"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MARGARET WALKER

The year "1965" was quite an eventful year! In addition to the birth of myself, Garry O Blanson, there was the event of U.S. Troops fighting in Vietnam, there was the Landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, and right here in Monroe, Louisiana, there was the Landmark Andrews vs The Monroe School System. While many Black People in Monroe know about the Civil Rights Voting Act, many haven't heard about the 1965 Andrews Lawsuit Case in Monroe! On August 5, 1965, Jimmy Andrews and Tommy Ray Robertson, "minor children" enrolled in the Monroe City School System, sued through their mothers, Ms. Etta Mae Andrews and Ms. Odell Willis, alleging racial segregation and discrimination in the operation of the Monroe City public schools. The Lawsuit is available online under " Jimmy Andrews v. City of Monroe, Civil Action No. 11,297." It's surprising how people in Monroe can know so much about Civil Rights Events that happened in Chicago, New York, and Alabama, but know so little about the Civil Rights Events that happened right here in Monroe, during the Civil Rights Era. Well, let's turn our attention to this week's Black Pioneer! Margaret Walker was a Black poet and writer. She was part of the Negro literary movement in Chicago, known as the "Chicago Black Renaissance Movement." Her "For My People" writings was considered the "most important collection of poetry written by a participant in the Chicago Black Renaissance Movement. Margaret Walker was born in Birmingham, Alabama on July 7, 1915. Her parents were Sigismund and Marion Walker. As a child, her parents taught her philosophy & poetry, and her grandmother read her interesting bedtime stories. They planted seeds in her little mind that germinated as she grew into adulthood. At an early age, she knew she wanted to become a writer. Well, sometime during her teenage years, her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. While living in New Orleans, Margaret attended high school and some college. Also, when Langston Hughes visited New Orleans on a speaking tour, she was able to show him some of her poems.Next, her family moved to Chicago, where she attended Northwestern University. Margaret's English professor, E.B. Hungerford, who was also her mentor, helped her learn all the different forms of English poetry, the English metrical system, and scansion of a poem. In 1935, Margaret received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University. Other interesting facts about Margaret Walker is that she received her master's degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa in 1942, receiving her PhD from Iowa in 1965, in 942, her poetry collection "For My People" won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition, under the judgeship of editor Stephen V. Benet making her the first Black Woman to receive a national writing prize. On November 30, 1998, Margaret Walker, one of the leading Black writers of the Mid-20th Century passed away in Chicago, Illinois.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : ELLA NORA P. STEWART

As you all know by now, this past weekend many of the local colleges held their graduation ceremonies, and students received their college degrees. As I thought about the graduations, my mind began pondering this question,"In our rush to get college degrees and jobs, are we as Blacks losing much of "OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE?" Personally, I believe that we are, which is very disturbing to me! Well, In one of my previous articles, I informed everyone about how Dr. John Reddix , the President of the Monroe Chapter of the NAACP had wrote a letter to the C.O.R.E. Organization requesting them to send some of their people to help with Voter Registration and Civil Rights Protests in the Monroe area. Also, I included how "Black Youth" in Monroe were called on to participate in some of the demonstrations. By the way, I recently found the names of a couple of the Black Youth who took part in the library protest at the Anna-Meyer Branch and were put in jail for doing so. Their names were Jimmy Andrews, Bennie Roy Brass, Dorothy Higgins, and Etta Faye Carter. All of the participants were coached on what to do when the police came to arrest them. The police took them and held them in juvenile cages for 3 days, before they were released on $200 bonds. The protests led to three of the young protesters filing a Lawsuit in the Monroe division of the federal district court. After a year of court battles between the City of Monroe officials and Civil Rights Activists, the city officials gave in, and the Ouachita Parish Public Libraries we're integrated in 1965! What's so surprising to me is that all through my days in elementary & high school, I never heard any of my school teachers, Black or White, ever say "one word" about the "Black Youth" Library Protests that took place in the "Summer of 1964!" Furthermore, I feel that we as Black adults need to get busy Educating our Black Youth about the "Summer of 1964," and other Civil Rights Events that took place in and around Monroe, West Monroe, and surrounding towns. If we don't, who will? Anyway, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer! Ella Nora P. Stewart was born , in Stringtown, Virginia. When Ella Nora turned 6 years old, she was sent to live with her grandmother to attend grade school in Berryville, Virginia. After Ella Nora graduated, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the Storer Normal School, in nearby Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. From there, she entered a teacher's training program at However, before Ella Nora could finish the teaching program, she fell in love with and married her classmate, Charles Myers. Once they were married, they moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, Ella Nora took a job as a bookkeeper at a local pharmacy. While working at the pharmacy, she decided that she wanted to become a pharmacist. In 1914, she enrolled and gained admittance into the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. When Ella Nora received her degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, in 1916, she became the first black female to graduate from Pitt's pharmacy program. Well, Ella Nora wasn't satisfied with just earning her pharmacy degree. Therefore, she went took and passed the Pittsburgh State Licensing Exam, making her the first Negro female pharmacist in the state of Pennsylvania and one of the first Negro female pharmacists in the country! Later on, Ella Nora and her second husband William Stewart opened Stewarts' Pharmacy, located at the corner of Indiana and City Park Avenues (566 Indiana Avenue), in Toledo, in July 1922. They operated theIr pharmacy until 1945, when they sold the business. Also, their pharmacy became a popular neighborhood gathering place. In fact, the Stewarts actually owned the building and lived in the spacious eight rooms above the Furthermore, they often hosted visitors from out of town, including W.E.B. Dubois and Mary McLeod Bethune. In addition to being a pharmacist, Ella Nora participated and became a leading member of several civic groups in Toledo, Ohio. A few of them included the Young Women's Christian Association, the Enterprise Charity Club, and she served as President of the National Association of Colored Women's Club. After living a full & fruitful life, Ella Nora P Stewart died at the ripe old age of 94! In her honor, a new school in Toledo was named the Ella P. Stewart Elementary School (later: Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls). In subsequent years Stewart volunteered there regularly, and in 1974 the school created a museum to house Stewart's plaques and awards, and memorabilia she collected on her international tours.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : JOHN EDWARD BRUCE

The Negro essayist, novelist, and playwright James Baldwin once said, “Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.” As we're about to exit 2023 and enter 2024, there's a lingering question that just won't go away. The question is, "What did our Black ancestors fight. bleed, and die for?" Before Rev. Harry Blakes died, he did an interview where he talked about the things that he, his family, and other Negroes had to endure in Louisiana during the 30s,40s, and 50s. Also, he explained how he lived and was reared on two different plantations. One was located in Madison Parish, in Tallulah, Louisiana, and was known as "The Ashley Plantation." In 1951, his family left there and moved to Caddo Parish, and lived on a plantation north of Shreveport, known as "The Woodspur Plantation." What was surprising about many of the things that he brought up in the interview is that some of them took place in the late 50s and early 60s. I'm talking about less than "75 years ago" ; about places & times that most of our "Black Youth" in Monroe, Louisiana have no recollection of! Additionally, he talked about his father being a share-cropper and how the White owner of the land always reminded his family that they were inferior to White People. Furthermore, they were required to purchase just about everything they needed to farm the land with from the White Owner. Long story short, Rev Blakes said that back then everything was setup to keep Negroes in debt, and that America is very much on that style today, because they keep Black People "slaves" with "credit cards.". Please Note that the interview with Rev Blakes is still available online to read or download. Now to this week's Black Pioneer! John Edward Bruce was born a slave on February 22, 1856, in Piscataway, Maryland. When John was three years old, his father was sold to a White slave-owner in Georgia, and John never saw or heard from his father again! Around 1873, he took a 3 month course at Howard University, which was the last time John received any formal schooling. Although he received some public and private schooling, John was mostly self-taught. When John turned 18, he was hired as a messenger for the associate editor of the New York Times. While working for the New York Times, he got the idea to start his own newspaper. So in 1879, John and Charles Otley founded the Argus Weekly newspaper. They decided that the paper would be a fearless advocate of the true principles of the Republican Party, and the moral and intellectual advancement of the Negro American. By 1908, he had followed the Great Migration of Negroes to New York, where he settled in Yonkers. Also in 1908, he established The Yonkers, New York Weekly Standard Newspaper. Along with establishing numerous newspapers, he worked with Marcus Garvey's Organization, "The Universal Negro Improvement Association." Need-less-to-say, John was a strong proponent for civil rights for Negro Americans. Additionally, he would lecture and give speeches that addressed lynching, the condition of southern blacks, and the weak American political system that failed to protect the rights of its Negro citizens. Among his many accomplishments included being elected as President of The National Negro Council, the first Nationwide Civil Rights Organization in the United States, his founding of The Negro Society for Historical Research, which for the first time brought together African, West Indian and Negro Americans Scholars, and his work in the Civil Rights Movement. On August 10, 1924 , John Edward Bruce passed away at the Believue Hospital in New York City Furthermore, he received an impressive state funeral at the UNIA Liberty Hall in New York City.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : CHARLOTTE FORTEN GRIMKE'

