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Booker T. Washington , 1856-1915 He lifted the veil of Established 1865 ignorance... TheThe TTuskegeeuskegee NewsNews “Tis Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness” VOLUME 142, NUMBER 28 THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2006 75 CENTS A dozen who made a difference. School board seats head runoff ballot By JEFF THOMPSON Tuskgee News Staff Democratic Macon County Board of Education candi- dates are nearing the second hurdle in their races for Places 3 and 4 on the School Board. Two of the four vying for the positions won’t quite clear the bar, though. When more than three candidates are on a Primary bal- lot for the same position and none receive 50 percent plus one of the popular vote, the top two must face off again in postdate election: a runoff. The runoff in Macon County, part of the process for selecting party candidates to run on the November ballot, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18. This year, the paper at the polls for the Democrats will look sparse with only four names on it, but those names have been through the fire to get there. For Place three, Elnora Smith-Love challenges former board member Aaron Robinson for his seat at the table. In the Primary, Smith-Love barely missed the “home free” mark, obtaining 43 percent of the vote, while Robinson claimed a distant second-place, receiving 27 percent of the vote. Sherry A. C. Sullen finished third with 17 per- cent, followed by Jene A. Carter with 13 percent. They are seeking the seat being vacated by former board president Harold White is decided not to seek a fourth six-year term. When asked about his positions and expectations for the runoff, Robinson said he just wants people to go back out to the polls. Mrs. Smith-Love did not respond to The Tuskegee News’ messages for comments about the runoff. The race for Place4 has been much more active, These 12 students paved way for integration of Macon Schools unearthing considerable tension between candidates Students who attended the court-ordered desegregation of Lynn Jackson, Janis Laverne Carter and Edith Elaine Katy Campbell and Chris Hunt since flyers were distrib- Macon County Schools in 1963-64 through Lee v. The Henderson. Back row: Anthony Tilford Lee, Patricia uted after the Primary that referred to Hunt as a con- Macon County Board of Education case are shown on cover Camille Jones, Shirley Jean Chambliss, Willie B. Wyatt Jr., victed murderer. of Tuskegee Civic Association program. Front row, from left, Wilma Jean Jones, Marsha Marie Sullins and Robert L. Incumbent Campbell maintains that she knew nothing are: Carmen Louise Judkins, Helois Elaine Billis, Harvey Judkins Jr. and had nothing to do with the matter. She also believes her supporters can trust her statements. Were first students to integrate Macon schools In reference to the flyers, she said, “I don’t think that (See ELECTION, P. A-66) Editor’s note: On May 22, 2006, U.S. District Court Judge Myron Thompson dismissed the Macon County Board of Education from the Lee v. Macon Board of Education case that was filed in 1963. Original Commodore Lee v. Macon led to the integration of Macon County schools and was later expanded to include 99 school districts Milan Williams dies in Alabama. The case has been upheld Milan B. Williams, an original member of the interna- several times by the United States tionally acclaimed band The Commodores, passed away Supreme Court and is still applicable to Sunday, July 9, 2006 at MD Anderson Hospital in many school districts in Alabama. Tuskegee News’ editor Guy Rhodes Houston, Texas. takes an in-depth look at the case and Milan was born on Easter Sunday in Okolona, Miss. on what has become of some those involved. March 28, 1948. See Pages A-4, A-6 and A-7 for addition- He was inspired and encouraged by his older brother, al stories and commentary. Earl, to begin playing piano as a child. His career began in high school when he formed his own By GUY RHODES three-piece piece band in Okolona. Editor His musical desire was further nur- tured as keyboard player with a band She was only 13 years old as she sat in Tuskegee called The Jays, which in a witness chair at the federal court- was the predecessor to the Grammy house in Opelika. It was in early 1964. Award winning Commodores, of “The lawyer for the state of Alabama which he was a founding member. was pretty rough, I’d say badgering Milan wrote the very first hit for me,” Marsha Sullins, now Marsha Photo by Jeff Thompson the Commodores, "Machine Gun" as Slocum, remembers. well as many others with the band The eighth-grade student had been Marsha Sullins Slocum, left, and her mother "The Bump", "Let's