"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE' : LUTHER P. JACKSON

As Black History Month for February 2025 heads along pass the halfway point, I would like to mention two significant things that have taken place thus far in Louisiana, during the current Black History Month. The first one is the "boycott of 3 of the larger Corporations in Louisiana, Walmart, Target, and McDonald's!" The boycotts stems from "the decision of the 3 Corporations to rollback their Company Diversity Programs." Reportedly, Civil Rights Activist as far away as Minneapolis, Minnesota have called for "A National Boycott of Target stores, over its decision to phase out its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives." By the way, the second event took place at one of the most popular events of the year! It was one of the highest anticipated events of the year,"The Annual NFL Superbowl Halftime Show that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana." All I can say is that I don't believe any of the NFL Owners or President Donald Trump, who was also in attendance at the NFL Superbowl Halftime Show, ever expected the type of show that Kendrick Lamar and Company gave them. Also, the coded messages throughout the entire performance even had some Black People saying,"Wow, did we just see what we just saw!" Well, we will just have to wait and see what the fallout from these two events will bring. In the meantime, on to this week's Black Pioneer! Luther P. Jackson was born on July 11, 1892, in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1910, after graduating from Chandler Normal School in Lexington, he enrolled at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1914, Luther received his bachelor's degree in Education from Fisk University, and later received his master's degree in Education from Columbia University's Teachers College in 1922. Luther's teaching career took him from Denmark, South Carolina and Topeka, Kansas, all the way to Virginia. However, in 1928, he decided to enroll at the University of Chicago to earn his PhD degree in Education. Along with acquiring a PhD degree, Luther ended up becoming a professor of history at the college. Eventually, he would serve two entire decades as chairperson of the University's Social Sciences Department. Outside of his vocation as an Educator, Luther was actively involved in the fight for civil rights for Negroes in Virginia. In 1935, he was one of the founding members of "The Petersburg League of Negro Voters." Additionally, in 1937, he helped found "The Petersburg Negro Business Association," which allowed him to work with attorneys Thurgood Marshall and Oliver Hill, in the negotiations to equalize the salaries of Black and White teachers. Finally, he was a very close friend of Carter G. Woodson. They were so close that they both died of a heart attack, in the same month and year, within days of each other. Carter having died on April 3, 1950 and Luther dying on April 20, 1950. Since his death, Luther Porter Middle School, in Surry County, Virginia was named to honor him, and The Luther Porter Jackson Black Cultural Center at the University of Virginia was named in his honor as well. "OUR

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE": CARTER G. WOODSON, "THE FATHER of BLACK HISTORY MONTH"

Since it happens to be "BLACK HISTORY MONTH," I thought it would be fitting to inform everyone about the Black man who is widely known as "THE FATHER of BLACK HISTORY MONTH" that arose from the celebration of "BLACK HISTORY WEEK" in America. Of course, I Am speaking of the Negro Historian, the fabulous founder of The Association For The Study of Negro Life and History, and the 2nd Negro to receive a doctorate degree from Harvard University, Mr. Carter G. Woodson! Although Black History Month is celebrated in America every year during the month of February, many Black People in Louisiana aren't aware that the main reason Carter decided to hold the first celebration of Black History Week in February was in connection with Frederick Douglass's birthday on February 14 and President Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12, because the achievements of both of these men were already being celebrated in America. Additionally, it was reported that in 1924, two years before he started Negro History Week, he reached out to his college fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, which helped him establish Negro History and Literature Week. During this time, National Negro Health Week was growing. Therefore, in 1926, Carter decided that the timing was right to kickoff a campaign for Negro History Week. So on February 7, 1926, he sent out a press release announcing the first official celebration of Negro History Week! Well, Carter G. Woodson was born in 1875, in New Canton, Virginia. Due mainly to having to help out on his family's farm, Carter was late entering High school. Never-the-less, he was able to complete his requirements for graduating in just 2 years! Later, he attended Berea College in Kentucky, and received his bachelor's degree in 1903. After graduating he accepted a position as Education Superintendent for the U.S. Government, in the Philippines. Between 1906 and 1912, not only did Carter earn his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Chicago," but he also earned his PhD from Harvard University as well!" In 1915, he traveled to Chicago to attend The National Exposition of Negro Progress, an event held to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Emancipation. This event inspired Carter to found The Association For The Study of Negro Life and History. It wasn't long before schools and other Negro organizations across the country began celebrating Negro History Week. As early as 1940, and after his death from a heart attack in 1950, many Black People felt that the week celebration should be extended to a month. Finally, in 1976," on the 50th Anniversary of the first Negro History Week," the transition to Black History Month officially went into effect. In closing, I would like to list a few of the books that he wrote during his lifetime : 1. The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861, 2.A Century of Negro Migration, 3. The Negro in Our History, 4. The Negro Professional Man and The Community, and 5. "The Miseducation of The Negro," which is now A Negro Classic!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : "NATIONAL NEGRO HEALTH WEEK" - Black America's Longest Recorded Health Movement, between 1915 - 1951