Well, it comes as no surprise that when you poll 100 Black People about the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, and President John F Kennedy, about the only two things that everyone can agree on is that they were shot, and that they all died. Also,due to the numerous documentaries, movies, and conspiracy theories, who can rightly tell you what happened between them being shot and them being pronounced dead at the hospital? Furthermore, trying to say what happened would be like trying to say exactly what happened at the end of the siege at the "Battle of The Alamo." Now, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer! Charlotte Forten Grimke' was born on August 17,1837 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to prominent Negro abolitionists, Robert and Mary Forten.They were members of the "Underground Railroad," an anti-slavery network that rendered assistance to people who escaped slavery. By the way, Robert B Forten and his family were a part of Philadelphia's "Negro Elite" Community. In 1854, Charlotte attended the Higginson Grammar School, a private academy for young women. She was the only NON-WHITE student in a class of 200. Once she graduated from Higginson, Charlotte's father sent her to live with a free Black family living in Salem Massachusetts.The Remonds, John and Nancy, were the famous & influential "resident family" of Hamilton Hall, named for Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Today, Hamilton Hall is widely recognized as one of the most important Federal buildings in America! Once in Salem, Massachusetts, Charlotte attended Salem Normal School, which trained school teachers. When Charlotte graduated from Salem Normal School, which is now Salem State University, she became the first Black to graduate from the school. After graduating, Charlotte took a teaching position at Eppes Grammar School, becoming the first Black female hired to teach White students in a Salem public school! During the American Civil War, Charlotte taught school to Freedmen in South, Carolina. After the war, she taught at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Besides having a reputation as a teacher, Charlotte was known for writing poetry, her work as a Women's Rights Advocate, her work as a civil rights activist, and being "First Lady" at the prominent Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C., alongside her husband, Francis J. Grimke'. Also, two of the organizations she helped found were The Colored Women's League, along with Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell & The National Association of Colored Women. Although Charlotte didn't live to see Black Women vote, her efforts as a Women's Rights Advocate helped paved the way! At the ripe old age of 76, Charlotte Forten Grimke' earned her wings on July 23, 1914.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : SMITH WENDELL GREEN

It's strange how so many of the accomplishments & achievements that were achieved by Black People during the "RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD" and the early 1900s in America were deliberately not included in any of the history books at the public schools in Monroe, Louisiana, West Monroe, Louisiana, and Ouachita Parish. Case in point, The Pythian Temple Building that was built in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1909, and The Miller-Roy Building that was built in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1929. Both of the buildings helped comprise the Black Business Districts within their respective Black Communities, as well as feed and support the Black Economy. It's a terrible shame that the stories about The Pythian Building and The Miller-Roy Building are not included in any of the school history or library books in Louisiana. Now to this week's Black Pioneer, Smith Wendell Green! Smith was born in the Louisiana Delta town of Waterproof, Louisiana, on August 12, 1861. Although there is little mention about his early education, based on his knowledge and business savy that he displayed when he moved to Lake Providence, Louisiana to start his mercantile business, you could tell he had received above average schooling. Nevertheless, it did not take long for Smith to become a part of the "Elite Negroes" in all of Northeastern Louisiana! While living in East Carroll Parish, he ran a mercantile business, invested heavily in real-estate, and attended to his other business interest. Out of all his achievements, it was the accomplishments he achieved while working in the Fraternal Organization known as "The Knights of Pythias," also known as "The Colored Knights of Pythias," that were some of his best! There was even a "branch" of The Colored Knights of Pythias that met in Monroe, Louisiana, in the early 1900s and was located on Desiard Street. Well, Smith officially joined The Colored Knights of Pythias in July of 1883, and became a charter member of "Pride of Tensas" Lodge #21, located in St Joseph, Louisiana. He was immediately elected to the office of Vice-Chancellor, but sometimes served as Chancellor when needed. Throughout the years,Smith was elected to serve at different levels and capacities within the organization. On June 30, 1886, he was elected as the Grande Representative from his lodge to the Grande Lodge of Louisiana. Additionally, at the 1906 Grande Lodge Session held in Alexandria, Louisiana, Smith recommended that a Pythian Temple be built in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was eventually approved, and a seven-story Pythian Temple building was erected in New Orleans, in 1909. After more than 30 years of dedicated service in The Colored Knights of Pythias, Smith Wendell Green, the fifth Supreme Chancellor of The Colored Knights of Pythias died on the evening of January 10, 1946. .

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : EDWARD FRANKLIN FRAZIER

During a recent conversation, a friend of mine alerted me of two "NEGRO CLASSIC" books written by a Black man named Edward Franklin Frazier. The first book is,"The Negro Family In The United States," and the second book is,"The Negro Family in Chicago." Well, I was quite surprised to find out that his two books were published around the same time that Carter G Woodson published another great Negro Classic titled,"The Miseducation of The Negro." Also, In addition to writing his other two books, in 1927, Edward published his "SMOKING" article titled "The Pathology of Race Prejudice" in the Forum Magazine, an American magazine founded in 1885 by a German-American businessman named Isaac Rice. What's astonishing about the article is that it took Edward over 3 years to find someone to publish his article, but it took less than a month for people in Atlanta and at Morehouse College to turn on him! Not only did a local newspaper run an editorial against Edward's article, but Edward received death threats against his life and was forced to resign his position at Morehouse College. As a result, Edward decided to move his family to Chicago, where he earned his PhD in Sociology in 1931. Edward Franklin Frazier was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 24, 1894. In 1912, he graduated from the Colored High and Training School in Baltimore. Also, Edward was awarded a scholarship to attend Howard University, where he graduated with honors in 1916. After graduating from Howard, he attended Clark University in Massachusetts, where he earned a master's degree in 1920. It was at Clark University that Edward developed his interest in Sociology. He felt that his interest in Sociology and his deep interest in Negro History complimented each other very well! From 1920-1921, he studied in New York, at the New York School of Social Work, which later became a part of Columbia University. Next, he took a teaching position at Morehouse College in Atlanta,where he taught Sociology. At Morehouse, he established the Atlanta University School of Social Work. Following his abrupt departure from Morehouse College, Edward moved to Chicago, where he was able to teach at Fisk University of Chicago. In 1934, Edward decided to move to Washington D.C. to take a position at Howard University. A position that he held up until his death in 1962. Edward Franklin Frazier died on May 17, 1962 in Washington D.C., at the age of 67. A significant part of his legacy includes Howard University naming its E. Franklin Frazier Center for Social Work Research after him, and Clark University creating a chair and professorship in his name: The E. Franklin Frazier Chair and Professor of English. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that many Black People today consider Edward to be among the most important & influential Black Men of his era.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : NELLIE A.R. LESLIE

In a recent conversation,it was again brought to my attention as to how "more and more" of our "Black Youth" in Monroe, Louisiana are getting caught up in the city & ouachita parish court system. Also, I have personally seen hundreds of incarcerated Black Youth appear before Monroe City Court Judges who had little to "no idea" as to how the criminal court system is setup to work. Furthermore, I feel that we As Black Adults need to do a much better job of informing our Black Youth about the city & ouachita parish court systems, juvenile laws,traffic laws, civil laws, and all other aspects of the law as it pertains to juveniles & juvenile crimes within the city of Monroe & Ouachita Parish. Now, back to this week's Black Pioneer! Nellie A.R. Leslie was born in Virginia, around the early 1840s. After being emancipated, Nellie was educated in Ohio, but moved to Louisiana to teach for the Freedmen's Bureau. Additionally, she was able to attend Straight University in New Orleans, and gained additional training as a music teacher. Nellie became a wonderful music teacher, plus she could also compose and perform music too! In 1874, Nellie married Rev. R.A. Leslie, a Creek Indian & Presbyterian minister. The couple ended up moving to Mississippi, and taught at a school in Osyka, Mississippi. Around 1880, the couple decided to move again. This time they moved to Indian Territory in Muskogee, which is now the state of Oklahoma. In Muskogee, they setup many schools for Creek Freedmen. After teaching & living in Indian Territory for several years, the couple moved back to Mississippi. In 1884, her husband died, and Nellie decided to resume her studies in music. She enrolled at the Boston Conservatory of Music. Once she completed her training at the Boston Conservatory, Nellie moved to Paris, Texas. Some her many accomplishments included, founding a music school in Texas, founding a girls academy school in Muskogee, founding the Afro-American International Institute and School of Arts, and her achievements as principal of the Tullahasse Mission School for Creek Freedmen. It was reported that Nellie A.R. Leslie died sometime in the early 1920s, in Muskogee, which is now the state of Oklahoma.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : WILLIAM LAMBERT

