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Laura García-Culler, Executive Vice President
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Historical Markers to Commemorate Pioneering Local Efforts in Emancipation and Medical Care

Savannah, GA, June 5, 2008 -- The Georgia Historical Society in partnership with Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is dedicating two historical markers highlighting African-American history in the Savannah community. These markers are the first of four historical markers to be erected this year as part of an initiative to recognize the legacy of African Americans in Savannah and nearby Georgia communities. The dedications are free and open to the public and will take place on June 17, 2008 (see below for specific times and locations or visit www.georgiahistory.com ).

“Wal-Mart is committed to being a good corporate neighbor,” says Glen Wilkins, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Government Relations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ”We are excited to be part of the preservation of history in the Savannah community, and are proud to be part of a program that promotes and recognizes the diversity of this state’s history.”

The Georgia Historical Society consulted with leaders from the African-American community to identify and select subjects and determine text for the historical markers. “We are pleased to have this opportunity to tell the story of the important contributions of the African-American community to Georgia history” says Dr. W. Todd Groce, President and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society. The two remaining historical markers honor the contributions of St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, and the Beach Institute to Savannah and Georgia History.

The first marker, recognizing the contributions of Drs. Cornelius and Alice Woodby McKane, will be dedicated at 12:00 p.m. on June 17, 2008, at the former site of their training school for nurses at the corner of Liberty and Montgomery Streets.

Savannah’s African-American
Medical Pioneers

African-American physician Cornelius McKane (1862-1912) was born in British Guiana and began medical practice in Savannah in 1892. Alice Woodby McKane (1865-1948) came to Georgia that same year – the only black female physician in the state at that time. After marrying in 1893, the couple established McKane Training School for Nurses at this location – one of the first such schools in the region. In 1895 they moved to Monrovia, Liberia, where they helped organize several healthcare facilities. There Alice McKane worked as a U.S. medical examiner for expatriate Civil War veterans. After their return to Savannah in 1896, they founded the McKane Hospital for women and children (later Charity Hospital). The McKanes permanently left Savannah in 1909, relocating to Boston.

The second marker will be dedicated that same day at 2:00 p.m. at Fort Pulaski National Monument to commemorate Gen. David Hunter and General Orders No. 7, a precursor to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The marker text reads as follows:

History of Emancipation:
Gen. David Hunter and General Orders No. 7

On April 13, 1862, following the Union capture of Ft. Pulaski during the Civil War, Maj. Gen. David Hunter issued General Orders No. 7 freeing those enslaved at the fort and on Cockspur Island. Hunter, an abolitionist advocating the enlistment of black soldiers in the Union Army, ordered freedmen subject to military service. Not yet committed to a comprehensive plan of emancipation, President Abraham Lincoln overturned the orders. However, Hunter’s orders were a precursor to Lincoln’s own Emancipation Proclamation, formally issued January 1, 1863, and to the establishment of the Bureau of Colored Troops on May 22, 1863. Local African-American units included the 103rd Regiment USCT, which served at Ft. Pulaski 1865-1866.

For more information please visit: www.georgiahistory.com .

About the Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United States. The company also operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company's securities are listed on the New York and NYSE Arca stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com .

The Georgia Historical Society, headquartered in Savannah, is the oldest cultural institution in the state and one of the oldest historical organizations in the nation. It is the first and only statewide historical society in Georgia. For nearly 175 years, GHS has collected, preserved, and shared Georgia history through a variety of educational outreach programs, publications, and research services. For more information visit: www.georgiahistory.com.