By Garry Blanson Who is the first person that comes to mind when you think of the name “Frederick Douglas?” Most people would say, “Frederick Douglas,” the famous Negro abolitionist who rose to fame with the 1845 publication of his…
Category: Editorial
Marsh Madness displayed the work of state’s great basketball coaches
Last week I went to Lake Charles to support two local high school teams in the finals of the LHSAA Marsh Madness championships. Neither team won, but I was fascinated with the coaches. I saw hundreds of scholars/athletes who placed…
Pat Moore says childhood education needed; is the school board listening?
Black students in the Monroe City School system are failing miserably, but there is little movement by the school board to make the drastic changes necessary to address the problem. Rep. Pat Moore is trying to use her considerable energy…
Our Rich Black Heritage: G.W. Franklin
By Garry Blanson As I look around Monroe, Louisiana, I can’t help but notice that not much FAN-FARE or ACCOLADES is given to the Black Funeral Home Establishments located in our Black Communities. Collectively, I would say that Black Funeral…
Our Rich Black Heritage: Bridget “Biddy” Mason
By Garry Blanson It’s really mind-blowing thinking about how even though Black People had their wives “raped” by their slaveowners, had their children “sold” out from under them, and were constantly “whipped and beaten” by their slaveowners, they still found…
The Mayor needs 45% raise; what about everyone else?
In 1979, as members of the Monroe Charter Commission pondered its new government, there was heated debate over the salary of the mayor of Monroe under the home rule charter. The debate concluded that the salary would be fixed at…
Should girls have to pay $1600 to be on the homecoming court?
Suppose for a moment that you are a poor female and attend a public school. Would you be surprised to know that some activities are off-limits to you because participation heavily depends on your ability to shell out huge dollars…