"A People without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots!" -Marcus Mosiah Garvey It would be remiss to speak about The celebration of "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" in America without mentioning "Booker T. Washington" and "NATIONAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT WEEK," which later became known as "NATIONAL NEGRO HEALTH WEEK!" You see, not too long before his untimely death in November of 1915, Booker T. Washington launched the National Health Improvement Week, in response to Tuskegee Committee Reports regarding the declining health of Negroes in America. With that said, I find it extremely puzzling that while most Black Youth at the schools in our Black neighborhoods, in Monroe, Louisiana have heard much about the highly publicized "Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s,"very few of them know anything at all about "BLACK AMERICA'S LONGEST RECORDED HEALTH MOVEMENT IN AMERICA," during the time period from 1915, up until 1951! When Booker T. Washington started his health program to help raise the consciousness of Negroes regarding health, who knew that it would be the start of "A Nation-Wide Negro Health Movement" that would continue over three entire decades!" When the program began, it was duly noted in a Negro Newspaper that “Never before was there such a widespread co-operation of the races in a movement for the general good of Negroes in America." Additionally, the newspaper reported that there was astonishing support from the health departments in all of the Southern States. Furthermore, people of all races, classes, and all religious backgrounds supported Booker T. Washington's efforts to improve and extend the lives of Negroes. Interestingly, it was reported that between it's inception in 1915 and 1930, the program grew from a few hundred participants to "OVER 1 MILLION PARTICIPANTS!" In 1930, approximately 31 states had at least one community to participate in National Negro Health Week. Finally, it was reported that between the 1920s and when National Negro Health Week officially ended in 1951, not only was there a substantial increase in the health of Negro parents and their children, but among other things, "the life expectantly of Negroes increased at a greater rate than that of White Americans." In closing, all I can say is "DEJA'VU!" I said that to say this ; it's awful strange that some of the very same reasons that were used back in 1951 to end the Celebration of National Negro Health Week, are now being introduced by certain people as reasons to try and end the "CELEBRATION of BLACK HISTORY MONTH" TODAY!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : THE 1965 LANDMARK DESEGREGATION COURT CASE THAT LED TO THE DESEGREGATION of NEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Instead of entertaining President Trump's insane antics and his recent revoking of President Lyndon Johnson's Executive Order 11246, which was signed into law in 1965, I thought that I would highlight the 1965 Landmark Desegregation Court Case,"ANDREWS Versus THE CITY of MONROE SCHOOL SYSTEM" that took place right here in Monroe, Louisiana. What was so special about this case you ask? Well, it just happens to be the exact court case that brought about the "1969 desegregation decree ruling by Judge Ben C. Dawkins Jr.," which sprung open the door for the "FIRST BLACK STUDENTS TO ENROLL AT NEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL" in Monroe, Louisiana! You can actually pull up the case online by Googling "Andrews versus the city of Monroe. By the way, through their mothers, Jimmy Andrews and Tommy Ray Robertson, two Black students who were enrolled in the District, sued The Monroe School System, alleging racial segregation and discrimination in the operation of the Monroe City Public Schools. Long story short, after several court hearings and several consent decree revisions, Jimmy Andrews and Tommy Ray Robertson were allowed to enroll at Neville High School,"paving the way for thousands of Black students to attend and graduate from Neville High School!" In closing, I would like to mention that I happened to find out that in 2016, two White People, Nici Hanks and Greg Jones, representing N.A.F.A., Neville Alumni and Friends Association, clashed with Monroe City Board Members Brenda Shelling & Rev. Rodney McFarland about of all things, "A DESEGREGATION COURT CASE!" Furthermore, I makes me wonder whether or not Nici Hanks, Greg Jones, and several other White members of N.A.F.A. are behind the efforts to make Neville a Charter School!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : WILLIAM G. BROWN - "LOUISIANA 'S FIRST COLORED LOUISIANA STATE SUPERINTENDENT of EDUCATION"