Jim Rohn once said,"If we ignore the lessons of the past, from whatever the source, then we may become victims of the process of trial and error." You see, there are many lessons to be learned from the experiences and events of the past. For instance, the lessons that are to be learned from "Slavery and The Underground Railroad." It is sad that Black students at schools in our Black Communities aren't being taught the lessons learned from Slavery and The Underground Railroad. Furthermore, I feel that it is a travesty that so little is taught in public schools about the Underground Railroad escape routes, Underground Railroad conductors, and many of the White abolitionists that hid Negro slaves in their homes and on their property, allowing them to make it to freedom! Well, this week's Black Pioneer is William Lambert. William was born a "FREE NEGRO" in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1817. At a very young age, he was introduced to a group of White People known as Quakers. A Quaker by the name of Abner H. Francis became a mentor to William. In addition to serving as his school-master, Abner introduced young William to the Abolition Movement. Around 1830, they ended-up in Buffalo, New York. They helped the local abolitionists as much as they could. However, from 1832 - 1836, William went to work as a cabin-boy on commercial steamer boats. Around 1839, William decided to make the city of Detroit his permanent place of residence. His first job in Detroit was at a tailor 's shop. While working at the tailor shop, William met several people involved in the local abolition movement. In 1842, William and two other Negroes formed The Colored Vigilante Committee. The committee would lobby for the rights and freedom of the Negroes in Michigan. "One of the main things for which the committee lobbied for was the right of the Negro Males to Vote!" As time went on, William became a conductor in the Underground Railroad. In 1847, a Negro slave by the name of Robert Cromwell was just short of crossing over into Canada to freedom. He had just made it to Detroit, but his slave master was close behind him. William stepped up and not only helped the slave escape, but he used his influence with the local police to have the White slave master detained long enough for the slave to escape to Canada! Around 1888, it became noticable that something wasn't quite right with William 's mind. Nevertheless, in 1890, after everyone else in his household had gone to bed, William hanged himself in the shed. On April 30, 1890, he was laid to rest at Elm Wood Cemetery, where many of the best well known abolitionists we're buried.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MONROE ALPHEUS MAJORS

Recently, I heard a story about a school teacher who wanted to emphasize a point about “VOTING” to her students. However, instead of browbeating them, she simply wrote a question on the chalkboard. The question she wrote was,”What’s the difference between people who can’t “Vote” and people who don’t “Vote?” Well, that one story just about sums up the “October 2023 Election” results in Louisiana! Now, back to this week’s Black Pioneer. Monroe Alpheus Majors was born on October 12, 1864, in Waco, Texas. His parents were Andrew Jackson Majors and Jane Barringer Majors. After his family moved to Austin, Texas, he attended several of the Freedmen’s Bureau schools. schools. Also, he attended West Texas College, Tillotson Normal and Collegiate Institute,and Central Tennessee College, before enrolling in Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1886, Monroe graduated from medical school and moved to Calvert, Texas to begin practicing medicine. In 1889, he moved to Los Angeles, California, becoming a lecturer at the Los Angeles Medical College. Additionally, Monroe was the first Negro to ever pass the California Board of Medical Examination. Once he married his wife, Georgia A Green, the couple decided to move back to Waco, Texas in 1890. In Waco, Monroe practiced medicine, edited a local newspaper, the Texas Searchlight, and taught at Paul Quinn College. Although he was already involved in other activities, Monroe Felt a need to contribute to the civil rights cause. Through the newspaper, he spoke out against the lynching that was prevalent throughout Texas. Therefore,he received death threats that forced him to move to Chicago in 1901. A list of his achievements & accomplishments included: being one of the first Negroes to become licensed to practice medicine in the state of Texas, he was the first Negro to ever pass the California Board of Medical Examination, he established a medical association for Black physicians who were not allowed entry into the American Medical Association, he wrote a noted book of biographies of Negro women which was published in 1893, he served as editor of a newspaper called the Chicago Conservator from 1908 - 1910, and he opened the first black-owned drugstore in the American Southwest! Finally, after achieving great things in his lifetime, he died in Los Angeles, California, in 1933, at the ripe age of 96.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : CAROLINE STILL ANDERSON

Caroline was born on November 1, 1848, in the “FREE STATE” territory of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, “William Still,” was a wealthy Negro businessman, philanthropist, and abolitionist. He did his best to instill in her consciousness a sense of responsibility and accountability to her race. As a child, Caroline attended Mrs. Gordon's Private School, The Friends' Raspberry Alley School, and the Institute for Colored Youth. In 1864, Caroline attended Oberlin College, earning her degree in 1868. After pausing for marriage and having children, she enrolled at Howard University College of Medicine, in 1875. Caroline then transferred from Howard to the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1876, where she ended up receiving her Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1878. The same year, Caroline began her medical career with an internship at Boston’s New England Hospital for Women and Children. Once Caroline had completed her internship, she returned to Philadelphia where she opened a dispensary in her husband’s church. Additionally, Caroline opened a private medical practice in Philadelphia. Also, the couple founded a vocational and Liberal Arts school called the Berean Manual Training and Industrial School. Caroline was the assistant principal in addition to her teaching roles. She would often also practice medicine at many of the Quaker institutions in Philadelphia! Unfortunately, her career came to an end, after she suffered a paralytic stroke. Although, her stroke kept her from working as a doctor, she remained active in the medical profession by engaging in research and presenting papers at medical conventions. Furthermore, she continued to participate in several social organizations as well. Caroline served as president of the Berean Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and she helped organize Black YMCAs in Philadelphia. A few of her notable accomplishments included enrolling in college at the age of 15, being the youngest graduate in her college graduating class,at the age of 19, and being one of the first Black women to hold a Doctor of Medicine Degree from an American Medical College in the United States! Sadly, on June 2, 1919, Caroline Still Anderson passed away due to complications from her previous strokes.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : WILLIAM STILL

Well, not too long ago in America, the Law said,”if the mother of a newly born child was a slave, then the child was also a slave!” However, thanks mainly to people called “Abolitionists,” many states dropped that law and officially became “Free States.” Meaning that Slavery was no longer legal in these states. Now, this is where the story of this week’s Black Pioneer, William Still begins. William was born on October 7, 1821, in Shamona, New Jersey. Although New Jersey was a Free State, and his father, Levin Still, who was once a slave,but had bought his freedom from his master, was free ; his mother, Sidney Still, was a runaway slave. In fact, his mother changed her first name to Charity, and his father even changed the spelling of the family’s last name from Steel to Still, to keep his mother’s identity hidden,since she was a fugitive slave. When his mother escaped from the plantation she had 4 children,2 girls and 2 boys. Sadly, she had to leave her 2 boys behind. While living in New Jersey, Charity and Levin had 14 more children. William was the youngest of their 18 children. In 1844, William moved from New Jersey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Three years later, he was hired as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. In Philadelphia, he met and married Letitia George. Their union resulted in them having four healthy children. Being that William worked for the P.S. F.A.O.S. , it’s no surprise that he also became an Abolitionist. Not only did William become an Abolitionist, he became a “CONDUCTOR” in the Underground Railroad! Also, his home served as an Underground Railroad Way Station. William reportedly helped as many as 800 slaves escape to freedom. He interviewed each person and kept careful records, including a brief biography and the destination for each, along with any alias adopted. Of course, he kept his records carefully hidden. One day while he was at work, a Black man approached him about finding his mother and sisters. After hearing the man’s story, William looked at the man and said,”what if I told you that I am your brother?” Well, sure enough, the man was “Peter,” one of the sons that their mother had to leave behind when she escaped from the plantation. Peter told him that their other brother, Levin Jr. had died from being whipped for visiting his wife without his master’s permission. It was so beautiful to hear about a former slave mother and her former slave son being re-united! On July 14, 1902, William Still died at his home, at 726 South 19th Street in Philadelphia. He was buried in Eden Cemetery, the “OLDEST BLACK-OWNED and OPERATED CEMETERY” in the Northern part of the United States. Additionally, after his death, The New York Times ran William Still’s obituary, proclaiming him as “The Father of the Underground Railroad!”

