"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MARY "MAME" STEWART JOSENBERGER

"Oh Susanna, don't you cry for me ; for I come from Louisiana where the Louisiana Legislators and Government Politicians are unscrupulous as can be!" Well, I don't know about the rest of the people in Louisiana, but for me, it's pretty discouraging to find out that Governor Jeff Landry's "New Budget Proposal" includes such disturbing amounts of funding for prison systems and state police in Louisiana, while slashing funding for education and teacher's salaries as well as turning his nose up at medicaid recipients.Sadly, this reminds me of the story I heard about how the politicians got people to go along with the "Income Tax System" in America. According to the story, the politicians got the masses to go along with the new income tax proposal by telling them that the new income tax was only going to be levied on the "WEALTHIEST AMERICANS." However, people found our later that they were told and sold a half-truth! You see, the part about the "WEALTHIEST AMERICANS" being the only ones taxed was just for the first 2-3 years of the plan. Around years 3 & 4, the rest of the masses would also have to pay the new income taxes too! Hey, don't feel bad if you can't make the connection between the income tax story and Governor Jeff Landry 's budget proposal. Believe it or not, it took a few days for me to make the connection myself.Those Louisiana Legislators and Government Politicians are something-else, aren't they? Oh well, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer. Mary "Mame" Stewart Josenberger was born on August 3, 1868 to Frank and Mary Stewart, in Oswego, New York. Before moving to attend Fisk University in Tennessee, Mary attended the Owego Free Academy in New York. At Fisk University, one of her fellow classmates was W.E.B. Dubois. In 1888, Mary graduated from Fisk University, earning a BA degree in education. A few of her early teaching jobs included teaching at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the State Norman School for Negroes in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and teaching at the Howard School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mary was also known as a shrewd business woman. After her husband, William R. Josenberger died in 1909, she took on the duties of running their family businesses consisting of a funeral home, an event/entertainment hall, a burial insurance company, and rental property in the Taborian Heights area of Little Rock, Arkansas. Also. Mary was involved in several community organizations. She was involved in the NAACP, the Colored Knights of Pythias, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Arkansas Association of Colored Women. Additionally, she served as president of the organization she co-founded in 1898, "The Phillis Wheatley Federated Club," for a whopping 56 years!!! After living over 90 years and achieving many great things, Mary "Mame" Stewart Josenberger died on September 29, 1964. In closing, I would like to say that Mary's life is a testament of what a determined Black woman can accomplish over a lifetime.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : NORMAN C. FRANCIS

On the heels of thousands of Black People in Monroe, Louisiana celebrating "JUNETEENTH DAY," a senior reporter for the Louisiana Illuminator by the name of Julie O'Donoghue, which is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization, published an article online detailing "SIX NEW IMPORTANT LOUISIANA LAWS" that will give Governor Jeff Landry "MORE POWER' THAN THE LAW SHOULD ALLOW!" The New Louisiana Laws are expected to be signed by Governor Jeff Landry within the next 3 weeks, and many say that this is the official end of government transparency in Baton Rouge! By the way, I'm not 100% sure, but it seems to me that Governor Jeff Landry wants to be known as Louisiana's "NEW KINGFISH!" Well, most people in Louisiana have forgotten about the "Old Kingfish, Huey P. Long." It was said that even after Huey went from being the Governor of Louisiana to being Senator, it still seemed like he was calling all the shots in Baton Rouge. Yes, I can definitely see a Huey P. Long pattern setting in. Especially when you examine some of the things that Governor Jeff Landry has done thus far. Without A doubt, you can't help but notice that he's been studying the "Huey P. Long Playbook!" Que sera sera, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Norman C. Francis was born on March 20, 1931 in Lafayette, Louisiana. As far as formal schooling goes, he attended Catholic schools in Lafayette. In 1948, Norman graduated from Saint Paul High School. After graduating, he found out that one of his teachers at Saint Paul had procured a work scholarship for him to attend Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. One of the highlights of his senior year of college was when he was chosen as president of the entire student body! In 1952, the same year he graduated from Xavier University and earned his B.S. degree, he was able to enroll at Loyola University, making him the first Black person to attend this prestigious University! This time around, Norman decided he wanted to earn a law degree, so he applied and was accepted into the Loyola University Law School. Also in 1955 when Norman received his Law degree from Loyola, he was the first Black person to receive a Law degree from Loyola University. After one year of practicing law, Norman realize that law was not his calling. In 1957, he was approached by "The Sisters of The Blessed Sacrament," the religious order that ran Xavier University, an offered the post of "Dean of Men," which he gladly accepted...and the rest, as they say, is history! Additionally, Norman played an instrumental role in getting Xavier University to house the Civil Rights group of "Freedom Riders," back in 1961. As this article goes to publishing, Norman C. Francis is 93 years old!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : LEONA TATE

