BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2009 “The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas” Dr

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Austin, Texas Permit No. 01949 This paper can be recycled Vol. 36 No. 38 Website: theaustinvillager.com Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-476-0082 Fax: 512-476-0179 February 20, 2009 BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2009 “The quest for Black citizenship in the Americas” Dr. Carter G. Woodson is the Richard E. Scott Justice of the Father of Black History Month and enrolled in high school Peace, Pct. One for 34 years at age twenty. He graduated Since Jan. 1975 Richard within two years and later E. Scott has been Justice of the went on to earn a Ph.D. from Peace for Precinct One. He Harvard. The scholar was was the first Black elected ju- RAPPIN’ disturbed to find in his stud- dicial official for Travis ies that history books largely Tommy Wyatt County. In the early 1980s he ignored the black American sought office for another four- population-and when blacks year term. His opponent was It has only been did figure into the picture, it first time candidate and cos- was generally in ways that metologist David Hill, whom one month! reflected the inferior social he defeated. Barack Obama was sworn into position they were assigned Scott had some qualifi- office on January 20, 2009 as at the time.Woodson, always cations that Hill didn’t have: President of the United States one to act on his ambitions, a Doctor of Jurisprudence and he hit the ground running. decided to take on the chal- Degree from the University of One of his first items of busi- lenge of writing black Texas School of Law, knowl- ness was to get a huge stimulus Americans into the nation’s edge about courts and proce- package passed that he says will Carter G. Woodson history. He established the dures. He taught criminal head off the economic crisis in Americans have recog- the Association for the Study law at Austin Community this country. The package was nized black history annually of Afro-American Life and College. He was admitted to passed in record time, faster than since 1926. What you might History in 1915, and a year the State Bar of Texas in 1972. any president in history. It may not know is that black his- later founded the widely re- Scott went into private be because this is the biggest eco- tory had barely begun to be spected Journal of Black His- practice in 1972, and accord- nomic crisis since the Great De- studied-or even docu- tory. In 1926, he launched ing to his resume, he was the pression and the country is anx- mented-when the tradition Black History Week as an second African-American at- ious to turn it around. originated. Although blacks initiative to bring national torney to start his own prac- In 1968 he received a BA in ceived the Outstanding Ser- Obama’s plan was to keep the have been in America at attention to the contributions tice and the fifth to open an political science at Prairie vice Award from the Judicial citizens informed every step of least as far back as colonial of black people throughout office in Austin. View A&M University. Council National Bar Asso- the way so that everyone would times, it was not until the American history.Woodson Scott’s goal was to make A lifetime member of the ciation, which represents be aware of what is being done. 20th century that they gained chose the second week of his court a people’s court, NAACP, Scott is a member of more than 13,000 Black One of his obstacles was the Re- a respectable presence in the February for Black History rather than a cold court with the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; judges throughout the United publican minority in the house history books.We owe the Week because it marks the little understanding. “I was vice president of the East States and it territories. He and senate. Most of them voted celebration of Black History birthdays of two men who opened the courts to diversity, Austin Youth Foundation; has received the Zeta Phi Beat against the package and told the Month, and more impor- greatly influenced the black and brought to the courtroom acted as chairman of Austin Recognition Award, the AISD President and congress that it tantly, the study of black his- American population, a viewpoint from a cultural, Community College’s Crimi- Service Award; is a member would not work. tory, to Dr. Carter G. Frederick Douglass and social and economic back- nal Justice Advisory Commit- of Austin Black Lawyers As- Obama had kept his campaign Woodson. Born to parents Abraham Lincoln. To learn ground different from the sta- tee; past president of the sociation. promise of reaching across the who were former slaves, he more about Black Histoty tus quo. North East Austin Rotary Scott is married to Joy isle and trying to