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : DAISY GATSON BATES

It’s difficult imagining a child’s mother being raped and killed, and then her father abandoning the child to be raised by close friends of her mother. Well, that’s exactly what Daisy Gatson Bates had to endure, during her childhood. Daisy Gatson Bates was born on November 11, 1914, in southern Arkansas,near a town called Huttig. Her mother was murdered by 3 White men when Daisy was an infant, and her father abandoned her to be raised by close friends of her mother. Their names were Orlee and Susie Smith. Daisy was told about her mother’s death when she was 8 years old. The fact that her mother’s killers were never arrested and punished didn’t sit right with Daisy. Before he died, Daisy’s adopted father told her these words,”Daisy, don’t hate White people just because they're white. If you hate, make it count for something. Hate the humiliations we are living under in the South. Hate the discrimination that eats away at the South. Hate the discrimination that eats away at the soul of every Negro man and woman. Hate the insults hurled at us by White scum—and then try to do something about it, or your hate won't spell a thing!” Daisy would later tell people that his words took root in her mind and helped guided her toward the man she married and her involvement in Civil Rights matters. In 1931, Daisy started dating her future husband, Lucius C. Bates. They ended up moving to Little Rock Arkansas, where Daisy Bates immediately joined the local branch of the NAACP. The words that her adoptive father told her about trying to do something about the injustices being done to Negroes were starting to have an influence on her actions. In an interview when asked what she and the NAACP organization were focused on changing, Daisy responded "the whole darned system!”Additionally, after their arrival to Little Rock, Daisy and Lucius C. Bates decided to fulfill their dream of owning and publishing their own newspaper. The newspaper was called The Arkansas State Press, a weekly statewide newspaper. The first issue appeared on May 9, 1941. The Arkansas State Press was primarily concerned with civil rights and advocacy journalism. The paper featured stories about civil rights and stories that spotlighted achievements of black Arkansans. Daisy and Lucius C Bates were married on March 4, 1942. The Arkansas State Pressplayed a significant role during the time of the highly publicised enrollment of the “Little Rock Nine” and the Little Rock Integration Crisis. As the leader of the NAACP branch in Arkansas, Daisy Bates guided and advised the nine students, known as the Little Rock Nine, when they attempted to enroll in 1957 at Little Rock Central High School, a previously all-white institution. She even came up with the plan to utilize ministers to escort the Little Rock Nine into Central High School. Also, she opened up her home to the Little Rock Nine, and her house served as a haven for The Little Rock Nine. Furthermore, Daisy’s home also was an official drop off and pick up place for the Little Rock Nine before and after school, every day. Sadly, because of her involvement and her newspaper’s coverage of the happenings, many of the White citizens of Little Rock decided to boycott and shut off much of the funding of The Arkansas State Press. The boycott successfully cut off funding, except the money which came directly and through advertisements from the NAACP national office, and through ads from supporters throughout the country. As a result, Daisy and her husband were unable to maintain the financial obligations of continuing to run The Arkansas State Press. Therefore, they decided to shut the paper down! The last issue was published on October 29, 1959. At the ripe age of 84, a week before her 85th birthday, on November 4, 1999, Daisy Gatson Bates went home to be with the Lord. One of her highest honors was being named “Woman of the Year” in 1957 by the National Council of Negro Women.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : Scipio Africanus Jones

Today in America, with the exception of the Blacks who are locked up as a result of being caught up in the American Prison System, most Black People are deemed to be “Free Black” Americans. Which draws our attention to the “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. You see, on January 31, 1865, the U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment which was ratified on December 6, 1865. Henceforth, abolishing slavery in the United States. However, within the Amendment, there’s a special clause in “Section One” that reads,”Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Surprisingly, that single clause provides a “LOOPHOLE” for the continuance of slavery in America! Last year, in Louisiana, a Black State Representative proposed an amendment to the “Louisiana Constitution” to ban slavery and involuntary servitude. Sadly, after the amendment had been reworded & watered down, even the representative who proposed the amendment ended up opposing it! Well, this week’s Black Pioneer is Scipio Africanus Jones. He was born on August 3, 1863 in Dallas County, in south Arkansas to a 15 girl by the name of Jemmina Jones. His father was an unknown White man. As a youngster, Scipio attended Negro schools near his hometown. When he turned 21, he moved to Little Rock, Arkansas to attend Philander Smith College. In 1885, Scipio earned his bachelor’s degree from Shorter College, a Negro college in North Little Rock. After graduating, he took a teaching position in Big Rock District. Some of his main accomplishments included him being initiated into the Prince Hall Freemasonry, his passing the Arkansas Bar in 1889, his becoming the founder and owner of People's Ice & Fuel Company, which was the only black-owned and black-operated ice manufacturing company, and the only black-owned and black-operated fuel company in America. However, the accomplishment that gained him National fame and notoriety was when he represented “Over 90 Negro” defendants, including the “ELAINE 12,” who were connected to the famous “Elaine Arkansas Riot of 1919!” On March 2, 1943, Scipio Africanus Jones died and was buried at Haven of Rest Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. In closing, I would like remind everyone that election time is very near! Therefore, make sure you are a registered voter and that your name is not on the list of people to be removed from the active voter roll in Monroe, Louisiana/ Ouachita Parish.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MISS McCREE HARRIS

Today, many Black High School Students in Monroe , Louisiana are shocked to hear about a court case involving a Black person where the person decides to “serve jail time,” rather than “pay the fine!” Well, during the Civil Rights Movement, there were plenty of Negroes who decided to do so. As a matter of fact, there were several times when students and civil rights leaders deliberately went to jail as a means of protest. Somehow, it seems like this new generation has only a vague idea of just what the Civil Rights era was about! Furthermore, I sure wished that teachers could have taught about this in school this year, but the Louisiana Superintendent of Education said no! Maybe he said no because some people feel that the topic is a part of Critical Race Theory, I don’t know. However, I do know that Black parents need to be reminding their Black children about the Civil Right Movement! Now, let’s read about this week’s Black Pioneer! Miss McCree Harris was born in 1934 in Albany, Georgia. Her parents, Reverend Isaiah A. Harris and Katie B. Harris, dedicated their lives working for racial equality & economic empowerment for Negroes. Miss McCree graduated from Columbia University, and was hired as a teacher at a Negro school. At Monroe High School, she taught French,Latin, Social Studies, and Negro History. Miss McCree wasn’t your average type of teacher. After teaching her students at school, once school let out,she would often take her students downtown to test the desegregation rulings at local stores and movie theaters. Also, Miss McCree encouraged all of her students to get involved in the Civil Rights efforts. Her parents and siblings were already actively working on different Civil Rights projects. When Blacks got together to form The Albany Movement, a desegregation and voters' rights coalition formed in Albany, Georgia, in November 1961, Miss McCree and her family participated. Shockingly, most Black People do not know that The Albany Movement was a precursor to the March on Washington in 1963. During the Albany Movement, is was said that over 1,000 Black People were arrested, including Rev Martin Luther King Jr. ! Additionally, Miss McCree and her family did many things behind the scenes to help the Albany Movement. You see, she strongly believed in educating Black youth to build a larger movement for years to come. On July 21, 2000, Miss McCree Harris died at the Palmyra Medical Center in Albany, Georgia.

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : SHERIFF PETER CROSBY

It was reported that General Ulysses S Grant wrote in his Personal Memoirs, “The fate of the Confederacy was sealed when Vicksburg fell, and the Confederate military forces surrendered in Vicksburg,Mississippi on July 4, 1863.” Peter Crosby was born in 1844, and lived twenty years in Clark County, Mississippi. In 1864, he moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi and enlisted in the U.S.Army. At the age of 20, he became a member of the US Colored Troops in Company C, 5th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. From 1864 - 1873, Young Crosby accumulated over $5,000 worth of land and was noted as being a prosperous member of the city of Vicksburg, not bad for an ex-slave! Additionally,Peter was part of a Negro political group called the “Vicksburg Ring” that regulated the city politics of Vicksburg. In 1873, he was elected Sheriff of Warren County, which included Vicksburg, and that didn’t sit well with many of the White citizens in town. Yet,the White citizens waited until December of 1874 to officially get Peter to resign his position as Sheriff. At gun point they had him sign a letter of resignation. He did so, but he also sent for help from the federal government. However, several Black men weren’t for waiting on the federal government to send help. Armed with guns, they went down to the city courthouse to make Peter Sheriff again! Sadly, that would be the day of the “Wild Vicksburg Massacre,” where 50 - 300 Black People ended up being killed. Eventually, federal troops arrived to restore the peace and reinstate Peter to his rightful position as Sheriff of Vicksburg. Unfortunately, this didn’t sit well with the White citizens either. So, the White People of Vicksburg hired a White deputy and forced Peter to work with him. The deputy’s name was J.P. Gilmer. Lastly, in 1875, the local White League, a White supremacist organization, falsely accused Vicksburg’s Black leaders of corruption. They vowed to “Make America Great Again” by removing Negro officeholders from their positions of power. The White League was smart enough to know that as long as local Black citizens “VOTED” and “CONTINUED TO OWN” LARGE AMOUNTS OF LAND, they posed a “THREAT” to White political and economic supremacy! Also, along with having to put up with a Negro as Sheriff, the White citizens were not happy seeing Negroes acquiring large amounts of property in Vicksburg and gaining “economic control” of the city. Therefore, on June 7, 1875, Peter’s White deputy, J.P. Gilmer shot him in the head. Gilmer was arrested for attempted murder but never brought to trial. Although Peter survived the murder attempt on his life, he never made a full recovery from it.. Nevertheless, he was allowed to finish out his term as Sheriff, but a White citizen was appointed to assist him. Peter lost his bid for re-election, and wasn’t able to do much after then. On March 15, 1884 ,Peter Crosby died in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Even though he was only 40 years old when he died, he left behind a great legacy for future generations of Black People to admire! In Closing, it appears to me that tactics similar to the intimidation and violence tactics utilized by White Mississippians with the intent on “restoring white supremacy” back in 1875 are now starting to reappear here in Louisiana. Furthermore,I feel that it’s time for the Black Leaders and Black Citizens of Louisiana to awaken from their sleep and unite & organize, before what happened in 1875 happens again!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : GEORGE HENRY WHITE

