Reflections of Ebony

Reflections of Ebony guest speaker Civil Rights activist, Dr. Sonnie Hereford III, had been left sitting all by himself at his dinner table so I joined him until the evening's festivities would begin and his table of organizers would return.  I wasn't sure if maybe he was relishing a couple of quiet minutes ... but what ensued was perhaps 'serendipity.' 

 I introduced myself and initiated the conversation regarding his schedule. Mayo was next on his speaking engagements and then home to Huntsville, Alabama.  He brought up the weather as he had never been anywhere colder than 5 degrees in his 83 years. I laughed and shared I would never get used to the cold as I was raised in the South. Dr. Hereford inquired as to where and I spoke of my childhood home in Little Rock, Arkansas and my brothers going to Central High School (infamous landmark of 1957 desegregation). I spoke of the beautiful Visitor Center of Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site  and what a treasure it was. What he stated next gave me purpose as he said he really would really like the opportunity to go to Little Rock and speak at Central High School.  Hence I will be very busy in the next week, contacting the necessary bodies to insure this can happen... 

(L)Dr. Sonnie Hereford III and Thomas Harris

You see, what Dr. Hereford is doing is "bearing witness." Through his retelling of what he, his family and many other communities lived through during the Civil Rights era makes listeners witness of a witness. These personal stories are of a tumultuous times of racism. He was, born the son of a share-cropper and Baptist minister, one of the few black community physicians ('56) and the father of the first African American admitted to an all white elementary school in Huntsville, Alabama. 

Dr. Hereford lived through times of daily 'less than equal' occurrences which he spoke of within the educational and hospital system, voter registration, wages, TV portrayal of African Americans. He spoke of sit-ins, protest marches and walk-outs. AND he also spoke of change... He mentioned his surprise to me of an incident while he was out of Alabama in 1954, passed a football field and saw for the first time white and black boys playing football together. He couldn't believe his eyes.    

How can a person live through this and not be angry? This Civil rights activist 'wants to live now without vengeance, without anger.'  Sights of black faces alongside whites in professions of policemen, firemen, lawyers are comforting although there is still work to be done.

The Doctor's  prescription: handing off the baton to others to continue on the path to liberty and equality.

The soul food dinner was delish -
but it was the program of 'Fight of Our Lives and the Joy of Perseverance' that really fed  my soul...

"A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true." MLK