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Some Stuff I Wrote (2001) H. Morris Williams

Local NationsBank Vice President Byron O. Cawthon and School Superintendent Dianne
Lane combined efforts to reel in a $75,000 grant for our school system in the NationsBank A+

Award for Excellence in Education. There were 237 applicants from 16 southern states. There were
just four winners and Columbia County was the only Florida winner.
The late Rev. E. F. Montgomery, Sr. was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church for more

than 40 years. One sign of esteem in which he was held: During just two years of World War II
(1944-45), “Dr. Mont” received more than 600 letters from young men and women away at war. He

answered every letter, always including news from home and a small calendar because people at war
could lose track of time. His son Ed is now in the process of returning those “war letters,” at his own

expense, to the families of the letter writers, and has already returned about 400 letters.

Saluting Ten Who Paved the Way

February 16, 1993

As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s appropriate and informative to note several local
black citizens who have advanced the cause of African-Americans through political efforts.

Oliver Bradley: A tinsmith, he was the first black person to seek local office since the
reconstruction days after the Civil War. When he first ran for City Commission in the 1950's, there

was a citywide voting, as opposed to precinct voting, where a candidate was elected only by voters
living in the candidate’s own precinct.

Citywide voting made it virtually impossible for a black candidate to win - and in fact no
black candidate ever won a city election under the citywide voting system. This format was so

discouraging to blacks that few would even consider running. Credit Oliver Bradley with running,
even though he lost the election. It took a lot of courage for him to run.

Henry Harrison: Like Oliver Bradley, Henry Harrison ran for City Commission under the
citywide system of voting and lost. Likewise, credit him for running under difficult circumstances.

Leonard O’Neal: Like Oliver Bradley and Henry Harrison, he ran for city commissioner
under the citywide voting system. He campaigned hard but eventually lost the election.

Samuel Thompson: He was the first local black city commissioner since Reconstruction.

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