Sometime ago, I read an article on the internet entitled,”The Negroes Temporary Farewell.” Well, I searched on Google for the article this past weekend, but could not find it. Nevertheless, the article was about how when a Negro representative from North Carolina by the name of “George Henry White” gave his farewell speech on the floor of the U.S. Congress in 1901. You see, George was the last Negro to serve in the U.S. Congress for almost “3 whole decades!”Therefore, for almost 30 years, there were no Negro representatives serving in the U.S. Congress. A Negro serving in Congress from the North would have to wait until 1928, before another Negro would serve again. In 1928, a Negro by the name of Oscar S. De’Priest was elected to represent the First Congressional District of Illinois. As for the election of a Negro representative from the South, there was not another Negro elected to Congress until 1972, after federal civil rights legislation was passed in 1965 to enforce constitutional voting and civil rights for citizens. Now, how many of you all are just learning about this piece of American history? It is my hope that more Black People will read my articles and want to learn more about the Black History that’s not being disseminated at the schools in our Black Communities. Ok, this week’s Black Pioneer is George Henry White. George was born on December 18, 1852, in Rosindale, North Carolina. After the American Civil War, public schools were setup for Negro children. In 1870, George met a teacher by the name of David P. Allen. Mr. Allen took a liking to George and encouraged him to learn. When Mr. Allen moved to a place called Lumberton to establish a school, George decided to go with him. Mr. Allen started the Whitin Normal School. In 1874, George enrolled in Howard University. He graduated from Howard in 1877 and went back to North Carolina, where he was hired as a principal at a school. Some of his accomplishments included serving as a legal apprentice under former Superior Court Judge William J. Clarke, being admitted to the North Carolina bar in 1879, being elected to serve in the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1880, and his being elected to to the U.S. Congress in 1896. Additionally, he founded a commercial Black-Owned Bank in 1906, and he co-founded the Black town of “Whitesboro” in Southern New Jersey. In 1917, he became the first Negro from Pennsylvania to be selected as an alternate delegate at-large to the Republican National Convention. Furthermore, he was a member of the National Negro Business League and the NAACP. On December 28, 1918, George Henry White died at his home in Philadelphia.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : FRANCES E. W. HARPER

Let’s talk about “DEEPFAKES” baby!!! Recently, I ran across a “NEW LAW” that was recently passed in Louisiana. It’s called the Deepfake Law. With it being football season and all, I thought they might be talking about something dealing with football. Well, come to find out, it’s legally known as “ACT 457.” According to this law, as of August 1, 2023, it is illegal to create and distribute “DEEPFAKES” depicting anyone engaging in sexual acts without their consent, especially minors. Also, the punishment upon conviction is quite harsh to say the least! With that said, “I thought to myself…was this law passed to protect the citizens of Louisiana, or to protect the politicians of Louisiana?” I’ll let you all decide on this one. Meanwhile, let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! FRANCES E. W. HARPER was born on September 24, 1825, in Baltimore, Maryland. At the age of three, Frances became an orphan, and went to live with her uncle and his wife. She even took on her uncle’s last name. Frances was educated at the Watkins Academy for Negro Youth, which her uncle had established in 1820. When she turned 13, Frances took a job as a seamstress and nursemaid for a white family that owned a bookshop. Times were difficult, so she quit school. However, she didn’t let this setback keep her from learning! In her spare time, Frances read some of the books from the bookshop, and worked on her writing skills as well. In 1850, she moved from Baltimore to teach domestic science at Union Seminary, which was an AME-Affiliated school for Negroes near Columbus, Ohio. Frances was the school’s first and only Black female teacher. Union Seminary closed in 1863 when the AME Church diverted its funds to purchase Wilberforce University, the first Black-owned and operated college. To her credit, Frances was one of the first Negroes to write a novel and have it published in America! From 1868 to 1888, Frances had three novels serialized in a Christian magazine: Minnie's Sacrifice, Sowing and Reaping, and Trial and Triumph. Additionally, Frances helped found The National Association of Colored Women and served as its Vice President. In 1870, Frances worked with the Freedmen’s Bureau encouraging many freedmen in Mobile Alabama, to "get land, everyone that can," so they could vote and act independently once Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment. From 1883 to 1890, she helped organize events and programs for the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Furthermore, Frances served as superintendent of the Colored Section of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Also, she was a strong and vocal supporter of abolitionism, and woman’s suffrage. Sadly, Frances E.W. Harper died on February 22, 1911, only nine years before women gained the right to vote.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON

Today, in Monroe, Louisiana,it seems that many Black students at the schools in our Black Communities do not remember that Howard University was actually the “chosen facility” for training Negro Civil Rights Lawyers. As a matter of fact, noted Civil Rights Attorneys Thurgood Marshall and Oliver Hill both attended Howard University. Also, they both worked on the historic Brown vs The Board of Education case. So why should we teach our Black children in our Black Communities about Howard University being the chosen facility to train Negro lawyers? Well, more frequently than ever, more and more of our Black youth are getting caught up in the legal system. A system that is ready & able to put them back in the “role of slaves.”Therefore, I hope that by teaching our Black youth about how Black People had used Howard University to train Black Civil Rights lawyers in the past, they will want to learn more about “The Black Lawyer in History.” Now, let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! Charles Hamilton Houston was born on September 3, 1895 in Washington D.C. to William Le Pré and Mary Houston. At the age of 15, Charles graduated from the famous “M Street High School.” Next, he enrolled at Amherst College. In 1915, he graduated from Amherst and took a teaching position at Howard University where he taught English. However, when World War l began, Charles joined the U.S. Army. In the U.S.Army, he experienced firsthand many of the injustices that Negroes had to bear. Therefore, once discharged from his duties, he enrolled into Harvard Law School. At the end of 1923, Charles had earned his Bachelors of Law degree and a DJS degree. In 1924, Charles was admitted to the Washington, D.C. Bar and joined his father's Law practice in Washington! Charles accomplished many marvellous things in his lifetime. Some of them included serving as the first special counsel for the NAACP, co-founding The National Bar Association in Washington, and serving as Dean of the Howard University School of Law where he took the law program from part-time to full-time. Furthermore, because of his leadership, Howard University became the “chosen facility” for training Negro Civil Rights Lawyers. Two of his most noted Protégés were Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Civil Rights Attorney Oliver Hill. On April 22, 1950, Charles Hamilton Houston died from a heart attack, at the age of 54.

“ OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE “ ANDREW F HILYER

In a speech given by Malcolm X on January 24, 1964, he said,”When you deal with the past, you’re dealing with history, you’re dealing actually with the origin of a thing. When you know the origin, you know the cause. If you don’t know the origin, you don’t know the cause. And if you don’t know the cause, you don’t know the reason, you’re just cut off, you’re left standing in mid-air.” Well, I’m suggesting that this is where Our “Black Communities” in Monroe, Louisiana are Today! You see, most Black people born after 1950 in Monroe have a vague recollection of the past things that went on in Monroe during the early and mid 1900s. Many of them are so clueless that they don’t even know that the 165 Crossover Bridge near Carroll High School, the one that was recently painted and has the face of a Carroll Bulldog on it, is actually named for a White family that lived in Monroe who had the last name of “Renwick.” Also, they don’t seem to know that in the past that a White man name Robert Fuller shot and killed some of his Black employees along Tichelli Road in Monroe. Additionally, they don’t know that the Black guy that survived Robert Fuller’s attack was arrested after he was taken to the hospital, and had to serve jail time! Recently, it came to me that by looking at the past, we can better understand some of the events happening in Monroe today. We need to understand that Black men going to jail for unjust causes and the White man not being charged didn’t just start happening in 2022. It has happened thousands of times in the past. Furthermore, I agree with Malcolm X when he said that the thing that has kept most Black People “almost crippled” in American Society is our complete lack of knowledge concerning the past. Finally, I feel that it is imperative for more Black People to begin taking advantage of the many books, articles, reports, and other sources of information about the past that is available at the local public libraries as well as on the Internet. Well, now let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! Andrew Franklin Hilyer was born Hilyer on August 14, 1858 in Georgia. It is believed that his father was also his slavemaster. After the American Civil war he and his mother moved to Nebraska. Soon after the death of his mother, he relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he became friends with a few of the wealthy White elite families. Andrew graduated from Minneapolis High in 1878. Next, he graduated front the University of Minnesota in 1882. Following his desires to become a lawyer, Andrew decided to enroll at Howard University.He ended up earning 2 Law degrees from Howard! One of his highest accomplishments was becoming one of the founders and the first president of the Union League of the District of Columbia which was organized in 1892, "to advance the moral, material and financial interests of the colored people” in Washington. Andrew also attended and represented the U.S. Commission at the Paris Exposition of 1900 held in London, where he organised the “Collective Exhibit of Negroes in Merchandise, Factories and Allied Occupations.” Lastly, he founded The Negro Correspondence Club which was designed to influence public opinion, media representation and public policy as they affected the black community. The membership of this club was limited to only twelve people and “its existence was never publicized.” On January 13, 1925, Andrew F Hilyer died at his home. It is wonderful that his home is still part of the Howard University campus today,and is used for administrative offices.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : VALENA C. M. JONES

