In 2004, a Community Meeting was held in Kentwood, Louisiana and the Louisiana State Conference NAACP President, Dr. Ernest Johnson was the guest speaker. Following Dr. Johnson's speech on the importance of fundamental fairness and equity in all areas, it was decided by some in attendance that day, an NAACP Branch was needed in Tangipahoa Parish. I was asked to serve as this parishes NAACP President, but decided I could not do so, because during that time, I was an undergraduate attending SLU, and my focus was on graduating from SLU in a timely manner.
It was then decided Mr. Marvin Vernon would become the President, and I agreed to become Vernon's 1st Vice President. Vernon served as president for just over a year, and as we began to delve into the school issues on desegregation, interference came to fruition in some in the school administration and some on the school board in telling Vernon what he could and could not do, especially where I was concerned, because behind the scenes, much of what was done happened because of intense research I did in the inequities found happening againist a generation of black and poor white children. Vernon was given an alternative. Stop me, or else. A meeting was then called one Saturday with our Executive Board for the local NAACP Branch, and once Vernon realized he could not get the support he needed to have me removed as an officer of the local NAACP, Vernon announced his resignation as President. I became the President of the Greater Tangipahoa Parish Branch NAACP, and the rest is history.
As I watch the interviews of Dr. Wayne Brumfield, Joyce Marie Moore, whom this Desegregation Case is named after, as well as others, to include current school board member Mr. Al Link, I am painfully reminded of a conversation I heard Mr. Link have with another white individual when Link was questioned about his stance on the Moore Case being in court again. Mr. Link's use of the "N" word regarding me as President of the local NAACP is rancid, evil, and sounds like the language he frequently uses against me in saying I am "the most vile and vindictive BNB he has ever known."
I must wonder why Mr. Link would say in this SLU interview he wants to "learn more about the Culture of Blacks," yet his use of the "N" word continues to come from his mouth as it currently does. Is he angry because I/we became whistle blowers on what he did in committing a wrong for a close family member? Is he angry because of the reports we have received stating Mr. Link is angry with Blacks because they took his money to get the Black vote out to support him (Link) in his last school board campaign, and this did not happen, because the people voted for his opponent, thus causing Link to narrowly win re-election? Is he really as angry and hateful as his language regarding certain Blacks appear to be? What is the problem? Only Mr. Link can answer the aforementioned questions.
People are no longer ignorant to what is happening in this school system, and with today's technology, the truth can be made known. No longer can/will the truth be skewed and remain so.
It is time to come together at the table of reasoning and agree together on what will best work for all children in this school system. As we continue to plummet in school performance scores, we are hurting the future(s) of many children, black and white, and it is not right for this to continue to happen.
Finally, the same conversations have been heard from Mr. Kolwe's references of me, but this will be a blog on another day.
~Patricia Morris