SHERMAN, TX--The people who came to Friday nights Founder's Day celebration say this year's event was especially unique.

Not only are they celebrating the NAACP's 101 year anniversary, attendee got to hear a Sherman native read passages from her book, describing the history of the black community in this area.

Dr. Njoki McElroy's name means, "she who returns," and that's exactly what this author did, to speak with locals about her new book, 1012 Natchez.

"You've heard the statement, ‘oh somebody ought to do this, somebody ought to do that,’ and I looked in the mirror one day and thought, you're that somebody,” McElroy said. I began 16 years ago, I began writing this in my head mentally."

Her book, which was recently released this month, Black History Month, describes the history of the black community in Sherman, as told to her by family and friends who lived it.

McElroy says one of the events that shaped the black community were the race riots that took place in 1930. A black man accused of raping a white woman was being held in the courthouse, when an angry mob gathered outside, setting fire to the building. The accused man died inside, and rioting ensued. McElroy says it forever changed the black community.

"The riot changed all that, and it never really recovered. And so my childhood was spent, within the community, and the community was very supportive of each other. Because we had to be, we were denied from going to different places."

Things have changed a lot since then, but members of the NAACP say McElroy's story is still relevant today.

Grayson County NAACP President, Erik Jackson said, "We're at a crossroads now, where we really want to hear that story, and rectify that story. You can keep hearing the story for years but we want to see if we've gotten past that era."

The local chapter of the NAACP also used the Founder's Day celebration to highlight other key members that have positively impacted society.

Dr. McElroy lives in Dallas, and is an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University. She will be signing additional copies of her new book at the Red River Historical Museum, Saturday, from 1-3pm.