We know today that there are flaws, so why can't we correct the flaws before we adopt the new policy?”- Louis Voiron Jr., Iberville Parish Schools Superintendent Although many Black People in Monroe, Louisiana have long forgotten about it, I still remember when the Monroe City School System raised the graduation credits requirement for high school seniors from 20 units, for the seniors who graduated in 1982, to "22 UNITS" for the seniors who "graduated in 1983." While some people would say that two additional credits shouldn't have made a big difference, the new requirement helped changed the course of many lives in Monroe! Sadly, a lot of students were not able to receive their diploma that year, and some even had to attend summer school, while others had to endure an additional year of high school, back in 1983. Plus, to add insult to injury, the reasons for the new requirement wasn't even explained to the students. It was just,"You're going to have to earn two extra credits and that's that!" Well now, fast forward to June 2024. Within the past two weeks, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley and members of the state board of education have gotten the go ahead to do an over-haul of the rating and grading system for the schools in Louisiana. State Superintendent Cade Brumley has been pushing this agenda since 2022, even though school district leaders and several district school boards vehemently oppose the revamp! Although several district school superintendents asked Brumley to postpone the new changes, he refused to do so. To me, it's quite disturbing that students in Monroe have to keep going through such drastic changes, like we did back in 1983, all because some of the leaders over the Education System in Louisiana want to play games with their lives and their future!!! Anyways, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Leona Tate was born and raised in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana lower ninth Ward. Although most Black People in Louisiana have heard about Ruby Bridges integrating an ALL-WHITE school in New Orleans, few know that Leona Tate and two other Black girls helped integrate the McDonough 19 Elementary School in New Orleans, in the very same year as Ruby Bridges. They were known nationally as the "McDonough Three." Later on, Leona and the other two Black girls also helped desegregate another formerly ALL-WHITE school in New Orleans, which was known as T.J. Semmes. Interestingly enough, Leona Tate and her partners purchased the old McDonough 19 building in New Orleans, and since have reopened it as the "Tate, Etienne, and Precost Center!" The center's Gande Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held on May 4, 2022, at 5909 St Claude Ave, in New Orleans, LA 70117. Also,the center's founder and Executive Director is Leona Tate, the Black Lady who was the little BLACK girl, who helped integrate those two formerly ALL-WHITE schools in New Orleans, Louisiana,back in 1960.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : HENRY MORGAN GREEN