Get Started," prepped to testify by a young civil . Della Sullins look over school case legal papers "Brick House," and "Wonderland," Milan Williams rights attorney, Fred Gray, who was just to name a few. still located in Montgomery before per- race to attend previously all-white than admit black students in compli- Milan, with all of his success and stardom, was a very sonally moving to Tuskegee, and John schools in Macon County. ance with Lee v. the Macon County humble and caring man who loved life. He grew up in Doar, first assistant attorney general The judge was none other than Board of Education ruling that North Mississippi, attended Tuskegee Institute where he to U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Frank Johnson, a legendary figure ordered the county’s school integrated. was an engineering major. He settled in the Los Angeles Kennedy. Doar was one of the top men who often butted heads with George Johnson was Wallace’s worst enemy. area and was a member of the Commodores for 20 years. in the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Wallace, Alabama’s segregationist gov- Not only that, Wallace used the In October of 2000, Milan married his sweetheart of 10 Rights Division. ernor. The two had been law school delaying tactic to solicit funds to years, Melanie Bruno-Williams, who remained by his side Sullins was attempting to relate classmates at the University of establish all-white Macon Academy. at all times until his death. Their deep and profound love resistance she and a 11 other African- Alabama. He even took steps to provide state- is and always will be an inspiration to all of their family American students had encountered Wallace had ordered all-white provided transportation and tuition and friends. in their bid to become the first of their Tuskegee High School closed rather (See DIFFERENCE, P. A-66) Since the day he was diagnosed with cancer, he was (See COMMODORE, P. A-66) Tuskegee University’s flip-flop on who’s Miss TU headed to federal court It is not very often when there is a queen there was a discrepancy with the judging. against Tuskegee in an attempt to regain enrolled in summer school at TU, but has dispute in Macon County or Tuskegee. And Runnerup Calida Joy McCampbell was her crown. According to reports, Sykes’ delcined to publicly comment on the pro- it is very rare to have one at Tuskegee deemed to have gone over the allotted time attorney Percy Squire of Ohio, Sykes’ ceedings. Attempts to reach McCampell University. Unfortunately however, there for her speech. home state, stated that Tuskegee over- were unsuccessful. is a dispute currently at Tuskegee After a long appeal process, Tuskegee stepped its bounds. At stake is the TU scholarship that goes University. University officials stripped Sykes of her Although Sykes believes her crown was with being selected Miss Tuskegee Earlier this year, Tuskegee University title and give it to McCampbell, who had taken from her wrongly, McCampbell University. had its Miss Tuskegee University Pageant not gone over the three minutes for her received more of the votes from the stu- Minnie Austin, director of student life at dhuring which Emilia Sykes was crowned speech. dent body than Sykes and was leading in Tuskegee University, wrote in a prepared Miss Tuskegee 2006-07. on that evening Sykes has filed a lawsuit in federal court the competition until the penalty. Sykes is (Miss TU, P. A-66) Anthony Lee, a name etched in history. See A-4 Page A-4, The Tuskegee News, July 13, 2006 Opinion Letters to the Editor Passing of Williams, an original Commodore On the passing of Milan Williams, original member of the world-famous Commodores, who died in Housston, Texas on Sunday (July 9). The funeral will be held in Mississippi. As we all know, the Commodores were started here in Tuskegee at Tuskegee Institute. They went on to break records that had been set by The Beatles. In fact, they were called “The Black Beatles.” As the Commodores bodyguard for seven years, I trav- eled all over the world with the group. The Commodores were indeed a first-class act. They treated their fans with the utmost respect and never did mind signing auto- graphs or telling fans about Tuskegee, where it a all start- ed. Milan, who wrote the Commodores first hit, “Machine Gun,” was a very quiet guy. He sometimes spoke more with his looks than with his mouth. You knew when Milan wasn’t pleased; he would just look long before he would say anything. But when Milan spoke, everyone listened. Noted in Passing Myself, like every other Commodores fans always held out hope for a Commodores reunion. As time went by I started wondering if it would ever happen.

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