State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College Digital Commons at Buffalo State Magazines, Books & Papers: African American Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers | Experience Batchelor, Lillion 1998 American Legacy; My African American Heroes; 1998 Andre Braugher A. Philip Randolph Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/magazines-books Recommended Citation "American Legacy; My African American Heroes; 1998." Batchelor, Lillion | Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers. Digital Collections. Monroe Fordham Regional History Center, Archives & Special Collections Department, E. H. Butler Library, SUNY Buffalo tS ate. http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/magazines-books/8 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers | Batchelor, Lillion at Digital Commons at Buffalo tS ate. It has been accepted for inclusion in Magazines, Books & Papers: African American Experience by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons at Buffalo tS ate. For more information, please contact [email protected]. As OUR PUBLISHER, R ODNEY R EYNOLDS, EX­ and other NAACP activists to begin the na­ Some well-known plained in the letter that opens this issue, he tional campaign to register black voters in recently sent a query to leaders in politics, the heart of the racially segregated South. He the arts, and education, asking them to name was not seeking fame or notoriety; he did not Americans tell their African-American hero in history-the go to be a leader. He traveled to Mississippi person whose accomplishments they most to help others learn to lead. us of theAJrican­ admire. We received a heartening number of I met Bob Moses about twenty-fi ve years responses that offered a variety of candidates later while doing research for the documentary A mericans they as well as a few repeats. But one thing was series Eyes on the Prize. On weekend after­ clear: Of the chosen heroes, almost all belonged noons we sat together outside his kitchen. most admire to modern times, leaving many remarkable Through the din of household activities, Bob figures of the previous three hundred years told me the stories of the Mississippi move­ unacknowledged. So, we concluded, there is ment. He didn't talk about himself; instead and why a real need for American Legacy. In this and he remembered the people of Mississippi who future issues we will surely discover that for had lived and died trying to change their towns African-Americans, history didn't just begin in and counties. Bob taught me that as human the twentieth century. beings our strength lies in our compassion and that our commitment to struggle must be Jim Brown, actor and unconditional. Through his example I learned former football player that as men and women, our salvation depends Paul Robeson, because of his amazing ability on our love and respect for one another as to succeed in so many fields-sports, law, well as ourselves. Bob showed me that it is in entertainment. Also because of the strength he the wisdom of our elders that we find our way. showed in holding to his beliefs no matter how His movement continues today as he works unpopular they became. to organize communities, families, and children through the Algebra Project, which is com­ Orlando Bagwell, executive producer mitted to the power of knowledge and excel­ Andre Brm1gher & of the upcoming WGBH series llfricans lence. The program has now spread to several A. Philip hndolp~ in llmerica different school districts around the country. It was a difficult choice to pick one of the He is willing to give his all so that each of us can many people I rely on each day for strength, be our best. He is the best of us. He is a hero. guidance, and example. But it's a pleasure to have the chance to list Bob fyioses as one Andre Braugher, of my heroes. I'd like others to learn about actor, starring in this wonderful person I've had the pleasure the television series to know. Homicide: Life on In the summer of 1960 Moses was a young the Street schoolteacher from New York City who trav­ A. Philip Randolph is my eled to Mississippi to work with Amzie Moore hero, because he brought LEFT, PARAMOUNT PICTURES; RIGHT, CORBIS-BETI"MANN Joimme ~ouhran & Thurgood Mil1shall together the talents of thousands He taught me early to believe the alleyways and the prostitu­ of working men and women, in myself, in God, and in the val­ tion and drugs in the area so that marshaling their energies to­ ue of education. In the law field the neighborhood kids could come ward a goal of self-sufficiency, Thurgood Marshall was the one and study theater and art. respect, collective action, and person I wanted to be like, but Barbara Jordan was in a posi­ political change. still it always came back to my tion of pride for all of us to ob­ father. On all the big decisions serve, and the mere timbre of her Johnnie Cochran, lawyer I go to him and ask his advice. voice inspired me to strive to be My hero is my father, Johnnie L. He's my counselor and my guide, better than I ever dreamed. They Cochran, Sr., without a doubt. he's there for me now and al­ are both gone, but their contri­ He's been my hero my whole life. ways has been a strong fig ure butions touched my life by filling in my life. He recently turned my heart with hope. eighty-two, and I'm really blessed to have him with me still-he Jimmy Carter, former lives with me even today. I'm very President of the United States Lorettil Devine & proud to bear his name. Former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, who also served as the Miukey Leland Loretta Devine, actress, mayor of Atlanta in the 1980s, is starring in Waiting to Exhale one of my personal heroes. I first Being a native of Houston, Tex­ met Andy in 1969, and we quick­ as, I choose Barbara Jordan and ly found that we shared many the late Congressman Mickey personal and religious phil oso­ Leland. phies. He was one of my best When I worked as artistic di­ and earliest supporters when I rector of a black arts center in ran for President. He profoundly Houston in the late 1970s, Mickey influenced my view of politics Leland came to talk to me and when he said, "Religion is about my students and helped clean up life. When you pray the Lord's TOP LEFT: REUTERS/ CORBIS-BETTMANN; TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM RIGHT: 24 AMERICAN LEGACY · SPRI NG 1998 UPI/CORBIS-BETTMANN; BOTTOM LEFT: BARRY KING/GAMMA-LIA ISON prayer, you say, 'Thy kingdom William Loren Katz, author 1850s and 1860s, and in Texas in come on earth.' And in a demo­ of award-winning books on the 1870s and 1880s- after hav­ cratic society, if the kingdom is African-American history ing negotiated his people's return going to come on earth, it's go­ It is virtually impossible to choose to the Uni ted States intact as a ing to come by voting and by leg­ from among dozens of heroic nation in 1870. islative action that appropriates figures I have known or written taxes humanely and spends mon­ about. But how can one leave L. Douglas Wilder, ey on life and development, rather out these people: former Governor of Virginia than on death and destruction." Ida B. Wells, who went to I have never been able to sin­ For more than thirty years my work with the two guns w hen gle out one person who inspired friendship with Andy has inspired she edited her antiracist news­ me. Among those who have are me. His courage, honesty, and paper, the Memphis Free Speech Lt. Col. Charles Young, the third willingness to stand for what he and Headlight, in 1892. black graduate of West Point, believes is right, even when it's Paul Robeson, who stood so tall who, in order to fight an excuse not popular, makes him a role and so personified the civil rights used to deny his promotion, model for all Americans. He is movement long before the 1960s. demonstrated his physical fitness one of our national treasures, and Lucy Parsons, who, beginning in by riding his horse on a journey a treasured friend to my wife, the 1880s, championed the cause of hundreds of miles from Ohio Rosalynn, and me. of the oppressed of the world, to Washington. [Editor's note: Deval L. Patrick, former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights What a great idea to ask that question! The person whose ac­ complishments I most admire is Eddie Quaintance, my sixth-grade teacher. She had a gift for mak­ ing kids with little of material value feel immensely valuable, and she helped us imagine the L. Douglas Wilder great things expected of us. &Nat1brner Ruby De e, actress and social activist As an actor keenly aware of the influence of fi lm in our lives, I am enormously impressed by the work of the Commission on Arts and Letters of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. In the 1970s, un­ der the leadership of the nation­ al presidents Lillian Benbow and Dr. Jeanne Noble, the group or­ ganized the production of a film women's rights, and antiracism. See our " Pathfinders" colu mn in Nigeria titled Countdown at Lucy Terry, a former slave who for more about Colonel Young.] Kusini. The fi lm was produced fo ught for African-American civil Other heroes of mine are Nat mainly with their own resources.