About 60 years ago, a horrible event occurred in Knoxville, Tennessee under the auspices of the Knoxville City Council. Back at that time, the city council introduced an Urban Renewal Program that led to the "leveling and demolishing" of an entire Black Community in Knoxville.Today, the area is known as "East Knoxville!" It is said that there were over 100 Black-owned businesses demolished.In addition to the Black businesses, it was reported that over 2,000 structures were destroyed to make way for City Urban Renewal Projects. Additionally, a report stated that 70% of the Black Citizens of Knoxville were forced to move from their homes and community. Well, it is rumored that a similar event like this took place in Monroe, Louisiana. However, because most of the people who were alive in Monroe, Louisiana back then have died and most of the records were either hidden or destroyed ; there are very few ways to let Black People living in Monroe today know that it even happened! Other than word of mouth, I haven't been able to find any information about when Black Citizens in Monroe were displaced from there homes and Communities back then. Heck, I wouldn't even have known anything about the former Black Community of "Bright Oak ," if I hadn't heard it from the mouth of Bernard Menyweather, a former resident of the Bright Oak Community. Yes, it's a shame that our Black Children in Monroe can graduate each year from all these schools, but still not learn anything at school about all the former Black Leaders, former Black Business Owners, and other Black People in Monroe who helped paved the way for them to even be able to attend these public schools in the city of Monroe and Ouachita Parish!!! Okay, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Henry Morgan Green was born born in 1877 in Adairsville, Georgia. Later his family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he attended the local Normal School, later known as Knoxville College. After graduating in 1895, Henry took a teaching position in Riceville, Tennessee. Around 1898, he moved back to Knoxville to enroll in the college 's new medical department. Not long after obtaining his medical degree, Henry moved to Jellico, Tennessee, where he ran his first medical practice. In 1900, he got a hankering to return once again to Knoxville, Tennessee. However, this time when he returned home, the people referred to him as "Doctor Henry Green!" In addition to practicing medicine in Knoxville from 1900 - 1939, he served as the official Colored City Physician in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, Henry was one of the founders of the Knoxville Medical College. Several of his other business interests included being a real-estate investor, President of the National Medical Association, and a town Alderman. Interesting enough, Henry was the first Colored Alderman in the city of Knoxville, and when he left office in 1912, it would be another 62 years before the Knoxville city council had another Black Alderman! Yes, it was a sad day on March 19, 1939, because that was the day that Henry Morgan Green died of pneumonia. When they buried him, it was fitting that they laid his body to rest on the campus of Knoxville College.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : MANTAN MORELAND

As I thought about the bills that Governor Jeff Landry and the Louisiana State Congress are passing, my mind got me thinking about the C.O.R.E.( The Congress of Racial Equality } Organization. The C.O.R.E. Organization was founded in 1942 by James Farmer and a few other Negroes. The organization's main goal was "to erase the color line through methods of direct nonviolent action." Additionally, C.O.R.E. leaned heavily on using "sit-ins and acts of civil disobedience" to challenge the Jim Crow Laws that were setup to enforce racial segregation. Also, I feel it's a terrible thing that very few Black People in Monroe, Louisiana remember when C.OR.E. came to Monroe, during the "SUMMER of 1964, and held sit-ins at the "WHITES ONLY" libraries and at the "WHITES ONLY" lunch counters of several downtown stores! Furthermore, it's disturbing that so much of the history of what went on in Monroe during the Civil Rights Era has been practically erased. Well, to make a long story short, I'm wondering if the Black Citizens of Louisiana might need to be looking into forming a new organization similarly to the one that was co-founded by James Farmer in 1942. Nevertheless, let's get to this week's Black Pioneer. Mantan Moreland was born on September 3,1902, in MONROE, LOUISIANA. His parents were, Frank and Marcella Moreland. In 1910, when he was between the ages of 11 & 14, Mantan ran away from home to join a minstrel show. By the time he reached the age of 25, Mantan had worked various shows on the Vaudeville Circuit, performed on Broadway, and had even toured Europe! Mantan would end up working with Black People such as Redd Foxx, Nipsey Russell, and Della Reese.Many of the films Mantan appeared in were aimed at Black audiences. They included the films One Dark Night, Lucky Ghost, Mr. Washington Goes To Town, and Mantan Runs For Mayor. By the way, Mantan also appeared in movies involving major film studios as well as some independent film producers. He even once played a serious role as the sergeant in charge of a squad of Senegalese Tirailleurs in French Colonial Algeria, alongside Ralph Byrd. Mantan 's last featured role was in the 1968 film, Spider Baby. Cc. Who would of 'THUNK" that a poor Black runaway kid from a small town in Northeast Louisiana would have been able to make it all the way to Hollywood! Sadly, on September 28, 1973, Mantan Moreland succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage, in Los Angeles, California. In 2004, Mantan was inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum Hall of Fame.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN

