"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE": James Edward Shepard

“So our people not only have to be reeducated to the importance of supporting Black businesses, but the Black man himself has to be made aware of the importance of going into business! And once you and I go into business, we own and operate at least the businesses in our community. What we will be doing is developing a situation, wherein, we will actually be able to create employment for the people in the community.” ~ Malcolm X James Edward Shepard was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on November 3, 1875. After graduating from High School , he attended Shaw University( where he received a degree in pharmacy ). In 1896, he opened a pharmacy in Raleigh, North Carolina. Two years later he moved to Washington D.C. to take a position as comparer of deeds in the recorder's office. In 1910, James Edward Shaperd founded “The National Training School and Chautauqua in Durham, North Carolina,”[ he served as the school’s president ]. The school faced many financial challenges and was eventually taken over by the state{ it became the Durham State Normal School in 1923 }. After a fire at the school in 1925, the school became the North Carolina College for Negroes, the first state supported liberal arts college for blacks in the nation. This same school would later become the “HBCU” that is now,” North Carolina Central University.” A list of James Edward Shepherd’s many achievements included being a Grandmaster of the Prince Hall Free Masons of North Carolina, secretary for the Knights of Pythias, President of the North Carolina Colored Teachers Association , and Director of the Mechanics and Farmers Bank. Additionally, he was the only Negro speaker to speak at the World Sunday School Convention held in Rome in 1910. On October 6, 1947, James Edward Shephard died at his home in Durham, North Carolina. In closing, It is so,so sad that most Black Americans born after 1975 have little or no recollection of when Blacks owned and ran just about “ALL” of the Businesses in the Black community[ Note : It has been stated that the “Black Dollar” circulated through the Black community 10-12 times before leaving the Black community ].

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : Frederick McKinley Jones

The next time you open your refrigerator box, you can say thank you to Frederick McKinley Jones. He was born on May 17, 1893 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother was Black and his father was White. His family had many financial problems, which led to Frederick being sent to Kentucky to live with a priest for about two years or so. Next,he decided to go back to Cincinnati. Once he got to Cincinnati, he worked odd jobs here and there. One of his jobs was working as janitor at a shop. Although he held the position as a janitor, Frederick knew himself to be much more than a lowly janitor. The owner of the shop saw his value and made him shop Foreman. Frederick was ambitious, so he decided to leave the shop and secure his engineering license in Minnesota. Soon after getting his engineering license, World War l started, and Frederick had to enlist. Instead of fighting on the front lines, he was called upon to repair the vehicles, radios and other machines.When the war ended, he went to work at the Hallock farm. It was on the Hallock farm that he got to hone his skills at fixing and inventing things. When the town he was living in decided to build a radio station, they called on Frederick to build the transmitter. Also, a local businessman by the name of Joseph A Numero hired Frederick to improve the sound machines for his company. In the1930s, Frederick designed and patented a portable air -cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food. Additionally, he decided to enter a business partnership with Joseph A Numero. They called their company, “The U.S. Thermo Control Company. “ During WWll the U.S. military relied heavily on Frederick’s air-cooling invention and the U.S. Thermo Control Company. Over his career, Frederick McKinley Jones submitted over 60 patents to the U.S. Patent Office. In 1944, he became the first Negro to be elected to the American Society of Refrigeration Engineers. Also, in 1977, he was inducted into the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame. Finally, in 1991 President George HW Bush awarded the National Medal of Technology “Posthumously” to Frederick McKinley Jones and Joseph A Numero( their wives received their awards at a ceremony held in the Whitehouse Rose Gardens ). He was the first Negro to have received this award. On February 21, 1961, he died of lung cancer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In closing, I think that we might need to pay greater attention to our Black Youth who are deciding to dropout of school. Who knows, they might become the next Frederick McKinley Jones?

