The Good Will Bible Class Annual Day recognized Deacon Benjamin Franklin Flagg as the special honoree at Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, July 18. The special service had a theme, ‘Men of Faith,’ describing how long-time member Benjamin F. Flagg served as a deacon of the church for many years.
Benjamin Flagg was born in Nutbush, Tennessee. He was first cousin to the famous Tina Turner. He enjoyed playing, fishing and hunting with his brothers when not working on the farm since the age of eight. Flagg is a World War II veteran, drafted at age 19 after high school. While serving, he was in an all-Black squad in special services as a barber. He later utilized those skills upon his return to the United States. He served in the military, stationed in Robin Hood Forest, Scotland, England and then in France to fighting Nazis. After serving two years and six months, the war ended when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan.
It was then that he returned to Carver High School in 1945 to finish his senior year. He served as class president and met his wife, Genora Beard. Determined to leave the grueling life of farming, he took his sweetheart to Paris, Tenn. where they both graduated from a two-year business college. Later while completing his education at Tennessee State University, Flagg worked as a barber in the evenings. It was in the field of barbering he made a life-time business as a ‘master barber’ for 75 years. He is the owner of Flagg’s Barber Shop, located off Murfreesboro Road, where he served the community as a mentor, father figure and loyal friend for over 65 years. He also served Corinthian MBC for over 69 years as a deacon and men’s Bible class teacher (over 60 years).
Deacon Flagg was inducted into the 2009 Beauty and Barber Hall of Fame and received many other awards, including: the Humanitarian Award, Minority Business Owner, Resolution from the Council of Metropolitan Davidson County award and others.
He also has been happily married to Genora Flagg for 70 years.
“It was a great honor to celebrate a dedicated member of the church and the Nashville community,” stated Rev. Enoch Fuzz. Fuzz celebrated Deacon Flagg in his weekly journey, ‘Cancer: My Journey in Time,’ published in the Nashville Pride newspaper during the week of July 23.
Corinthian MBC is located at 819 33rd Ave. North where the pastor is Rev. Enoch Fuzz.
