Thursday, February 26, 2009

Mrs. Evelyn G. Williams Speaks at Museum's Black History Observance
Longview, TX—On Thursday, February 5, 2009, Mrs. Evelyn Garrett Williams spoke at the Gregg County Historical Museum in observance of Black History Month. Mrs. Williams was asked to reflect on the many changes she’s seen in her 85 years. The information below is from the Longview News Journal, written by Jamaal E. O’Neal.
For more than a half century, Mrs. Evelyn Garrett Williams worked and lived in the shadows of segregation and discrimination in Longview. Riding in the back of the bus, going to segregated schools, sitting the balconies at the movie theatres and being forced to enter at the back of the Gregg County Courthouse – it’s a vivid period, which, at the age of 85, Williams has not forgotten.
“Things were different then,” Williams said.
“People had their place, knew their boundaries, but thank God, it didn’t stay that way.”
Williams, a historian at St. Mark CME Church, Longview, TX, reminisced about growing up Black in Longview with a handful of other residents at the Gregg County Historical Museum. Her speech is part of the museum’s salute to Black History Month. One of 13 brothers and sisters, Williams has called South Longview home all her life and can remember when much of the area was rural.
“We lived on Green Street, but back then it was called Route 3,” Williams recalled. My father, Jack Garrett, bought a farm on the road, and we had 110 acres. We later bought 86 acres down on Lilly Road, which was a mud road back then.”
Williams said her family nearly lost their farm after a local white banker refused to take her father’s last payment for the property. “I remember how he paced the floor. Oh, how he worried. We could have lost everything, but luckily we were able to pay the mortgage with another bank.”
It wouldn’t be the last time her family and others would experience bigotry in Longview. The Klu Klux Klan was on the rise in Longview after World War I, and poll taxes—high taxes Blacks had to pay to vote—also were increasing.
After the death of her father in 1943, an editor at the Longview Journal refused to publish her father’s obituary because he was Black. “I called up there and asked him why,” Williams said. “He told me they didn’t print Black obituaries, and he had thrown it in the trash.”
Williams said all people should remember how people of color were treated in the past so society learns never to revert to discriminatory practices. “This is part of our history,” Williams said. “It’s painful, but I think it helps us progress. I’ve let it go, but I’ll never forget. I think we’ve come a long way in East Texas, but there is still much work to do.”
Mrs. Williams is the widow of Sam Williams and mother of four, Carolyn (Houston), Garrett (Shreveport, LA), Cedric and Tracey (Longview), and grandmother of nine, Carol (Dallas), Kasha, Cedric Jr., Frenchmon, Shelby and Daniel (Longview), Garrett, Jr. (Tampa, FL), Frederick (Grambling, LA) and Kirbye (Northwestern University in Louisiana).
Submitted by daughter, Carolyn Williams, Metropolitan CME Church, Houston, TX.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Loss of Mr. Frank Duncan

Dear CME Family:

I regret to inform you of the death of Mr. Stanley Frank Duncan the husband Mrs. Leola Duncan the Kansas Missouri Region Missionary President. Please keep her lift up in prayer.

The arrangements are as follows:

Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009
Visitation 9 am - 10 am

Service 10 am
Place: Lawrence A. Jones & Sons Funeral Chapel
1800 E. Linwood Blvd. KC MO 64109-2097

Phone: 816-921-1800 Fax: 816-924-2113

Mrs. Leola Duncan - Home address Leola Duncan

4239 E. 68th Terrace, KC MO 64132
816-523-0401

Monday, February 16, 2009

Link to article on burning of Alabama CME Churches

(copy and paste in your browser)

http://www.wsfa.com/global/story.asp?s=9847244

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Loss of Dr. Vivian U. Robinson

Dear CME Family:

I regret to inform you of the passing of Dr. Vivian U. Robinson, Past Region President of Georgia Women’s Missionary Society and Department Secretary of the Women’s Missionary Council on Friday, February 13, 2009.

Home Going Services are as follows:

Family Hour and Viewing:
Friday, February 20, 2009 – 5  PM– 8 PM

Williams Funeral Home – Mrs. Mildred Williams Contact Person
1765 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Augusta, Georgia 30901
Phone Number: 706-722-5551
Fax Number: 706-722-8999

Funeral Service:

Saturday, February 21, 2009
Viewing: 1- 2 PM

Funeral Service: 2 PM
Paine College – Dr. George C. Bradley, President
1235 15th Street
Augusta, Georgia 30901
Phone Number: 706-821-8200

Condolences can be sent to her daughter, Mrs. Gwendolyn Durnell
703 Low Meadow Drive
Evans, Georgia 30809
Phone Number 706-951-0773

Or 1256 Hernlen Street
Augusta Georgia 30901
Phone Number: 706-722-8593

Submitted by Dr. Elnora P. Hamb, Missionary Council President

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Lenten Books Available

Dear CME's

The Lent “Liberation and Unity books are available. This is a joint effort of the departments of Christian Education from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Cost is 2.00 each for orders of less than 50 books; for orders of 50 or more books the cost is $1.80 each and plus shipping cost.

Please provide a valid shipping address for your order. We need responses by Monday February 16, 2009.

Thanks
Loss of Matthew Bouknight
The Reverend Joseph Bouknight, a retired pastor in the Michigan-Indiana Region and father of Attorney Barbara Bouknight and Miss Jeanette Bouknight, recently lost his brother and nephew.
The funeral arrangements for Matthew Bouknight, brother of Rev. Joseph Bouknight, and Matthew's son, Richard Bouknight, are as follows:
Funeral:
Thursday, February 12 at 1:00 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 635 E. Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia.
Arrangements entrusted to Barnett Funeral Home, 325 Church Street, Wytheville, VA 24382 (276) 228-3121.
Condolences may be sent to Rev. & Mrs. Joseph (Dorothy) Bouknight at 18103 Schaefer Hwy, Detroit, MI 48235. Their phone number is (313) 861-1274.

Please keep the Bouknight family in prayer.