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : : HARRIET ROBINSON SCOTT

“A People without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture are like a tree without it’s roots” ~ Marcus M Garvey Every year during Black History Month, much is said about Harriet Tubman and how she helped slaves escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Well, while researching, I came across another “Harriet” who many Black People have hardly ever heard of. Interesting enough, this Harriet is actually connected to the landmark Missouri Supreme Court decision that held that The “U.S. Constitution” wasn’t meant to include American citizenship for Negroes( regardless of whether they were free or enslaved ). Therefore, Negroes should not be allotted any of the rights and privileges conferred to in the U.S.Constitution. Although through the years, many Black People have heard about the famous court case{ Dred Scott vs Sandford }, few can tell you that the case not only included Mr. Dred Scott, but also included his wife and their children as well! So what does this Harriet have to do with the case? You guessed it, this Harriet was Dred Scott’s wife. Harriet Robinson Scott was born into slavery in the state of Virginia[ around 1815 ]. She was a house Negro for a White man by the name of Major Lawrence Taliaferro. When he received his orders to go and stay at Ft. Snelling( Ft Snelling was Freedom territory, even though many Blacks lived there as slaves ), she went along with him. Around 1936, Dred Scott and his White slave-owner[ a military surgeon named Dr. John Emerson ], arrived at Ft. Snelling. After Dred met Harriet, he started to develop feelings for her. Harriet’s owner decided to sell her to Dred’s owner, so that Dred & Harriet could marry and be together. The couple was not always required to go with their White Masta’ when he received orders to be stationed at other places. Sometimes, they stayed for months in other places without their White Masta’ even being around. When Dr John Emerson died in 1843, ownership of Dred, Harriet, and their two children was passed down to his White wife, Irene Emerson. The Scott family ended up being hired out to different people in St. Louis, Missouri. While in St. Louis the couple came into contact with a group of people who were working to abolish slavery in St. Louis. They were advised by the group to petition for their freedom. On April 6,1836, they filed separate petitions with the St. Louis circuit court, on the grounds that they had lived much of their lives in Freedom territory. After the court dismissed their first petitions, the couple resubmitted petitions for their freedom. However, this time the court decided to combine their petitions together under the heading,”Dred Scott.” On January 12, 1850, the St. Louis circuit court ruled in favor of their Freedom petition. Soon after the ruling, their owner{ Irene Emerson } got with her brother, John Sandford and appealed the ruling to the Missouri Supreme Court. The Missouri Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the circuit court on the grounds that Negroes had no rights to sue Whites in court, because they were not considered citizens of the United States of America! Irene Emerson ended up selling The Scott family to a White family who supported Freedom for Negro slaves. At last, the family who bought the Scott family went on to set the entire Scott family free on May 26, 1857. 1857. In closing, it was reported that because the “circuit court” in St Louis had actually “ruled in favor” of the Scott’s petition for Freedom, White People in southern{ and some northern } states feared that more courts would grant more Negro slaves their Freedom. Therefore, it can be said that the historic “Scott vs Sandford” court case was one of “the sparks” that helped start the American Civil War!

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : LAWYER JAMES SHARP JR

This week’s article is about a local Black man from the town of Richwood, Louisiana. Not only did he graduate from Richwood High School rand Southern University, but he was also a U.S. Veteran of WWll. After returning home to Monroe, Louisiana from Law School and the war, he opened up his Law Practice in April of 1952[ making him the first Black lawyer to open up a practice in Monroe ]. Three years later he married a local teacher by the name of Barbara L Wilson. Who knew that this union would later produce 2 lawyers( Carl Sharp & Alvin Sharp ; who both would serve as Ouachita Parish Judges ) and an actor{ George”Monti” Sharp }. This man was Lawyer James Sharp Jr. Being that Lawyer Sharp was one of the few Black lawyers in Monroe at the time[ and because people knew they could count on him to do his best to defend them ], he was often called on to help defend numerous Blacks in Ouachita Parish. One of his most memorable cases was “The Sharp vs Lucky court case”( James Sharp Jr. vs Mrs. Mae LUCKY, Registrar of Voters, Ouachita Parish United States District Court ) that took place in 1958. In addition to being connected to attempts by Whites to keep Blacks from registering to vote, the case was also connected to the “GREAT VOTER PURGE” which started around that time in Ouachita Parish. Originally, Lawyer Sharp’s lawsuit was only on behalf of himself{ stating that his rights as a lawyer had been violated }, but the case was dismissed due to causes of jurisdiction[ Lawyer Sharp countered by appealing the ruling ]. However, in his appeal, Lawyer Sharp was Sharp! He amended his lawsuit to read that this time he wasn’t filing his suit as a lawyer, but as a Negro citizen whose civil rights had been violated. By doing so, two of the judges not only allowed his suit to go forward, they advised Lawyer Sharp that if he wanted to, he could amend the lawsuit even further( so as to include other Negroes with similar lawsuits ) as a “CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.” On the surface , the judges made it seem like they were trying to be impartial. Sadly, they had no intentions of being fair or ruling in favor of a Negro citizen against a White citizen{ again they dismissed his lawsuit on the grounds that Mrs Lucky and her White assistant wouldn’t lie in court }. Although both of his lawsuits were dismissed, Lawyer Sharp helped bring “National Attention” to how Black People in Monroe were being discriminated against in regards to voting. Before he died, the Louisiana Bar Association thanked Lawyer Sharp for dedicating his life to serving the public[ over 50 long years ]. Also, along with having The Monroe City Court Building named in his honor, a commissioned portrait of James Sharp Jr hangs inside of the Monroe City Courthouse Building. In closing, I would like to share this information with the Black citizens of Monroe. In case y’all didn’t know, I found out earlier this year that a new “VOTER PURGE” has begun in Ouachita Parish. If you didn’t vote in the last three elections, please contact the Registrar of Voter office and inquire if your name is on the list of “INACTIVE VOTERS.”

