"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" . ATTORNEY JOHNNIE A. JONES

Strangely, as I was researching U.S. Senator Russell Long, I came across an article that mentioned the term,"SEGREGATED ACADEMY." Come to find out that after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Landmark Civil Rights Case,"Brown versus The Board of Education in 1954," a bunch of the White Parents in Louisiana, and other states in the South decided to withdraw their children from public schools and start their own private schools. As a matter of fact, "many of the Southern States actually went as far as to defund many public schools!" By the way, the Era of the Segregated Academy in the South, where only White Children were allowed to attend certain private schools, and Black Children couldn't, was said to have started in 1954 and ended in 1976 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it's decision in a "LESSER KNOWN" Landmark Civil Rights Case,"Ruyon versus McCrary" that declared private schools for "WHITE ONLY" as unconstitutional. Although the ruling brought an abrupt end to the SEGREGATED ACADEMY SCHOOLS, "AS THEY HAD EXISTED FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS," White Parents and White officials at the private schools came up with new policies and higher tuition fees to dissuade Black Parents from even thinking about enrolling their children into their private schools! Well, I don't know about everyone else, but this new information about the former "SEGREGATED ACADEMY ERA" has certainly got me thinking more and more about Governor Jeff Landry's NEW LOUISIANA GATOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM that he signed into law "ON NATIONAL JUNETEENTH DAY, JUNE 19, 2024," which allows public funds to be used to pay for private education fees, and goes into effect this year. So much for that, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer! Johnnie A. Jones was born on November 30, 1919, in Laurel Hill, Louisiana. According to records, Johnnie attended elementary school in the West Feliciana Parish School System. From there, he enrolled in what is now known as Southern Lab High School. During World War ll, Johnnie enlisted in the U.S. Military, where he received an injury to his neck. Upon being honorably discharged from the military, a strange incident occurred on his way to New Orleans, Louisiana to have surgery. During a traffic stop, for some unknown reason Johnnie was attacked and beaten by a Caucasian Louisiana Sheriff. A strange thing indeed, considering he had just been injured defending his country! Never-the-less, after he recovered from surgery, Johnnie enrolled in Southern University, where he went on to earn his Law Degree in 1953. By the way, it has been said that being at the right place at the right time and knowing the right people can play a big part in one's success, which it did for Johnnie. By him being in Baton Rouge, knowing Rev. T.J. Jemison, and having just earned his law degree from Southern University, he was hired on to represent the Black People who were arrested during the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott in 1953. Well, some of the other interesting things about Johnnie included; In 2019, becoming a member of the "National Black Centenarian Club", all of whom were over the age of 100 ; In 2013, when he was one of the oldest Attorneys to practice Law in America, at the age of 93 ; From 1968 - 1972 when he served as the Assistant Parish Attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish ; and in 1972 when he was elected to The Louisiana State House of Representatives for East Baton Rouge Parish, just to name a few! Lastly, a year before his demise, Johnnie finally received his Purple Heart Medal, some 77 years after he was injured by shrapnel during "Operation Overlord," the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach in World War ll. On April 23, 2022, after years of dedicated service as an Attorney, Louisiana State Representative, and service in the U.S. Military, Johnny Anderson Jones passed away peaceably at a veteran's home in Jackson, Louisiana, at the age of 102.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" . REV. AVERY C. ALEXANDER, New Orleans Civil Rights Icon

