By Garry Blanson
Not so long ago, “in most Black communities, in Monroe, Louisiana,” it was the Black churches that served as the main headquarters for voting education, citizenship classes, and voter registration drives within our Black neighborhoods. Regretfully, for the most part, “our Black churches no longer serve in that capacity anymore!”
Equally disturbing is that within our Black communities, it also seems that Black preachers in Monroe are no longer speaking out on key issues going within the City of Monroe, Louisiana, like Black preachers did in the 1960s! “Case in point”: when Mayor Oliver Ellis “deliberately defied and sidestepped” the Monroe Home Charter Rule, “which clearly states in plain English,” the Mayor shall appoint the Monroe City Fire Marshal, “but only with the approval of the other Monroe City Council members!”
You would think that several of the Black pastors in Monroe would have come forth and publicly confronted the Mayor about this matter, “but very few of them said as much as a mumbling word to the Mayor, or to the local press about it!” Yes, it’s a terribly sad thing when Black preachers “sit idly by and watch from afar,” as Mayor Ellis continues to manipulate local appointments and elections, involving key government positions in Monroe!!!
Well, I remember reading where someone once said, “There are 3 types of people in the world” — those who watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder what in the hell happened!!!
Ok, enough about that, on with this week’s Black Pioneer, Caesar Carpentier Antoine!
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1836, Caesar was listed as “a free person of color!” Caesar’s father was of African and European ancestry and a veteran of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, while his mother was born in the Caribbean and was the daughter of an African chief who had been sold into slavery.
Although, “I was never taught about him when I was in high school,” I am just now finding out that during the period in America, “which is known as the Reconstruction Period,” Caesar Carpentier Antoine became Louisiana’s 13th Lieutenant Governor, “the second highest government position in the entire state, in May of 1873!”
Additionally, there are several other interesting things about Caesar that I am just now learning. For instance, I learned that during the American Civil War, Caesar served as Captain in the 7th Louisiana Regiment Infantry and 10th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment.
Reportedly, as Union Forces were attempting to capture New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1862, Caesar was in charge of organizing a company of Colored Soldiers, which were composed of both enslaved and free men of color, who had joined the Northern forces, and within a mere 48 hours, he was able to assemble and ready the soldiers for battle!
Next, after the American Civil War, he moved to an area of Shreveport, Louisiana, which is known as Allendale, in Caddo Parish. Incidentally, it was in the neighborhood of Allendale that Reverend Harry Blakes was severely beaten by police, at Little Union Baptist Church, right at 63 years ago!
Furthermore, it was while he was living in Allendale that he helped establish thriving local Colored Businesses, and was elected as a State Senator for Caddo Parish in 1868, serving until 1872 when he was elected to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. “Thusly, making him the third man of color to hold the position of Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana!”
By the way, it may interest you all to know that around 1870, he and P.B.S. Pinchback, “who temporarily served as the Governor of the State of Louisiana, beginning in December of 1872 when Louisiana Governor Henry Clay Warmoth was impeached,” co-founded a newspaper together.
Their newspaper, “The Weekly Louisianian,” was one of the first newspapers in New Orleans that was owned and operated by 2 Men of Color.
Lastly, in 1878, “Caesar sponsored Act 25, which officially annexed the town of Allendale into the City of Shreveport, Louisiana!”
These are just a few of the things that “aren’t being taught” at any of the schools in Louisiana, “because Governor Jeff Landry and other white politicians in Louisiana don’t want Black and white children at the schools in Louisiana to learn that intelligent Black men and men of color once held the high offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the State of Louisiana!”