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : MORDECAI WYATT JOHNSON

In 1991, Michael Jackson had a hit song called “Black or White.” It went something like this, “Now, I believe in miracles, and a miracle has happened tonight, Hee! - but, if you’re thinking about my baby, It don’t matter if you’re Black or White! Regretfully, in America, it does “STILL” seem to matter if you’re Black or White. It matters so much that a rule was used to determine whether people were considered White or another race. Although the “One Drop Blood Rule” wasn’t codified as law until the 20th century, it was used in 1926 when Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was installed as President of Howard University on June 26, 1926[ Note : Howard University is known as “The Black Harvard” of HBCUs ]. Even in 2022, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson remains one of the most “overlooked” Negro Leaders of The 20th Century. He was born on January 4, 1890 in Paris, Tennessee, to the Reverend Wyatt and Carolyn Freeman Johnson{ both of his parents were former slaves }. After his mother’s death, he decided that he would become a preacher. Later, he earned his BA from Atlanta Baptist College—now Morehouse College. Not long after his arrival at Atlanta Baptist College,there was a Race-riot. Clearly,he didn’t participate in the horrible Atlanta “1906 Race-riot,” but he never was able to forget the violence and turmoil that he witnessed! He later went on to form a strong bond with the President of Atlanta Baptist College, John Hope. When he graduated, the President offered him a teaching job at the University. Furthermore,he is best known for becoming the first Negro President of Howard University, and for having served in the position as President the longest( he served as President of Howard University from 1926 - 1960 ). Although, he was an Educator, he was also a Baptist Preacher. In 1917, he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia.Also, he was considered to be one of the three leading African-American preachers of the early 20th-century, along with Vernon Johns and Howard Thurman. Going by appearance and skin color alone, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson could easily “PASS”[ many Negroes of light skin complexion actually passed themselves off as being white, lived in White neighborhoods, and lived as Whites lived ] as being a member of the White race. However, due to the “Blood Rule,” he was considered a Negro. It is confusing{ almost disturbing } to me how a man who looked White, but was considered Black could be so overlooked in the teaching of American history in our public schools. Especially since Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was President of Howard University for more than “30 years!” Additionally, he ranked high amongst the Baptist clergy of his day. Remember, we’re not talking about your “Average Leroy” on the streets of Monroe, Louisiana. We’re talking about a Negro who actually met, talked to, and collaborated with most of the major National Black Leaders of the 20th Century such as Martin L King Jr , Thurgood Marshall , Dr Ralph Bunch,Andrew Young, Jessie Jackson, and many, many others! During his tenure as President, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson kept copious notes and documentation known as his”Presidential Papers.” Many of them are still not available to the public. Hopefully, as they are made known. We will gain a better understanding of how he was able to lead Howard University through those turbulent times, and maybe learn why his story was left out of the American history books in our public schools. On September 6, 1973,”The Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Administration Building” was dedicated in his honor. He died on September 10, 1976.