Why is it that most Black People in Louisiana think that "DESEGREGATION" in Louisiana Public Schools originally began in the 1960s? Also, why is it that most Black People in Louisiana aren't aware that from 1872 - 1876, LOUISIANA had it's "FIRST COLORED SUPERINTENDENT of EDUCATION?" Well, one of the main reasons is because things like these were deliberately left out of the public school curriculum as well as the school history books at public schools in Louisiana! Also, another thing that was conveniently left out of public school history books in Louisiana is the "MANY MASSACRES of COLORED PEOPLE" that took place in "LOUISIANA DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA." Among the many recorded massacres, there was the massacre in New Orleans, Louisiana,in 1866 ; another in Bossier Parish, in 1868 ; another in Caddo Parish, in 1868 ; another in St. Bernard Parish, in 1868 ; another in Opelousas, Louisiana, in 1868 ; another in Colfax, Louisiana, in 1873 ; and another in Thibodaux, Louisiana, in 1887; not to mention all the other reported lynchings of Colored People that occurred during Reconstruction.Yes, to say that Colored People went through "PURE HELL" during the Reconstruction Era is an absolute understatement! Furthermore, the other thing that's so sad is that for many Black People as well as some White People living in Louisiana today is that this article will be the first time that some of them will have ever heard about these massacres and terrifying acts that took place on American soil, before "911." With that said, let's move on to this week's Black Pioneer! William G. Brown was the "FIRST COLORED PERSON" in Louisiana to serve as "THE LOUISIANA STATE SUPERINTENDENT of EDUCATION!" Also, he was one of only four Colored persons elected to the office of State Education Superintendent in the United States. William was born on August 12, 1832, in Trenton, New Jersey to parents of mixed race. His father's occupation as a journalist required the family to move to Jamaica to live. Reportedly, William was educated in the British West Indies. Following the family's return to the United States, but before the American Civil War, his family resided in Washington D.C. for a spell. However, after the war, William decided to move to New Orleans, Louisiana to take a position as a school teacher. Later, he became involved in Louisiana politics, and was elected as a delegate to represent New Orleans 3rd Ward at the Republican State Convention that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August of 1872. At the convention,he was nominated for State Superintendent of Instruction on a Republican ticket, along with William P. Kellogg. Undoubtedly, there are some people in Louisiana who are familiar with the Louisiana Governor's Election in 1872. You know the time when Louisiana had two Governors with two separate legislatures, but that is a whole story in itself! Well, back to our story about the first Colored Louisiana State Superintendent of Education. After things had settled down a bit, William G. Brown officially took over his position as the Louisiana State Superintendent. From 1872 - 1876, he initiated the "FIRST INITIAL ATTEMPTS" at DESEGREGATING" the public schools in Louisiana. Interestingly, despite having to deal with underfunded school districts in Louisiana, State Superintendent William G. Brown is credited with presiding over the construction of "OVER 214 SCHOOLS in LOUISIANA!" In closing, I would like to say that in all the 12 years that I attended the public schools in Monroe, Louisiana, I never, never, ever heard about William G. Brown being Louisiana's First Colored Louisiana State Superintendent of Education at all! Additionally, I feel that it should be a crime for the current Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, and our current Louisiana State Legislatures to be able to "MANDATE" that certain things be displayed in schools in Louisiana, but "RESTRICT and DISALLOW" the teaching of things that they have labeled as "Critical Race Theory!"

