homage, respect, and love for people who are giving or have given their lives.”

Mayor Alton Craft spoke of what he experienced during his walk around town and seeing the faces on the banners.

“Many of these people are family members, went to church with me, became mentors – they are an amazing group of people,” Craft said. “They taught me a lot and how to be a man. I cannot for the life of me understand when people burn our flag. I think of the brave men and women who gave everything to protect me and my family, letting us all grow up in the greatest country on the planet.”

Historic Main Street Oxford director Hunter Gentry read the roll call of all those represented on the banners, and Kellie Martin played “Taps” to end the ceremony.

Ryan Robertson’s Lard Bucket Band provided music as those gathered experienced a time of fellowship following the ceremony.