work with the spent his childhood working Month, please visit A native of Kilgore, Club. Malone, and they are the par- Republican lawmakers. He met in the Kentucky coal mines www.history.com Texas, where he graduated C. Scott was listed in ents of one son, Phillip. They with them both formally and in- B. Dansby High School, Scott Who’s Who in America; was are members of St. James Bap- formally during this process. But went to Tyler District College. Omega Man of the Year; re- tist Church. when he did not receive their sup- Celebration of Life held for port, he pressed on until the bill Judge Harriet M. Murphy: First African was passed. Sister Gertrude E. Britton Republicans are critical of the Gertrude Marie elder Britton plan saying that the market must American woman Appointed to a was born December 21, 1923 have the opportunity to correct in Austin, Texas to the late itself. That kind of thinking is James Elder and Mamie regular judgeship in Texas what got us in this mess in the ment department of Huston- Moore elder. She departed first place. The Republicans were Tillotson College in Austin this life on Thursday, Febru- working on the “Trickle down for six years. Born and ary 12, 2009, at the University Theory” for the last eight years. raised in Atlanta, she at- Medical Center at They believed that rich and pow- tended classes with the late Brackenridge. erful would make sure that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. She atended the Austin Pub- underclass was taken of. But the at Booker T. Washington lic Schools and graduated reality is that the Rich and Pow- High School. She received from the old L. C. Anderson erful was only looking out for her undergraduate degree High School. She received her themselves. from Spelman College and Bachelor of Science degree in Now that Obama is in office, ev- a master’s degree from business from Prairie View A. Secretary, Assistant Director; eryone seem to expect him to Clark-Atlanta University as M. University. Mission 1 Cir le 11 member, have a quick fix to the problem. well as a law degree from Her professional career was vacation Bible School Coordi- Talk Show hosts are feeding on UT Law. in public education with the nator; Women’s day Finan- the fears of the public, by point- Murphy has been a Ausitn Independent SWchool cial Committee Co-Chair and ing out that Obama has done member of the NBA’s Judi- District where devoted 38 many other organizations. nothing to fix the problem. They cial Council for many years years of dedicated service to She was a 25 year Silver elite fail to mention that he has been and served a long tenure as the Austin community as member of the Top Ladies of in office for only a month and that an officer and executive business teacher at the Distinction, Inc.and held Life he spent most of that month try- committee member of the Anderson high Evening Membership in Zeta Phi Beta ing to get a bill passed that would council. Her professional af- School, secretary and registrar Sorority, Inc. and the authorize him to begin the work. filiations and participation at the old L. C. Anderson High NAACP. She received recog- Immediately after the bill was in community affairs are School and A. N. McCallum nition from the Alpha Kappa signed into law, Obama went to many. Among them, she was High School. Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Phoeniz, Arizona to make his first a founding member of the Upon retirement, she de- Sorority, Inc. as Zeta of the decision on spending the money. The Honorable Judge Alexander, a found- Austin Black Lawyers Asso- voted her time to church and Year and Women Who make He is calling for a buy down of Harriet M. Murphy, a 1969 ing member of the Judicial ciation, the Travis County community service. She was a Difference. deliquent mortgages and for graduate of The University Council and a judge of the Women Lawyers Associa- a member of the Alpha She was preceeded in Death homeowners who have lost at least of Texas School of Law, re- Court of Common Pleas of tion and the Austin Urban Kappa Zeta Chapter of Zeta by her parents; her husband one third of their property value ceived the 2005 Raymond Philadelphia. League. She has worked on Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Capi- of 52 years, Lawrence M. during this crisis. This would give Pace Alexander Award by Murphy was the first a mayoral task force on the tal city Chapter of the Top la- Britton, Sr.; her daughter, homeowners the opportunity to the Judicial Council of the African American woman homeless and a gender bias dies of Distinction, Inc., the laura Katheleen; and her rework their mortgages in order that National Bar Association appointed to a regular implementation task force East AustinAustin Garden brothers Edward “Bud” Elder they will have lower payment.

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