"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.