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : BEVERLY LORRAINE GREENE

What were the odds of a Black “Bi-racial” female who was raised on Chicago’s predominately Black Southside[ known as the “Black Ghetto ], becoming the first Negro female licensed Architect In America, in 1936? Well, Beverly Lorraine Greene had A Dream. She was born on October 4, 1915, to James A. and Vera Greene. Their family was part of the “Great Migration “ that helped transform the city of Chicago. When she completed high school, she enrolled at the racially integrated University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign(UIUC). While there she pledged with the “Delta Sigma Theta” sorority, one of the most popular national sororities for Black women. In 1936, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering[ she was the first Negro female to earn this degree from this university ]. As a matter of fact, she was the only Black to graduate that year with a degree in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The next year she earned her Master’s degree in city planning and housing. After graduation, she returned to Chicago and was hired by the Chicago Housing Authority. Also, Beverly Lorraine Greene ended up working for the first architectural office headed by a Negro{ in downtown Chicago }. On December 28, 1942, Beverly L Greene “made history” by becoming the first licensed Negro female Architect in America! In 1945, after learning about a big housing development project forming in New York , she decided to move to New York City . She applied for and got the position to work on the project, but she would only work there for about 2 and 1/2 days( because she landed a scholarship into a master’s degree program in Architecture at Columbia University ). Once she received her master’s degree from Columbia University, she was hired by the Isadore Rosenfield firm. During her career, Beverly Lorraine Greene made strong alliances with leading Black architects[ they would prove to be valuable in helping her land,begin,and finish many of her projects ]. Additionally, Beverly Lorraine Greene was successful in making an impact Internationally in Paris, France. Before her death, she helped Architect Marcel Breuer design The UNESCO{ United Nations headquarters } building in Paris ,which was completed in 1958. Sadly,she did not live to see several of her final development projects come through to fruition. However, through all her development projects( including the ones she helped others put together ), she left behind an “amazing legacy” for the whole world to see! On August 22, 1957, Beverly Lorraine Greene past away in New York City, New York{ her funeral was held at the Unity Funeral Home in Manhattan,New York }, a structure she helped design. She was only “41 years old.” In closing, I would like to share a question that “Speaks Volumes!” It reads,”Can you Imagine if schools actually helped kids identify their strengths, by exploring their talents from a young age, and growing their skills over the 12 years of school, instead of letting them all follow the same routine and leaving them confused in life after( at ) Graduation ?”

“OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE” : JOHN MERRICK

John Merrick was born into slavery on September 7, 1859( in Clinton, North Carolina ). His parents were so poor, that he had  to start working at an early age, in order to help support his parents and siblings. It was during the Reconstruction period that John Merrick was able to learn how to read and write at a local Reconstruction school. As he grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina , he learned the brick mason trade[  and during the construction lulls , he practiced and learned the barber trade as well ]. When John Merrick moved from Raleigh to Durham, North Carolina, he got a job as a barber working for a man by the name of John Wright. He and Mr Wright later  became business  partners, and when   Mr Wright  retired, he became sole owner of the barber shop. If John Merrick would have stopped at only being a barbershop owner, he still would have been considered successful. However, he did not stop there! He went on to establish several other businesses in Durham, North Carolina. Some of his numerous businesses included The North Carolina Mutual Company, the Merrick-Moore-Spaulding Real Estate Company, several Barbershops, The Mechanics and Farmers Bank, and The Bull City Drug Company that he founded with his two Negro partners Charles C Spaulding Sr and Dr Aaron Moore. When the famous educator Booker T Washington toured Durham, North Carolina in 1910, he made special mention of John Merrick and his contributions to the city of Durham. Furthermore, on November 2, 2019, John Merrick was recognized alongside Charles C Spaulding Sr and Richard Fitzgerald as main honouree's  by the Sesquicentennial Honors Commission at the Durham 150 Closing Ceremony in Durham, North Carolina. John Merrick died in 1919, and He was buried in Sumter, South Carolina. In closing, I would like to ask the question that Booker T Washington asked about the poorest Black people of Durham, North Carolina{ except, I would like to ask it about the poorest Black citizens of Monroe, Louisiana }. The question is this : What are the poorest Black people in Monroe doing and how are the poorest Black people in Monroe living? Booker T Washington went on to say that it is upon the “CONDUCT” of this “CLASS” of Blacks that the “real estimate”  of our race is generally formed.