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Some Stuff I Wrote and Some Stuff I Didn't (2011) H. Morris Williams

Column February 17, 2008

TRIBUTE TO BLACK HISTORY

February is Black History Month and here are just a few Black
citizens who had an impact on local Black history.

*Alyce Jones Caesar: She was the first Black woman to successfully
operate a business, Caesar’s Funeral Home; to run for public office,
School Board; to be named the Lake City Reporter’s ‘Woman of the
Year’ (1985).

*Oliver Bradley: In the late 1950’s, Mr. Bradley, a tinsmith, became
the first black to run for local public office (City Council) since
Reconstruction.

*Ernest Cooley, Jr.: He was the president of the local National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and led
the formation of the Community Fair Action Committee (CFAC) to
protest the controversial expulsion of CHS Black student Robert
Gaines. The allegations against Robert were later dropped.

*Sam Thompson: In 1980, he became the first Black City Council
member since Reconstruction. He was elected under the new
precinct voting system which had replaced citywide voting.

*Glenel Bowden: As president of CFAC, he started the CFAC
practice of endorsing selected political candidates and encouraging
Black voters to support CFAC-endorsed candidates, thus giving
Blacks more political power through bloc voting.

*Minnie J. Niblack: A superb educator, she beliéved that a few larger
schools could be better staffed and equipped than the dozens of
isolated one room school houses around the county. So, she led a
movement to consolidate the many into the few— and to show her
conviction for this cause she donated ten acres of her own land for a
consolidated school. Niblack Elementary is named after her.

*H.L. Roundtree: He was one of the first principals at the all-Black
Richardson High School and he worked passionately to provide his

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