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : THE FREEDOM QUILTING BEE BLACK CO-OPERATIVE

In some of our Black Communities today, it seems that many Black People either don't know or have forgotten when Black People counted on one another and worked together, in order to make sure that they survived to see a better day! Not only did Black People Cooperate and Work together, they actually shared in owning what was known as "BLACK CO-OPERATIVE BUSINESSES." Through Black Co-operative Businesses, Black People were able to provide jobs for their families as well as create their own economy within their Black Communities. As I continued to research, I discovered that Black Cooperatives went back as far as 1891 when Colored farmers formed "THE COLORED FARMERS NATIONAL ALLIANCE and CO-OPERATIVE," which had "OVER ONE-MILLION COLORED MEMBERS," before it was targeted and forced to disband by disgruntled White People. Later on, Negroes in America established Insurance Co-ops, Housing Co-ops, and Grocery Store Co-ops to take care of the needs of their race. In addition to Co-operative Businesses, Colored People formed what was known as "MUTUAL AID SOCIETIES." Through Mutual Aid Societies, Colored People were able to pool their money to help each other pay for medicine, funerals, and even purchase land! Yes, I feel that it would do Black People in Louisiana good to go back and read up on Black Co-operative Businesses as well as the Mutual Aid Societies, then maybe they will stop saying,"Black People can't work together." Well, on to this week's Black Pioneer! The Freedom Quilting Bee was a Black-Owned Co-operative founded by several Black Women. It was based in the county of Wilcox, in Alabama, and operated from 1966, until 2012. The women started the business to raise money to help take care of their families. When they began in 1966, there were approximately 60 quilters included in the Co-op. Three years after starting their business, construction began on their new building named,"The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Sewing Center," on March 8, 1969. The building was constructed by the husbands of the quilters and other nonprofessional volunteers. Funding for the building came in part from Philanthropic Foundations and through an interest-free loan provided by the American Friends Service Committee of Atlanta, Georgia. In 2012, after being in operation for nearly half a century, and only a year after the last original board member had died, The Freedom Quilting Bee closed it's doors for good. Of interesting note, the quilts were so popular that some of the Bee's quilts were displayed in the Smithsonian Institute.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : DR. JOSEPH CLABERT ROY SR. CO-FOUNDER of THE HISTORIC MILLER-ROY BUILDING

While I was researching online, I came across 2 egregious acts that happened here in Monroe, Louisiana at the meeting hall of a local Colored Organization that was known as, "The Naomi Colored Knights of Pythias." Come to find out, the organization was a Branch of the Colored Knights of Pythias that was founded in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1880, due to Negroes were not being allowed to join the White Chapters of The Knights of Pythias Organization. By the way, the first incident happened in 1909, a few days after a Colored man by the name of W. Stephen Wade came to town and shot the White Monroe Mayor, Andrew A. Forsythe, along with several other White People, in retaliation for a White police officer killing a Colored man by the name of Henry Staples. Later that week, a leading Negro citizen by the name of Madison J. Foster ended up making a statement to the media denouncing Wade's act of violence. As for the story about the fire, someone had set the organization's meeting hall on fire, and two White police officers came along and put the fire out. Next, there was the lynching of a Colored man by the name of Warren Eaton that occured on the morning of October 23, 1913, in front of the meeting hall of "The Naomi Colored Knights of Pythias at 1101Desiard Street, near the Historic Miller-Roy Building." According to the Monroe Bulletin, a local newspaper that shut down in 1913, not too long after breaking the story about the lynching, Eaton was lynched for insulting a local White Girl. Well, there you have it, evidence of two separate despicable incidents that happened in Monroe, and was printed in local newspapers. Of course, I knew that things like this happened in Monroe back then, but it's kind of different when you learn about the actual locations, names of the victims, and other people involved. With that said, I would like to inform everyone about this week's Black Pioneer! Dr. Joseph C. Roy was a graduate of Straight College and Howard University College of Dentistry. Sometime around 1914, he began practicing medicine in Monroe. In 1940, Dr. J.C. Roy was reportedly the oldest practicing Negro dentist in the City of Monroe. Also, he was married to Erma L. Olive Roy, and they had 4 children together. Also, their son, J.C. Roy Jr., died of a heart attack in September of 1957 in Monroe, at his home on Milhaven Road, at the young age of 37. Additionally, I found out that their oldest daughter, Sophie Lee Roy, went on to marry one of Motown's Top Recording Artists and founder of Pacific Records, Ivory Joe Hunter ; there was another daughter by the name of Olive Zerita ; and they had a third daughter by the name of Alex, who died near the age of five. Lastly, some of Dr. J.C.Roy's friends included Dr. John Tildon Miller ; Maryland "The Colored Cattle King" Brooks ; a Negro Building Contractor by the name of William Medlock Sr., who along with his Negro workers, built many of the homes in the area of Flynn, North 21st, and Adams Streets, off of Desiard Street in Monroe ; Rev. T. C. Warden ; and Dr. Raymond O. Pierce, the Grandfather of Dr. Ollibeth Reddix of Monroe.