Well, well, well, whata' you know? According to an Associated Press article from November 16, 1960, it was reported that "U.S. Senator Russell Long of Louisiana" actually urged the State Legislature to "consider abandoning the public school system and turning to private schools to maintain segregation in Louisiana." . So why am I bringing this up when it has been "MORE THAN 60 YEARS" since the article ran? Could it have to do with the recent "Neville Charter School Proposal by the Neville Charter Association that has now been denied twice?" Maybe even about the "Louisiana Gator Scholarship Program to give public funds to private schools" that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed into law on "JUNETEENTH DAY" of last year? As a matter of fact, after reading what Senator Long said, I could not help but see that the La. Gator Program and the Neville Charter School Proposal are very similar measures to what Senator Long was urging the State Legislature to do "OVER 60 YEARS AGO,"which was to ABANDON THE LOUISIANA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TURN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO MAINTAIN SEGREGATION IN LOUISIANA SCHOOLS! WOW, it's disheartening to know that after all these years, there are still people in Monroe and in the Louisiana State Congress who feel as Senator Russell Long did way back in 1960, during the days of the Civil Rights Movement when Black children went through hell and back," just to be allowed the right to attend an All-White school in Louisiana!" Now that I got that out my head, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer. Avery C. Alexander was born on June 29, 1910, in Louisiana's Terrebonne Parish. Our story begins with Avery graduating from Union Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans Louisiana. Not long thereafter, in 1944, Avery was ordained as a Baptist minister. Also, his status as a minister helped keep him from being drafted into the World War ll, which gave him the perfect opportunity to join the NAACP Organization. Pretty soon Avery was participating in Civil Rights Marches & Sit-ins with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Abraham Lincoln Davis. By the way, Avery was arrested several times for holding public sit-in demonstrations in New Orleans. His most publicized arrest occurred in 1963 when he and Rev. Abraham Lincoln Davis organized a lunch-counter sit-in down in the basement of New Orleans City Hall. Not only was the arrest caught on film, but there was a picture of the two White police officers dragging Avery off to jail, with both legs spread apart, by the heels of his feet! Also, Avery wasn't shy about speaking his mind. On one occasion, he spoke up and told Black People in New Orleans to boycott WHITE store owners located within the commercial zone on Dryades Street, because they wouldn't hire Blacks to work at their stores. Finally, a few of his accomplishments included : getting elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1975 ; helping register hundreds of New Voters in New Orleans through Vote Registration Drives ; his protest against former Klu Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke in 1993 at the Battle of Liberty Place Monument Ceremony in New Orleans ; and he was one of the founders of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. When Avery C. Alexander passed away on March 5, 1999, the Black Citizens of Louisiana as well as the State of Louisiana, lost another one of our Civil Rights Icons. Three things of notice were done to honor his memory : 1. McDonogh #39 School on Saint Roch Avenue in New Orleans was renamed after him in 1999 ; 2. The Charity Hospital in New Orleans is now "The Avery C. Alexander Memorial Hospital" ; 3. A statue of him now sits in front of the remodeled University Medical Center at Galvez and Canal Streets in New Orleans. .

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" REV. M. M. FLYNN

It's fascinating how every week I'm able to find a different "FORGOTTEN BLACK PIONEER!" Sometimes while I'm researching a totally different subject, I get drawn to an event, post, or person that leads me to someone new, just as it was this week. As I was reading a post on Facebook, I was drawn to a comment that mentioned the name of a forgotten Negro Preacher named ,"REV. M. M. FLYNN." Moments after googling his name, I knew that I had found this week's Black Pioneer! Once again, this was my very first time ever, ever hearing about him or his remarkable achievements in the State of Louisiana. Our story begins when Milton McElroy Sr. was born in Northwestern Louisiana on Christmas Day, in 1900. Although I didn't find any records of his early childhood and schooling, it was reported that by the age of 22, Milton had taken a bride and the couple had welcomed their first child, Milton McElroy Jr., into the world. Also, by the age of 31, he had officially become a Baptist Preacher. A few of the churches in Louisiana that he pastored included : Rocky Valley Baptist Church, in Grambling, La. ; Greenwood Acres Baptist Church, in Shreveport, La. ; Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, in Keithville, La. ; and Ebenezer Baptist Church, in Homer. While Rev. M.M. Flynn held down the duties of pastor, he was also elected as President of the Shreveport Chapter of the NAACP. Well, on March 22, 1938, Rev. M.M. Flynn had called for a NAACP Meeting to be held at "The Little Union Baptist Church in Shreveport," to inform Negroes about their rights as American Citizens.The guest speaker was William Pickens, a National Acclaimed Negro and a Field Secretary for the NAACP. In case you were wondering,"Little Union Baptist Church" just so happened to be the same Baptist Church in Shreveport that a "different NAACP official called a different NAACP Meeting some 25 years later," where a Civil Rights Icon, by the name of Rev. Harry Blakes, was severely beaten by White Shreveport Police! However, unlike the meeting in 1963, where Rev, Harry Blakes was attacked, Black People in Shreveport found out about the White Sheriff's scheme to lynch William Pickens, and William was able to escape from the church unharmed! By the way, during W.W.ll, when Rev. M.M. Flynn was pastor of Rocky Valley Baptist Church in Grambling, Louisiana, he and his church congregation appeared in a scene of a government-sponsored film called,"Food For Victory!" Out of thousands of rural Southern Churches in the South, Rocky Valley was the church selected, "and you could bet that the Black People in Grambling, Louisiana were sho' nuff proud of themselves about that!" A few other interesting things about Rev. M.M. Flynn included that he and his wife Beatrice donated food from their home garden, known as "Victory Gardens," to the Allied Military Troops, during World War ll. Also, the couple operated a Book & Bible Store in Shreveport that was located on Looney Street. In 1940, by the time that the Louisiana State Baptist Convention convened In Shreveport, La., Rev. M.M. Flynn had also become the business manager of a local Negro Newspaper called,"The Announcer." In the early 1970s, he and a group of other Black Men ran for offices on the Caddo Parish Police Jury. Rev. M.M. Flynn ran on the theme "You Can Depend On Flynn!" When the Negro Candidates C.M. Lester, Hersey D. Wilson, Rev. Edward Jones, and Rev. M.M. Flynn were officially seated," they were the first Blacks to hold seats on the Caddo Parish Police Jury, since the period in America that was known as Reconstruction!" On January 5, 1985, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, a widely respected Preacher, former President of the Shreveport Chapter of the NAACP, and former Caddo Parish Police Juror passed away in Seattle Washington.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE'" . ORETHA CASTLE HALEY, President of The New Orleans Chapter of C.O.R.E., From 1961 - 1964