While researching this week’s Black Pioneer, it came to my attention that there use to be “a rule” in Louisiana, and other states that actually “prohibited married women” from teaching in public schools. It didn’t matter how popular or how professional the teacher may have been. According to the rule, once a women married, she couldn’t teach at a public school anymore! Surprisingly, as late as 1911, the rule remained in effect. With that said, let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! Her name is Valena C. M. Jones. Valena was born in in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi in 1872. Not much was recorded about her early schooling in Mississippi. However, it was reported that she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend Straight University in 1892. After graduating Straight University, Valena moved back to Hancock County, Mississippi to become the “principal of the Bay St. Louis Negro School.” Her tenure as principal lasted approximately 4 years. In 1897, Valena decided to return to New Orleans to teach in the public school system. One of the highlights of her teaching career in New Orleans was when she was voted as the “Most Popular Colored Teacher!” Along with being recognised, Valena was awarded a nice bicycle! In 1901, she got married to Reverend Robert R. Jones. However, she had to leave the teaching profession, because of a standing rule that prohibited married women from teaching in public schools in Louisiana. Among the things Valena enjoyed as a wife was helping her husband in his duties as editor of the religious newspaper, the Southwestern Christian Advocate. The newspaper was published by the Methodist Episcopal Church in New Orleans. It was widely read by Negroes as well as White people throughout the southern region of the the United States. It was strongly suggested that the success of the Southwestern Christian Advocate newspaper was mainly due to her tireless dedication and efforts! If she would have lived a few years longer, she would have got to experience the joy of teaching in public schools again as well as the passage of women’s suffrage in America. However, her life was cut short. On January 13, 1917, Valena C.M. Jones passed away quietly and peacefully. Her husband, Robert R Jones had her buried in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. After her death, a school in New Orleans Louisiana was named after her in 1917. Also, in 1947 , the city where she began her teaching career, Bay St. Louis also honored her by naming a school after her!

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : JOHN STEWART ROCK

             Not too long ago I read a quote that said,”Pass The Truth To The Next Generation ; We Must Teach Them Early What We Learn Late!” The quote was talking about teaching our Black children the truth about things that happened before they were born. However, there’s a funny thing about the “TRUTH.” You see, you can have three different people witness an incident, and still  get three different scenarios about what actually happened. A good example is the incident that occurred last year at a Carroll High School football game. The Carroll football coaches gave their version of the Truth, the Sheriff gave his version of the Truth, and a bystander even video-recorded the incident. By Sadly, the Truth in many cases is that the Truth simply gets lost in the police report that’s submitted to the police department and the court. Nevertheless, let’s turn our attention to this week’s Black Pioneer, John Stewart Rock.       John was born on  October 13, 1825 in Salem, New Jersey to free negroes, John and Maria (Willett) Rock. John did so well in school that by the age of 19, he had qualified to become a school teacher. In 1844, he began teaching at a one-room school in Salem. After four or five years of teaching, and studying medicine on the side,John decided to try his hand at dentistry. Back then, there was a thing called an “Apprenticeship.” John chose to take an apprenticeship with a White  doctor by the name of Dr. Harbert. Next, he applied to attend medical school. In 1852, John graduated from American Medical College in Philadelphia!  He became one of the first Negroes in America to gain a medical degree. Before the age of 28, he had 

 become a successful teacher, dentist, and a noted physician.Wow,              quite an accomplishment for a Negro in that period of history! Later on, John became an abolitionists and civil rights leader. Also, on September 14, 1861, T. K. Lothrop, a White lawyer, persuaded a local Judge to allow John the opportunity to take the law examination. John passed the exam with flying colors and gained admittance to the Massachusetts Bar.  He was thrilled that he had finally achieved one of  the last items on his bucket list!                One of the highest honors he ever received, occurred on February 1, 1865, the day after the approval of the 13th Amendment. A White man named Charles Sumner introduced a motion that made John Stewart Rock the first Negro attorney to be admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court!Furthermore, he became the first Negro to be received on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. Sadly,on December 3, 1866, John S. Rock died from tuberculosis. He was only 41 years old.

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : FANNIE C WILLIAMS

 “OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : FANNIE C WILLIAMS                  It will come as a big surprise to some, but maybe not much of a surprise to others. The surprise is what a few states are starting to go back to, in order to deal with the teacher shortage situation. You see, there was a time in New Orleans, Louisiana that a person did not have to have a four-year college degree in order to teach in Louisiana public schools. Before 1940,  a person could graduate high school, receive their diploma, and attend what was called a “Normal School” for about 2 years.Normal School were developed and built primarily to train elementary-level teachers for the public schools systems. Once they had received their certificate, they could teach in a Louisiana public school. Which happens to bring us to this week’s  Black Pioneer,” Fannie C Williams!          Fannie was born on March 23, 1882 in Biloxi, Mississippi. She attended high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1904,  Fannie graduated from Straight College in New Orleans, which later became Dillard University. The bulk of her career as an educator was in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1921, Fannie was appointed principal of Valena C. Jones Elementary School. In addition to acting as the principal of the elementary school ; in 1931 she also became head principal of the Valena C Jones Normal & Practical School, which certified Negro teachers for the New Orleans Public Schools. A few of her accomplishments included starting a health day at the elementary school, where children were treated by local Black medical professionals for free of charge, starting the first Negro Troop of Girl Scouts ; Troop 99, in the city of New Orleans, and she personally trained & certified thousands of Negro public school teachers during her 30 plus years as an educator. Fannie C Williams died in 1980 at the golden age of 98. Note : thanks to funds from FEMA and other contributors, there is now a New Fannie C Williams Charter School located in New Orleans 7th Ward!

“Our Rich Black Heritage” : JOSEPH LEE

               I recently read about a company called,”The Black Bread Company.” The company was founded in 2021 by three Black men from Chicago. Speaking of bread, how many of you all knew that in 1894 a Black man named “Joseph Lee” invented the first  automatic bread-making machine in America?  The next year, on June 4, 1895, he followed-up his previous invention with the invention of a machine for making breadcrumbs. Joseph made a fortune by selling the rights to his inventions. Furthermore, his two fantastic inventions helped revolutionize  the Bread Industry!

Joseph Lee was born in Charleston , South Carolina on July 4,1848 to two Negro slaves, Henry and Susan Lee. From an early age, Joseph had taken an interest in baking. He ended up working at a bakery in Beaufort, South Carolina. On May 12, 1875, Joseph married Christina Howard ; they had four children. Not long after then, Joseph and his family settled in Needham, Massachusetts. In 1882, he  opened a restaurant and The Woodland Park Motel. Prominent guests at his motel included Presidents of the United States, Benjamin Harrison and Chester A Arthur, and Grover Cleveland. Also, he ran a successful catering business as well as managing other restaurants,in and around the Boston area. After he invented his bread machine in 1894, it was being used by many of America’s leading hotels, restaurants,and catering  establishments.  Additionally, Joseph was active in Civil Rights issues  of his day as well. In 1890, he attended  the Convention of Colored Men. Near the end of his life, Joseph  fell ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. On June 11, 1908, Joseph Lee died at his home. 

In 2019, Joseph Lee was inducted into the American National Inventors Hall of Fame! 

“Our Rich Black Heritage” : EARTHA M. M. WHITE

    A little  over a century ago, a Tornado swept through Jacksonville, Florida. However, this was no ordinary Tornado. This Tornado came in the form of a little Black lady by the name of EARTHA M.M. White. By the time she died in 1974,she had accomplished quite a bit! From establishing a Mercy Hospital for tuberculosis, to helping found a half-way house for alcoholics in recovery, to creating a Boy’s improvement club, to help curve juvenile delinquency. You name it, there wasn’t much that she left untouched! Additionally, Eartha was instrumental in getting the land & lumber donated  to build the first public school for Negroes in the Black community of Bayard, in 1899. Also, before her adopted mother, Clara White died in 1920, they started the Clara White Old Folks Home. Eartha M.M. White was born on November 8, 1876 in Jacksonville, Florida. She ended up getting adopted by a Black lady name Clara White. In 1893, Eartha graduated from Stanton High School in Jacksonville. In 1896, she returned  to being Jacksonville, after being away for 3 years,due to the yellow fever breakout. She continued her studies and graduated from Florida Baptist Academy. Later when the school was built in Bayard, Eartha taught at the school for about 16-18 years. Eartha M.M. White died on January 18,1874 in Jacksonville, Florida at the ripe old age of  97!

