Greene County Democrat

Tag: Judge Lillie Jones Osborne

  • Black Women in Political Office in Greene County

    Judge Lillie Jones Osborne is first Black Woman Probate Judge in Greene County.
    Mrs. Brenda Goree was first Black Woman elected as Greene County Revenue Commissioner
    Honorable Hattie G. Edwards served as first Black Woman on Eutaw City Council and first Black Woman Mayor of Eutaw.
    Mrs. Elzora Fluker served on Greene County Board of Education and Greene County Commission

    Judge Lillie Jones Osborne has served Greene County as District Judge since 1999, when she was appointed to follow in the footsteps of her late husband, Judge Richard Osborne, who was the first Black District Judge in Greene County.  He served in that position from 1985 to 1999.
    She is a 1982 graduate of Tuskegee University with a B.S. Degree in Political Science. She received her Juris Doctor in 1985 from the University of Alabama School of Law. She served as staff attorney with Legal Services Corporation of Alabama, Inc., Selma Regional Office from 1996-1999, when she was appointed to the position of District Judge in Greene County. From 1984 to 1995, she served as staff attorney with Legal Services Corporation in the Demopolis Satellite Office.
    Prior to that, she was Teaching Assistant, University of Alabama School of Law Minority Retention Program from 1984-1985. She was a law clerk with England & Bivens Law Firm from May 1984 to September 1984.
    Judge Osborne currently serves as President of the Greene County Children’s Policy Council; directs various youth initiatives including the local youth group, SPOT (Strategically Preparing Our Students); initiated the countywide project Little Free Outdoor Libraries, providing children and adults access to books in their local communities; initiated Strengthening Families Program in Greene County. She is a member of the Alpha Beta Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. which sponsors the local Youth Leadership Institute (YLI).
    Judge Osborne has two sons and one grandson. She is a members of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Eutaw, AL.

    Mrs. Brenda Jackson Goree was the first Black Woman elected to the position of Revenue Commissioner in Greene County in 2002, when the county offices of Tax Collector and Tax Assessor were combined by state legislative action. Prior to her election as Revenue Commissioner, Mrs. Goree served as Greene County Tax Collector. She was first elected to that office in 1990 and served until her election as Revenue Commissioner.
    Mrs. Goree is a graduate of the Greene County School System and Stillman College, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. Prior to running for public office, Mrs. Goree was employed with West Alabama Health Services where she served as Clinical Administrative supervisor.
    Organizations she has served with include the following: Deep South Network for Cancer, Sickle Cell Disease Board, Greene County Self Help Project and the Greene County School System PTA.
    Mrs. Goree is a native of Forkland, AL, but currently lives in Clinton. She was married to the late Edward Goree. She has two children and several grandchildren.

    Honorable Hattie G. Edwards graduated from Farragut High in Chicago, Illinois. She furthered her education at the National Career Institute obtaining a degree in Business Administration Management 1986-1989. She began her work experience with the Greene County Engineer’s Office in 1985 as the first Black woman. With the Engineer’ Office, she worked in the field or on the road with the repair crews working her way up to the position of Office Manager.
    She retired from the county after 34 years.  She loved her community so much that she became a true advocate. She had 46 years as a public servant, 34 years with the county commission, eight years, (2004-2012) on the Eutaw City Council, where she served as mayor Pro Temp, and four years as Mayor of Eutaw from 2012 to 2016.  She was the first Black Eutaw City Councilwoman and Mayor for the city.
    She served on several boards and organizations, including the following: Greene County Democratic Executive Board, Greene County Chapter of Alabama New South Coalition, Greene County Chapter of SCLC, Greene County Schools PTA; a member of the Civil Rights Freedom Movement; a member of the Eutaw Housing Authority Board and the Board of the Housing Authority of Greene County and Greene County Parks and Recreation Board.
    Mrs. Edwards had four children. She was a member of Pine Grove Baptist Church.

