As Neosho and Newton County celebrated Black History Month on February 21, speaker Paxton Williams told about how, in his own family, Civil Rights occurred in dramatic fashion.
Williams, who is the executive director of the Carver Birthplace Association, spoke about an uncle who, in the 1960s, became the first black police officer in a small predominately white Mississippi town.
He told how town officials had made the decision to integrate the local police department. In doing so, they approached Paxton's uncle and asked him to join the police force. However, officials said he would only be able to arrest Black people.
Paxton's uncle refused the offer, saying if he was to be a police officer, he would be a police officer to the entire community. In other words, he would not be a "token" in the department.
City official relented and hired him with full responsibilities throughout the community and with every citizen.
Some years later, this "token" officer retired —as the Chief of Police.
"He retired in 1984 and even after he retired, everybody still called him 'chief,' until his death in 1986," Paxton said proudly.
For the past 11 years, Ida Smiles has planned the event which includes a large portion of spiritual music, readings and a major speech.
Several choir members from Second Baptist Church of Neosho provided the music. It covered the spectrum of traditional Black music. A stirring a cappella medley by Chandra Haliburton included the great spiritual "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." A quartet of Charlesetta Bryant, Rod May, Ida Smiles, and Carol Hill (with Star Terry on piano) provided a more updated version of spiritual music. Their presentation included "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and "I Shall Wear a Crown."
The traditional joyous sound of spirituals was enthusiastically delivered by Lionel Smiles, Star Terry and Carol Hill. With Smiles performing his magic on the keyboard and singing lead, the two ladies added exciting echoes and responses to the lead singer's heartfelt renditions.
To put it mildly, they raised the roof!
Also on the program were Jackie Clark with an essay on what America would be without the efforts of Blacks in science and technology, and LaChelle White with a reading of Dr. George Washington Carver's famous poem "I Can."