Recently, I went online to see how much the current National Studentloan Debt is. Well, I was thinking that since President Biden had forgiven some of the studentloan debt during his term in office that the studentloan debt amount would have decreased, but it hadn't. As a matter of fact, the number is close to what it was before President Biden implemented his studentloan forgiveness program. As of March 2024, the total student loan debt in the United States was $1.727 trillion dollars! Well, ain't that a biscuit? Next, I found another interesting online article that said that when it comes to taking out studentloans and defaulting on studentloans,"BLACK WOMEN" are ranked number one out of any other group or race. Also, an online article reported that 67% of Black students who attended, but did not complete a for-profit college defaulted on their studentloans! Call it a conspiracy theory, but it seems to me that certain people in high places are using Black People's strong belief in Higher Education to lure Blacks into the proverbial Studentloan Debt "BLACK HOLE!" Jeepers Creepers, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Charlotte Hawkins Brown was born on June 11, 1883, in Henderson North Carolina. When she was very young, her mother moved her and her brother to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Charlotte graduated from Cambridge English High School, and then enrolled in Salem State Normal School.A Lady by the name of Alice F. Palmer stepped in and paid for all of Charlotte's school expenses! In 1901, after completing just one year of college, she was hired to teach at the Bethany Institute school for Colored children, in Sedalia, North Carolina. A year later the school officials decided to close the school. So what did Charlotte do? She did the same thing that a Colored man named Lawrence C Jones did when he founded Piney Woods School in Rankin County, Mississippi. She went and founded a new school called, "The Palmer Memorial Institute," in honor of the lady who had paid for all of her college expenses. Her school officially opened on October 10, 1902, as a day and boarding school for Colored children. Interesting enough, the Palmer Memorial Institute lasted throughout the turbulent times of the Great Depression, the rise of Jim Crow in America, and the Civil Rights Movement as well. In 1971, there was a fire at the school that prompted the Board of Directors to finally close the school for good. On January 11, 1961, after almost 60: years years of tireless dedication to educating Black Youth, Charlotte Hawkins Brown was laid to rest in Greensboro, North Carolina. Furthermore, several of the buildings of her school were restored, and are known today as The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : TERESA GARLAND LEW

During the month of May, it's common for schools in America to hold graduations. Every May, thousands and thousands of Black students graduate from elementary schools, high schools, and colleges. So, with all of the graduating going on, what is the likelihood that "40% or MORE" of Black Graduates are "FUNCTIONAL ILLITERATES?" The use of the term functional illiterate is linked to a Caucasian educator by the name of William S. Gray. For those who don't know, William S. Gray and A female Caucasian lady by the name of Zerna A. Sharp were the ones who introduced the "Dick and Jane," reader series of books to the American school system, during the "GREAT DEPRESSION ERA" in America. Generally, a person who is functional illiterate has a limited vocabulary, has difficulty expressing simple ideas or abstract concepts, and prefers to memorize information rather than write it down. By the way, as of March 2025, there are reportedly between 48 million to 60 million people who are functional illiterate in America. Well, on to this week's Black Pioneer. Teresa Garland Lew was born in an area known as Pawtucketville, a neighborhood within the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1894. Also, her great-grandfather, Barzillai Lew,was a Freedman who "fought in the American Revolution," how about that!!! Additionally, her father, William Lee, owned a dry cleaning business in Pawtucketville. Although there isn't any mention of Teresa attending grade school, it was reported that she graduated from Lowell High School in 1912, where she was the Class Salutatorian! At the time when she graduated, school policy mandated that a female couldn't be Class Valedictorian, only Salutatorian.Next, Teresa enrolled in Lowell Normal School, where she graduated and received her teaching degree in 1914. Her teaching stops included teaching at a segregated school in Virginia, teaching at The Colored Orphan Asylum, New York City's oldest orphanage for children of color that was founded by Quakers in 1836, and teaching in the Lowell Public School System. In the 1930s, just when everyone got use to looking at Teresa as only a teacher, she went and earned her law degree from Portia Law School, located in Boston, Massachusetts! Tragically, Teresa Garland Lew didn't live to see her 47th birthday, she died in 1941 at the tender age of 46. Even though she only lived to be 46 years old, Teresa helped paved the way for millions of Black Women in the field of Law & Teaching! In 2008, Teresa was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by Lowell High School for her dedication and commitment to equality and education.