    Mrs. Elzora Fluker is the first Black Woman in Greene County to serve as an elected official on the Greene County Board and later as an elected official on the Greene County Commission. Mrs. Fluker was elected to the school board in 1990 and served until she was elected to the District 3 County Commission seat in 2010. While on the Board of Education, Mrs. Fluker served as Chairperson for 12 years.
    Mrs. Fluker began her career in law enforcement with the Tuscaloosa Sheriff Department in 1989, remaining there two years. She joined the Greene County Sheriff Department in 1991 and was the first certified deputy in the county. She transitioned to the Eutaw City Police Department in 1997, was the first certified officer, and remained with the force until 2007. She returned to the Greene County Sheriff Department in 2007 as a Sex Offender Officer and served as Director of the Junior Deputy Program, until her election to the County Commission in 2010, where she served one term.
    She has been an essential volunteer with the Greene County Children’s Policy Council since 2007, and an active member of the Greene County Chapter of Alabama New South Coalition.
    Mrs. Fluker is a 1972 graduate of Paramount High School and enrolled in Miles College in Eutaw in 1973.
    She has three children, eight grandchildren and is a member of Christian Valley Baptist Church.

  • Greene County Townships schedule inaugurations

    The four municipal governments in Greene County have scheduled their inauguration ceremonies for Tuesday, November 2, 2020.
    City of Eutaw will hold its ceremony at 12 noon on the Judge Rolanda Wedgeworth in the center of town. Judge Lillie Jones Osborne will officiate.
    Town of Forkland will hold its ceremony at 5:00p.m. at the Town Hall. Judge Lillie Jones Osborne will officiate.
    Town of Union will hold its ceremony at 6:00 p.m. at the Union Fire Station Hall. The city clerk, Ms. Marilyn Sanford will officiate.
    Town of Boligee will hold its ceremony at 5:00 p.m. at its Paramount School site. Judge Rolanda Wedgeworth will officiate.

  • SPOT students honor seven Trail Blazers

     

    The Greene County Children’s Policy Council, after school tutorial and mentoring programs, held their annual Trail Blazers Awards Program Friday, April 20, 2018 at the Eutaw Activity Center. This year’s theme: Celebrating Achievement and Pride honored seven foot soldiers of the local Civil Rights Movement.

    Mr. Will Little (posthumously) was presented by Ivan Peebles and John Foster. Ms. Yvonne Washington was presented by Jamia Noland and Alkeria Cook; Mrs. Mildred Black and Mr. Lucius Black (posthumously) were presented by Kaden Jones and Victoria Jones; Mrs. Rosie B. Alford Edwards (posthumously) was presented by Courtney Davis and Talia Hawkins; Ms. Lovella Murray was presented by Lataursa Jones and Anya Jones; and Ms. Ethel Spencer was presented by JaMayiah White and DeMarius Cockrell.
    Each year the SPOT students (Strategically Preparing our Teens) interview and present their research on individuals in the Black Belt region who played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. This program is a culmination of the students’ research for the 2017- 2018 school term.
    Judge Lillie Jones Osborne, Chairperson of the Children’s Policy Council, stated she sat in on some of the interviews, and she was amazed at the stories shared. One of her students who interviewed Mrs. Mildred Black stated that after he heard her story he was definitely going to vote once he got old enough. This experience gave him an appreciation of the people who sacrificed so much, some even giving their lives for that right to vote.
    In 2001, the Education Committee identified the need for a tutorial program to improve students’ achievement and performance levels. Judge Lillie Jones-Osborne, chairperson of the Greene County Children’s Policy Council raised limited funding and implemented an after-school tutorial program.  Ms DeShayla Steele served as mistress of ceremony. Mrs. Wanda Hawkins
    rendered the music. SPOT Students recited “I Have A Dream.” Mr. Jeremy Rancher Children’ Policy Council member blessed the food.