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : ANDERSON BONNER

When many people think of Dallas, Texas, they think of things like the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, the movie North Dallas Forty, or even the Medical City Dallas Hospital, which is located in North Dallas. Surprisingly enough, this week’s Black Pioneer, Anderson Bonner once owned the land that The Medical City Dallas Hospital now sits on! In addition to the land that the hospital is on, Anderson ended up owning thousands of acres of land in what is now North Dallas( including the Dallas suburb of Richardson ). Anderson Bonner was born a slave in Alabama around 1839. Also, it is rumored that he was possibly a member of the 100,000 Negro refugees that were forcibly transported to Texas by their White slave owners,during the American Civil War to keep the Union Army from freeing them. Furthermore, it was reported that on “June 19, 1865,” Union General Gordon Granger and Union Troops under his command arrived in Galveston, Texas and pronounced the end of slavery[ on June 7, 1979, more than a century after the abolition of slavery in Texas, Texas House Bill 1016 passed in the 66th Legislature  Regular Session, declaring June 19, "Emancipation Day in Texas]! The following year,on “June 19, 1980,” Texas became the first  state in America to officially and legally make Juneteenth a national holiday! Not too long after being freed, Anderson got married to a  young Black lady named Eliza{ to this union were born 10 children }. Mainly, because slaves weren’t allowed to learn how to read and write, Anderson,his wife, nor his brother or his sister could read or write well. In 1870, when Anderson and the rest of the Bonner family first arrived in Dallas, Texas, they found work on a farm in an area known as White Rock Creek. With the money Anderson earned from working on the farm, he was able to buy 60 acres of land in North  Dallas( he purchased the land on August 10, 1874, since he never learned how to read , they let him sign the deed with an “X” ). Although he was thought of as an illiterate man, he was intelligent enough to see that he could split up the 60 acres of land[ keeping part for him and his family members, and renting out the rest to Negro sharecroppers ]. Anderson’s plan proved to be quite profitable, and he was able to use some of the money from his rental properties to buy more land. Over a period  of years, he had accumulated over two thousand acres of land in what is now North Dallas and the Dallas suburb of Richardson. On a bitter note,his dear wife Eliza, the mother of his 10 children, died in a oil lamp explosion in the family home in 1903. Around 1920, Anderson decided to get married  again{ her name was Lucinda, and she was from Waxahachie, Texas }. Within a year or two after the marriage, Anderson Bonner died. He was buried in White Rock Colored Union Cemetery ( which is now White Rock Garden of Memories Cemetery) in Addison, Dallas County, Texas. Hey, I  strongly feel that it is worth mentioning  again that “even though Anderson Bonner could  not read or write, “ he was able to “come up with a plan” that helped make him one of the largest Negro landowners in Dallas Texas! Needless to say, his vast estate and holdings went to his wife and children living at the time of his death. In his honor, his family established the Anderson Bonner Endowment scholarship, which assists RISD graduates who attend Prairie View A&M University. Also of worthy mention is that the first public school for Black children in the North Dallas[ the Vickery and Hillcrest school ] was renamed The Anderson Bonner School. At the time, it was the only school  for Blacks in the area.  The school was eventually closed in 1955, when the Hamilton-Park School was built. Furthermore, the city of Dallas named the park west of Medical City Hospital, Anderson Bonner Park in 1976{ the park consists of 44.1 acres of Anderson’s original land }. In closing, I would like for you to think about “ALL” of the land in the city of Monroe, West Monroe, Sterlington, Bastrop, and Ruston, Louisiana that was “ONCE OWNED BY BLACK PEOPLE!“

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MARITA O.B. OCCOMY

Certainly, we all know how devastating the loss of a loved one can be. Thankfully, we can choose to do as Marita did, and turn to things such as writing to help us get through it. In 1924, Marita had moved from where her parents lived to Washington D.C. to take a teaching position. However, within a year of her moving away, both of her parents died unexpectedly. It was at this time that Marita used writing as a way to deal with her grief. Although many Black People don’t know it, Marita was a writer, and playwright who is often associated with the “Harlem Renaissance Era.”  Marita O.B. Occomy was born on June 16, 1899 in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph Andrew and Anne Noel Bonner. Marita attended Brookline High School, a place where she first began to take an interest in writing( she helped put together the school magazine called the Sagamor ). After graduating from Brookline in 1918, Marita attended Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she majored in Comparative Literature and English. By the way, she had to commute back and forth[ from the city of Brookline and Radcliffe College ], because Black students were not allowed to live in campus dormitories. In addition to doing well in academics, Marita could make the piano sing{ she won two music competitions when she attended Radcliffe College }. Not only was Marita a member of the “Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,”she was founder of the Boston-Area Chapter! Once she graduated from college in 1922, Marita began teaching at Bluefield Colored Institute (now Bluefield State University) in Bluefield, West Virginia. Two years later, she decided to leave Bluefield and take a teaching position at Armstrong High School[ an all-Black high school in Washington, D.C. ]. Sadly, this was when both of her parents died and she turned to writing to give her consolation from her grief. To her delight, her first essay, “Being Young-A Woman- And Colored” got published in The Crisis magazine{ in December of 1925 }. Her essay immediately catapulted her into the limelight. Following the publishing of her essay, Marita was invited into a group of distinguished Washington, D.C. writers, poets, playwrights, and composers( they met regularly at the “S” Street Salon, owned by composer, poet, and playwright Georgia Douglass Johnson ). The thing that made Marita’s essays and writings standout is that they emphasized “self-improvement through education!” While attending events in Washington and enjoying her success as a writer, she ended up meeting a man named, William Almy Occomy[ who would later become her husband ]. They were married in 1930, and a year later they moved to Chicago, where Marita was well accepted as a writer. As time moved on, her family had grown from two to five[ the couple now had 3 children ]. In 1941, Marita decided to return to teaching and focus more on taking care of her family. Up until she retired in 1963, she taught in Chicago’s public school system. Regretfully, in 1971, Marita was caught in a fire at her Chicago apartment. On December 7,1971, Marita O.B. Occomy died of smoke inhalation from the fire in her apartment. In closing, I would like to say how disappointing it is that “the selectors” of the books that go to the schools in our “Black Communities” have failed to include more of the writings of Black Writers like Marita and those who wrote during the “Black Renaissance Era” and “The Harlem Renaissance Era“ in the school textbooks.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE": MARY L BOOKER

While most people have been conditioned to look at Education from an “Academic” viewpoint only, in this week’s article, I am going to inform everyone about a Black lady named,” Mary L Booker” who was able to use the preforming arts to reach Black kids and bring the Black Community together at the same time. In 1931, Mary L Booker was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. At the age of 24, Mary moved to San Francisco, California. Next, in 1960, she started “Infinity Productions” at the Bayview Opera House( a community theatre ). Also, Mary was able to offer free acting workshops{ she also wrote and directed several plays }. In time, Mary saw that she could utilize theatrical arts to help promote Black Culture and unite different generations of Black People simultaneously. Additionally, she used the opera house and her plays to entice Black youth to stay away from the street life. By the way, Mary was known for telling the cast members in her plays,”make sure that if you put your name on something that it is done in decent and order, and always on time!”Furthermore,she sought to use theater as a way of giving the children a sense of pride, discipline, and accomplishment! In addition to everything else, Mary would often incorporate her passion for civil rights into her plays. Throughout the Black Community of San Francisco, Mary was known as”Mother Booker.” Yes, Mary played a very important part in the performing arts movement in San Francisco[ she made the most of what she had, and she helped saved hundreds of young lives in the process]! On May 11,2017, Mary L Booker died of Leukemia, in San Francisco, California. In 2007, the San Francisco Public Library issued her the Unsung Hero award in her honor ; and in 2019, The Mary L. Booker Leadership Academy( charter school ) was established in San Francisco, California in her name. In closing, I would like to say that it sure would be great if the Black citizens in Monroe, Louisiana could come together and build an “Opera House” in Monroe.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS

