"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" C.S. GUNDY and MRS. JESSIE W. GUNDY

"When We Choose Community over Chaos, We recognize the disparities that exist for Black People in America, not only with respect to COVID-19, but in healthcare as a whole." - Marcus Goodloe, PHD A racial divide at in America, a foreign war with mounting American casualties, an economic disparity expanding across the nation like a raging wildfire—from inner city streets to Native American reservations, the sweltering backroads of the American South, and the Appalachian trails of the Northeast, "all amidst a political divide offering little hope for a triumphant future." Undoubtedly, many people who read the statements above can't help but think that I'm describing conditions in America, in 2025! However, the statements were actually made by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967, the same year he wrote his last book,"Where Do We Go From Here : Chaos or Community?" Well, the thing that's really shocking is that even though it has been more than 55 years since Rev. King first talked about the conditions above, "America and Black People are still dealing with these same things in 2025!" Also, I would like to add that on YouTube, there's a very short interesting Martin Luther King Jr. video called, "We're Coming to Get Our Check," where Rev. King expounds about some of the other things that were going on right before he was assassinated in 1968 ; things that are still going on in America today. Since there's not enough time to talk about it all, let's move on to this week's Black Pioneers! Although, I didn't find much information on C.S. Gundy and his wife, Mrs. Jessie W. Gundy, there was information that connected both of them to the Simms and Gundy Funeral Homes that were in Tallulah, Rayville, and Monroe, Louisiana. Also, both were connected to the People's Progressive Burial Insurance Company that operated in conjunction with their funeral homes. While C.S. Gundy was listed as Vice-President, Mrs. Jessie W. Gundy was listed as being the Treasurer as well as the Secretary. Through their funeral and burial operations, they were able to service many areas of Northeast Louisiana for almost 75 years! Since it was a family business, there were several other family members who were involved in the day to day operations. One of their daughters, Marion G. Hill, was the main contact person for the Rayville Funeral Home location, and their other daughter, Dorothy Bell-Gundy Washington, served on the Board of Directors. They also had a son by the name of William Sills Gundy, who serve as Funeral Director at the Tallulah Funeral Home location, before he was shot to death by police, in Tallulah, Louisiana, on March 27, 1958. Additionally, their grandson, Dwayne J. Hill, the son of Willie Lee Hill and Marion Gundy Hill, served as a mortician in the family business, before he was sentenced to serve life at the Angola State Penitentiary on March 16, 1991. In closing, I too would like to ask the question that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked before he died, which was, "Where Do We Go From Here?"