"Everything You Are and Possess Today, Whether Good or Bad, Will Pass Down To Those Who Come After You" - Paul J. Meyer Never would I have thought that my accepting to help a friend with an out of town assignment that I would learn that Morris Henry Carroll, the former principal of Carroll High School in Monroe, Louisiana, was one of "THE FIRST BLACK REAL-ESTATE MOGULS" in Monroe, Louisiana!!! Well, when we recently traveled to the Town of Tallulah, Louisiana, we met a former resident of Monroe by the name of Albertine Collins Johnson, who was one of "THE FIRST BLACK" Librarians in Monroe. As a matter of fact, she was trained by non-other-than Mrs. O. Richardson McDonald! Well, Albertine was able to confirm that Henry Carroll once owned a bunch of properties throughout Monroe. As a matter of fact, Albertine said that many of the teachers who taught at Carroll High School rented from Henry Carroll when he was the principal. By the way, the name of Henry Carroll 's Real-Estate Company was,"Better Home Realty Company," and it was located at 3010 Renwick Street, just up the road from Carroll High School, near the old Popeyes Chicken joint and King of Wings. Once again, this is something that I am just now learning.You would think that news as big as this would be taught at Carroll High and Carroll Jr. High Schools, but it isn't! Furthermore, as the older generations of Blacks in the City of Monroe die off, who is going to continue to inform Black People in Monroe about "OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE?" If you know me, you know that I could go on and on about this, but it's time for me to inform everyone about this week's Black Pioneer. Oretha Castle Haley was born on July 22, 1939 in Oakland, Tennessee. Sometime before her 8th birthday, her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1958, Oretha graduated from Joseph S. Clark High School. From there, Oretha enrolled at Southern University of New Orleans. However, during her Junior year, she and a few of her friends decided to participate in the Civil Rights Movement as well as form The New Orleans Chapter of The C.O.R.E. Organization. As President of the New Orleans Chapter of C.O.R.E., Oretha led local boycotts in New Orleans, and setup sit-ins that led to the integration of lunch counters throughout the city. In 1963, John Reddix, a Black Man who was the local President of the Monroe Chapter of The NAACP requested that C.O.R.E., Congress of Racial Equality, send members to Monroe, Louisiana, to help with "A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE." In 1964, Oretha was sent as a representative from the New Orleans Chapter of C.O.R.E. that she had helped organize. Upon her arrival to Monroe, Oretha served as a Field Secretary for the group. Additionally, the local C.O.R.E. office in Monroe that Oretha worked out of was located at 103 North 10th Street. Strangely, when The Monroe Chapter of C.O.R.E. closed, all of the records were boxed up and sent to the University of Wisconsin. Not too long after President Lydon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964, the New Orleans Chapter of C.O.R.E. ended up closing and Oretha decided to return to Southern University of New Orleans to complete the requirements for acquiring her degree. Between 1965 and 1967, Oretha earned her college degree and married nationally known "Civil Rights Activist and C.O.R.E. Attorney Richard Haley." Along with her accomplishment in helping raise their four boys, Oretha was instrumental in the accomplishment of several things in the City of New Orleans. First, she helped establish the New Orleans Chapter of the Sickle Cell Foundation ; Secondly, she helped stop the the city officials in New Orleans from building a bridge that would have displaced over 3,500 citizens, mainly Black residents ; Thirdly, she successfully took on the New Orleans Recreation Department to integrate the public parks system ; and Lastly, she headed and led the election campaign of Dorothy Mae Taylor, "Louisiana's First black female legislator!" Sadly, on October 10,1987, after years of fighting for Civil Rights for her people, and then having to fight cancer as well, Oretha Castle Haley passed away at the tender age of 48. To honor her memory, City officials in New Orleans renamed the blocks of Dryades St. between Howard and St. Philip, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, and two years ago, her home in Orleans Parish was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" . ABRAHAM "Jack" HENDERSON JR.