When I mention the names George Washington and George Washington Carver, many people have undoubtedly heard much about them. However, when I mention the name George Washington Williams, not many people can honestly say that they have ever heard anything about him at all! One reason that people haven’t heard about him is because he died when he was only 41 years of age. Another reason is simply because he wasn’t included in any of the American History books in our public schools. George Washington Williams is credited as the first Negro to compile the overall history of Negroes[ listing their various contributions within the early colonies, from 1619 - 1880 ] living in America. His groundbreaking book entitled,”The History of the Negro Race in America 1619–1880” was published in 1882. George Washington Williams was born on October 16, 1849 in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania. Since his parents were born “FREE NEGROES”( the state of Pennsylvania had abolished slavery sometime before his parents were born ), George was considered free as well! He was the son of Thomas and Ellen Rouse Williams. Although he had a very limited amount of formal education, George was trained as a barber at a place known as,”A House of Refuge.” Once the American Civil War started, he voluntarily enlisted into the Union Army. After the war ended, George traveled to Mexico and joined the Republican army in their fight against “Maximilian.” When he returned to the United States in the spring of1867, George rejoined the American army, but he was released of his duties{ due to being wounded in one of his lungs in 1868 }. In 1869, he applied to enroll at Howard University. Even though he went and attended Howard, his stay there was short! In 1870, George began studying at the Newton Theological Institution, near Boston, Massachusetts. In 1874, he became the first Negro to graduate from Newton! Following his graduation from Newton, George was ordained as a Baptist Minister, and married Sarah A. Sterrett. Next, he and his wife moved to Washington D.C. where he started a newspaper called the Commoner. Around 1876, he and his wife moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he studied law under the tutelage of Alphonso Taft(?the father of President William H Taft ). After passing the bar exam, George decided to run for a seat in the Ohio state congress! In 1879, he He became the first Negro to be elected to the Ohio state legislature[ he served one term, 1880 to 1881 ].Amongst his many accomplishments included being an historian on Negro History, securing an informal interview with King Leopold ll of Belgium[ after having been impressed by meeting the king, he traveled to the Congo Free State to see its development. George was shocked by the widespread brutaul abuses and slavery imposed on the Congolese people! ], and his letter he wrote to King Leopold ll( describing the horrible conditions that he had witnessed that led to the Belgian government taking over the supervision of the Congo Free State, which helped improved the treatment of the Congolese people ). Around 1890, he took ill on a trip from Africa. Although George was able to make it all the way to Blackpool, England, he would not live to see the shores of America again. Sadly, George Washington Williams died in Blackpool, England{ on August 2, 1891 }. In 1975 a tombstone was placed at George’s grave in Blackpool, England, noting him as an "Afro-American historian".Also, “The George Washington Williams Memorial Room” was named in his honor on the first floor of the Ohio State House.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : LINCOLN L BURWELL

When Black Civil Rights Marchers were attacked during the first “March On Selma,” at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, on “Bloody Sunday”( March 7,1965 ), one of the hospitals that the injured were taken to was the “BURWELL INFIRMARY.” One of the things that was special about the Burwell Infirmary was that it was originally owned and operated by a Black doctor named, Lincoln L Burwell[ the original infirmary he had built was the first Black-Owned and Operated hospital in Selma ]. Another thing that stood out about this medical facility is that it was located in a thriving Black middle-class neighborhood{ it was a 14-bed facility staffed by Black doctors and Black nurses }. Reportedly, the Burwell Infirmary started out as The Burwell Drugstore( Dr. Lincoln L Burwell had it built around 1886 and it was the first Black-Owned Drugstore in Selma ). Surprisingly, the story about the Burwell Drugstore has several similarities to the “MILLER-ROY BUILDING” that was built here in Monroe, in 1929. In both cases, Black doctors had the buildings built, both buildings had a doctor’s office, and both buildings had a drugstore. Along with the other similarities, both the Burwell Drugstore/Infirmary and The Miller-Roy Building helped fulfilled the needs within Black Communities! Now, let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! Lincoln L Burwell was born on October 25, 1867, in Marengo County{ part of Alabama’s Black Belt region, located in the west-central region of the state of Alabama }. His parents were Charles and Amanda Burwell. When Lincoln was eight years old, his parents sent him to live with his older brother( Charles Burwell Jr ) in Perry County. His parents and older brother had the make many sacrifices in order for Lincoln to attend school. school. In 1884, he enrolled at the Alabama Baptist Normal and Theological School [ present day Selma University ]. During the summer school-breaks Lincoln worked odd jobs to help pay for his school tuition. Lincoln excelled in school and he ended-up becoming the Valedictorian of the Selma University class of 1886. Around that time, there was a great need for a Colored doctor in Selman. Some of the people from The Alabama Colored Baptist State Convention{ the organization that supported Selma University }, suggested that Lincoln enroll in Leonard Medical School( it was established in Raleigh, North Carolina by Shaw University in 1880 and was the first four-year medical school in the United States, and the school trained more than 400 Black physicians ). Lincoln packed his bags and enrolled there in 1886. Not only did Lincoln become the first person to complete the 4 -year degree program in 3 years, but he also became the first person to earn a double-degree in medicine and literature! When Lincoln returned home to Selma, he opened his medical practice. Around 1890, he had a home built near Selma University[ his home also served as his medical office ]. Around 1893, Lincoln opened the first Black-owned pharmacy in Selma { which was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1897 }. In 1907, Lincoln had another building built( it too was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1913 ). Finally, around 1915, he had another building built! However, in 1922, the Edmundite Missionaries opened the Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Burwell Infirmary no longer was the primary Black hospital in Selma. Lincoln L Burwell died On March 6, 1928 and was buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Selma. The Burwell Infirmary remained in operation until 1966, when the facility became a retirement home[ Burwell’s home on Anderson Street in Selma is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, since 2015, and the National Register of Historic Places, since 2022 ].

OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : RICHARD HENRY BOYD

It is rather odd that so many Black People who consider themselves “BLACK BAPTIST” know about The National Baptist Convention, but aren’t aware of the “Two Separate Splits” of the National Baptist Convention{ one occurring in 1915, and a second in 1961 }. The split in 1915 resulted in the formation and incorporation of “two separate” National Baptist Conventions”( one was incorporated in 1915 as The National Baptist Convention of America, while the other one was incorporated in 1916 as The National Baptist Convention USA,INC. ). While the split in 1961 was largely due to a disagreement over “The Issue Of Civil Rights,” and resulted in Martin Luther King Jr and his allies leaving the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. to form The Progressive National Baptist Convention. The main thing involving the split and controversy in 1915 had to do with “The National Baptist Publishing Board.” Well, it was at the 1895 annual meeting of The National Baptist Convention[ held in St Louis, Missouri ] that a Black gentleman by the name of Richard Henry Boyd approached Elias C Morris{ who was the president of The National Baptist Convention at the time } with the idea of starting a publishing board for the Black Baptist Organization. Mr Elias agreed to support Richard’s idea, but told him that the National Baptist Convention was in no position to fund the project.Therefore, Richard decided he would come up with the money himself! Using real-estate that he owned in Texas for collateral, Richard was able to acquire the necessary funds to begin the project. In 1896, he moved to Nashville,Tennessee, and with the assistance from the White Southern Baptist Convention( which too had its main publishing operations in Nashville ), he was able to get the ball rolling! Initially, the National Baptist Publishing Board was only printing the National Baptist Magazine. Then in 1897, it began publishing the new Teacher's Monthly[ the same year, the publishing board was not only showing a profit, but had distributed more than 180,000 copies of published materials ]. The following year{ probably since he had used his own money to finance the publishing board }, Richard decided to incorporate the National Baptist Publishing Board, under a Tennessee state charter. Under the charter, the Publishing Board was to be owned by Richard Henry Boyd and governed by a regular board of trustees. Wow, who knew that by 1906, the National Baptist Publishing Board would became the principal source of religious publications for Black Baptists worldwide( and be the largest Negro Publishing Company in the United States at the time )! The National Baptist Publishing Board business employed approximately 110 workers[ it also issued more than 128 million periodicals, and is credited with being the first publisher of the old songs of Negro slaves ]. Richard Henry Boyd was born on March 15, 1843 in Noxubee County, Mississippi{ reminder : since he was born into slavery at the B.A. Plantation , as customary in those times, he took the surname of his master, which was Gray }. His mother’s was a Negro female named Indiana Dixon. She had originally named her son, Dick Gray. Rumor had it that one of the three Gray brothers was Richard’s father( his mother never told him which brother ). Several interesting things about Richard were : he didn’t learn how to read and write until he was 22[ he hired a White girl to teach him as well as using the reference books : the Webster’s Blue -Backed Speller, along with McGuffey’s First Reader ], he changed his name to Richard Henry Boyd when he was 24, he was baptized when he was 26, and he was ordained as a minister when he was 28 years old. Also, Richard served as pastor of a host of churches in the state of Texas. To his credit, he helped organize the first Black Baptist Association in Texas{ the Texas Negro Baptist Convention }. Along with founding the National Baptist Publishing Board, Richard Henry Boyd helped found The National Baptist Church Supply Company, The Only Black-Owned Public StreetCar Transit System( The Union Transportation Company in Nashville, Tennessee that resulted from the forgotten street car boycott in 1905-1906), The Nation Negro Doll Company, and most importantly he helped found The First Black-Owned Bank in Nashville, Tennesse[ The One-Cent Savings and Trust Company Bank ; the bank is currently operating as Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company ]. The One-Cent Bank was originally started and expressly intended to serve the financial needs of Negro depositors! Furthermore, the founders believed that White-owned banks looked down on their small deposits. Please Note : Between 1888 and 1934, there were 134 “BLACK-OWNED” Banks to help the “BLACK COMMUNITY.”{ Today, there are only 20 Black-owned banks that qualify as Minority Depository Institutions, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation }.