Local

Johnnie Mae Brooks-Dale Thompson was born September 17, 1925, to Nettie Eddin and Leon Walter Brooks at 3401 Stonewall St., in 5thWard.  They had one 3-year old daughter, Lois Marie.  The family lived across the street from Gregg Street Presbyterian Church.

“The most important to all, peoples do not know God.  And most of em don’t wanna know Him.  People don’t have time for families.  You don’t sit down there and talk to them or sing together or do nothing with em.”-Words of wisdom spoken by 100-year-old, Ollie Mae Dugar.

Mabrie Memorial Mortuary has continued efforts to support the Houston community.  Prior to the students of Attucks Middle School going on holiday break, Mabrie sponsored an educational field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

“We are the few, intellectual and the educated; and we accept only those students who want to achieve.” Those words were recited every morning from the loud speaker, which soared across the campus of Forest Brook Senior High School when I was a student there.

The theme- “Harlem Renaissance: All That Jazz”- provided the historical musical framework to celebrate four pioneering STEM leaders and local “Hidden Figures” serving at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

As it is, the African-American community of today has lost many of the fundamental values that had been passed down from generation to generation. For some, education and knowledge has replaced the old virtues of, “yes sir” and “no mam”, “thank you” and “you’re welcome”.

As I sat and thought about the most recent opportunity I had to sit, fellowship and enjoy the presence of family, friends and especially dear classmates of mine from George Washington Carver class of 1968 my heart was uplifted. I decided to start this editorial with the last words I rendered at the reunion as Master of Ceremony, It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.

National Black United Front (NBUF) representatives Swatara Olushola and Kofi Taharka along with other community representatives stepped to the bench at the invitation of Judge Shoemake.