Greene County Democrat

Tag: first Black Probate Judge

  • Greene County celebrates 55th Freedom Day

    Spiver Gordon

    Greene County will hold its 55th Freedom Day Celebration on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at the Williams  M. Branch Courthouse  beginning at 4:00 p.m.  This event commemorates the 1969 special election ordered by the U.S Supreme Court when the State of Alabama refused to put the slate of candidates representing the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) on the state’s November 1968 ballot.

    The NDPA filed the lawsuit on behalf of Greene County’s Black voters which resulted in the July 29, 1969 Special Election. A copy of the symbol of the party that was on the corrected ballot is in the upper right corner of the story.

     The Keynote Speaker for the event is the honorable Tony Clayton, District Attorney Port Allen, LA and special honored guest the honorable Bill Edwards Humanitarian, Civil Rights Leader Political Leader of  Beverton, OR. Edwards was working with NDPA at the time of the 1969 Special Election.

     After passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, various civil rights organizations conducted successful voter education and registration campaigns throughout the county resulting in a high voter registration among the local 85% majority Black population.
    
 The results of the 1969 special election and the subsequent 1970 state election gave Greene County its sweeping victory of countywide Black elected officials including board of education members (who hired, Robert Brown, as the first Black school superintendent), county commissioners, sheriff, probate judge, tax collector, circuit clerk and coroner. The first Black tax collector was elected in 1978. Greene County is noted as the first county in the nation to elect all Black county officials.
    
The Freedom Day event, sponsored by the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., will include food, music, and praise.  “The community is invited, including all local elected officials, to celebrate this important anniversary” said Spiver W. Gordon, President of the organization.

     The first Greene County Black elected officials roster is as follows: In 1966, Rev. Peter J. Kirksey – first Black school board member and Rev. W.D. Lewis, first Black elected to Greene County Democratic Executive Committee; in 1969 (special election) first Black Commissioners – Rev. Vassie Knott, Mr. Harry Means, Mr. Franchie Burton, and Mr. Levi Morrow, Sr., additional Black school board members, Mr. James Posey and Mr. Robert Hines.

    In 1970 Rev. William M. Branch, first Black Probate Judge, Rev. Thomas Gilmore, first Black Sheriff, Deacon John Head and Mr. Earsrie Chambers elected to the Board of Education; Mrs. Wadine Williams, first Black Circuit Clerk; Mr. Robert Cook, first Black Tax Collector; Rev. Harold Milton, first Black Coroner; in 1978, Rev. John Kennard elected as first Black Tax Assessor.

  • Greene County celebrates 54th Freedom Day

    Greene County will hold its 54th Freedom Day Celebration on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at the Christian Valley Baptist Church Tishabee Community, beginning at 4:00 p.m. This event commemorates the 1969 special election ordered by the U.S. Justice Department when the State of Alabama refused to put the slate of candidates representing the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) on the state’s 1968 ballot.
    In the 1960’s, various civil rights organizations had conducted successful voter education and registration campaigns throughout the county resulting in a high voter registration among the local 80% majority Black population.
    The results of the 1969 special election and the subsequent 1970 state election gave Greene County its sweeping victory of countywide Black elected officials including board of education members (who hired the first Black school superintendent), county commissioners, sheriff, probate judge, tax collector, circuit clerk and coroner. The first Black tax collector was elected in 1978. Greene County is noted as the first county in the nation to elect all Black county officials.
    A Freedom Civil Rights Monument will be erected to honor foot soldiers of Greene County who participated in the movement. The Freedom Day event, sponsored by the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., will include food, music, and praise. The community is invited including all local elected officials.
    The first Greene County Black elected officials roster is as follows: In 1966, Rev. Peter J. Kirksey – first Black school board member and Rev. W.D. Lewis, first Black elected to Greene County Democratic Executive Committee; in 1969 (special election) first Black Commissioners – Rev. Vassie Knott, Mr. Harry Means, Mr. Franchie Burton, and Mr. Levi Morrow, Sr., additional Black school board members, Mr. James Posey and Mr. Robert Hines; in 1970 Rev. William M. Branch, first Black Probate Judge, Rev. Thomas Gilmore, first Black Sheriff, Deacon John Head and Mr. Earsrie Chambers elected to the Board of Education; Mrs. Wadine Williams, first Black Circuit Clerk; Mr. Robert Cook, first Black Tax Collector; Rev. Harold Milton, first Black Coroner; in 1978, Rev. John Kennard elected as first Black Tax Assessor.

  • Eutaw City Council approves formal resolution accepting Branch Heights roads

    officer

    Chief Derick Coleman and new officer Patrick Shearry.

     

    At its regular meeting on December 13, 2016, the Eutaw City Council approved a resolution accepting the streets within Branch Heights for city maintenance.
    The resolution discusses the history of problems with repairs to the streets and roadways in the Branch Heights Subdivision, a predominantly Black housing area that was built with HUD funds through the Greene County Housing Authority. The subdivision is named for the first Black Probate Judge of Greene County. Some of the houses have been sold to individual families after the family had occupied them for at least 15 years.
    In 2004, Branch Heights was annexed into the City of Eutaw and the city has made some repairs to the streets on an “as needed” and “as funds were available” basis without formally accepting responsibility for the streets.
    This resolution officially accepts the streets in the William Mckinley Branch Heights subdivision for city ownership and maintenance and pledges to seek funds for the repair of the streets. The resolution lists the streets to be maintained as including the following:
    – William McKinley Branch Drive
    – Joseph Wilder Circle
    – John Chambers Court
    – Vassie Knott Court
    – Howard Irvin Drive
    – Office Lane
    – Levi Morrow Sr. Court
    – Harry Means Court
    – Frenchie Burton Road
    – Howard Brown Court
    – Joseph Court
    Many of these streets were named for pioneering Black members of the Greene County Commission and Greene County Housing Authority.
    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:
    • approved payment of November claims and bills;
    • heard a report that Mason and Gardner, CPA’s were updating the city computer system to handle the digital self-reporting water meters;
    • were introduced to new police officer, Patrick Shearry, of Scoba, Mississippi, who has completed officer training; and told by Chief Coleman that two other officers: Marlo Jackson and Tommie Johnson Jr. are planning to attend the police academy training in Tuscaloosa;
    • approved travel for Councilman Joe L. Powell to attend a committee meeting of the Alabama League of Municipalities
    • deferred the December 27, 2016 meeting due to the holidays; and set December 23 and 26 and January 2 as official holidays.
    Mayor Steele reported that the city employees were working to fix leaks in the water system to increase water pressure for the system. Work will soon be starting on the major $3.1 million approved USDA Rural Development water project. The Mayor also announced that work was about to begin on the resurfacing of Prairie Avenue.
    Council members reported problems with street lights on Springfield Avenue and the need to remove a dilapidated house on Tuscaloosa Street adjacent to the Eutaw Elderly Village.
    Councilwoman Sheila Smith asked about the policies on vicious dogs. She was told by the Mayor and Chief of Police that vicious animals, like Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and Doberman Pinchers had to be identified and secured by their owners to prevent attacking and biting people. “Stray dogs in Eutaw, have always been a problem and we have to pay animal control from Tuscaloosa to round them up and carry them away, “ said Chief Coleman. Smith said, “ I hope this policy on vicious dogs is being carried out because people have been bitten and intimidated by dogs in recent days.”