As some of our Black Youth in Monroe, Louisiana are celebrating the recent High School Basketball Championships of local High Schools in Monroe, I stumbled across information about a "NOW "DEFUNCT SEGREGATED" government program that was setup for "Young Black Men and other Non-White Young Men in Louisiana" that was known as the "Bayou Boys State Program." Surprisingly, this is the very first time that I have ever heard about this old government program! The main reason that I was so surprised is because it was held on "the campus of Southern University in Baton Rouge Louisiana." The program began in 1949, almost 10 years after the government youth program that was setup for "White's Only," which was known as the Pelican State Boys Program. As far as I can tell, the two youth programs were setup to provide young men with an environment where they could learn about the Louisiana political system as well as political processes. The groups even held an election for the position of Governor for each program.The programs sort of reminds me of another program that was established by The National Baptist Association for Black Youth in the 1980s and 1990s, which was also held on the campus of Southern University. It was known as the "Louisiana Baptist Youth Encampment," and it was always well attended by thousands of mostly Black Youth from all over Louisiana and other states. Well, after integration made it's way through Louisiana in 1970, the Bayou Boys State Program merged with the Pelican State Boys Program to form what is now known as the Louisiana Boys State Program. When the two programs merged, there were hopes that the color of people faces would no longer be the determining factor in Louisiana Government Election Races. I hope everyone enjoyed this interesting piece of information, now on to this week's Black Pioneer! Abraham Henderson Jr. was born on June 18, 1947, in West Monroe, Louisiana. Abraham was reared in the Trenton area of West Monroe, and he was a long-time member of Trenton Baptist Church. In 1965, he graduated from Richardson High School in West Monroe. Later he enrolled at Grambling State University, but eventually enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Abraham's tour of duty in the Navy expanded some 27 years. A short list of his accomplishments included : Earning his College B.S. Degree from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe ; His service in the Vietnam War ; His Distinction as being the First Black Navy Recruiter in Monroe ; and when he was initiated as a Master Mason on December 20, 1972 into the Trenton Lodge #195 Free Masons, Prince Hall Affiliation of West Monroe, Louisiana. Sadly, on Wednesday January 15, 2020, after decades of rendering honorable service to his country and his community, Abraham Henderson Jr. passed on to glory.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" ATTORNEY LOUIS BERRY

Recently, I came across a legal term known as,"Racial Polarization." Although you don't really hear the term used that much anymore, the term actually goes all the way back to the 1860s! It seems that the term started soon after the American Civil War, before the passage of the 15th Amendment. Not only that, but the term was also connected to what was known as, "Racial Polarized Voting." You see, Racial Polarized Voting played a big part in the passage and ratification of the 15th Amendment. Additionally, the term was widely used here in Monroe, Louisiana, during the 1970s when several Upstanding Black Men were trying to win election to public offices. Racial Polarization came up in the election for Commissioner of Streets, when Richard O. Miles ran for election in 1972, and again when Rev. John L. Russell ran for Commissioner of Finance, in 1972. By the way, the term was still being tossed around in 1976 when former Carroll High School Principal Morris Henry Carroll ran for Commissioner of Public Works. Finally, Racial Polarization and Racial Polarized Voting was referred to in the Famous Class Action Lawsuit,"Ausberry versus the City of Monroe," on behalf of the Black Citizens of Monroe that occurred in the 1970s. After reading the lawsuit online, I have to admit that some of the accusations mentioned backed then, are still going on in Louisiana today, in 2025! With that said, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Louis Berry was born October 9, 1914, in Alexandria Louisiana. He was the son of Frank Berry Sr., a tailor and grocer in Alexandria. In 1941, Louis graduated from Howard University's School of Law. By the way, it May interest you to know that on August 1, 1945, "Louis was the first Negro admitted to practice Law in the State of Louisiana for almost 20 years!" Up until then, a Negro by the name of A.P. Tureaud was the last Black person to be admitted to practice Law in Louisiana, back in 1927. A turning point in Louis's career came in 1947, when Southern University opened it's new Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Louis was elated when he was chosen to serve on the faculty at Southern University! However, a few years later, he decided to return to Alexandria to practice Law there. According to reports, when Louis made it back to Alexandria, he became the first and only Negro Lawyer in Alexandria at that time. Along with being a lawyer, Louis was also a Civil Rights Activist. He worked side by side with most of the BLACK ministers in Alexandria. to help register Negroes to vote! A local Alexandria newspaper credited Louis and his activism for helping improve the living conditions and voting turnouts in the Black Communities of Alexandria. Near the end of his life, Louis was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame, located in Winnfield, Louisiana. Finally, on May 3, 1998, Louis Berry, a Champion for Justice and Equality for Black People, passed away in Lafayette, Louisiana. I a line saying, 'You've been informed...." Is that part of your column? Once I open the email, it disappears. If that is something that needs to be added, please resend. Thank You! Shalivia Monroe Free Press 507 N. 17 St. | Monroe, LA 71201 T(318) 388-1310 F(318) 388-2911 www.monroefreepress.com Show quoted text

"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?"