There were people in my life growing up in Tuskegee who left an eter-

nally positive influence on me. This is a tribute to those individuals to

whom I am enormously grateful.

DR. GOMILLION WAS ONE OF TUSKEGEE'S GIANTS THAT I WAS

BLESSED TO HAVE KNOWN

Dr. Charles G. Gomillion One of the most significant US Supreme Court

decisions of the 20th century was the decree in Gomillion vs. Lightfoot

in 1960. At the vanguard of this decree was South Carolina native

Charles G. Gomillion. The decision outlawed gerrymandering as a

mechanism for altering boundaries in order to minimize voting

strength, thus, disfranchising many people. The case in point was

Tuskegee, Alabama, where African-Americans were systematically

stripped of voting power. Gomillion resolved to fight this unfair practice

and he won!

Charles G. Gomillion, a native of Johnston (Edgefield County), South

Carolina overcame many obstacles. He observed that he "had a total of

26 months of elementary school education." His early schooling con-

sisted of three months per year. He worked and persevered, eventually

completing high school education at the academy at Paine College. His

first jobs as a hotel cook and local farm hand earned him $4 and $7 per

week, respectively. Working his way through school and saving as

much as he could, he graduated BA cum laude, from Paine College

when he was 28 years old. He subsequently earned his Ph.D. form the

Ohio State University.

From 1928-1971, Dr. Gomillion worked at the world famous Tuskegee

Institute in Alabama. He served as professor of Sociology, chairman of

the Division of Social Sciences, Dean of Students and Dean of the Col-

lege of Arts and Sciences. A world renowned scholar, his research and

writings have sparked discussions in academic and lay environments.

Among his numerous writings are: 1. "Citizenship! A Challenge to

Scholarship or the Challenging South:" 2. "The Influence of the Negro

on the Culture of the South;" and 3. "The Challenging Civic Role of the

Private Citizen in the Contemporary South." As a youngster, Dr. Gomil-

lion's parents admonished him never to disgrace himself and never to

ignore his responsibilities. They instilled in him that everyone may not

like him, but live so that people must respect him. This legacy was

passed to others. He has always been a good listener and a thorough

researcher. His sociological theories and advice on race relations have

been utilized nationwide.

Dr. Gomillion's indelible imprint on political, civic and educational enti-

ties will long be remembered. He has been an active member of many

organizations, including the NAACP, the Alabama Council, the Southern

Regional Council and the Southern Council Educational Fund. Among

his honors are: the first Charles S. Johnson Race Relations Award, the

Lyndon B. Johnson Political Freedom Award, the Sociological Practice

Association Distinguished Career Award and the national Omega Psi

Phi Fraternity Man of the Year Award. This outstanding scholar, public

servant and civil rights advocate has honorary degrees form Howard

University, Ohio State University, Tuskegee Institute and Paine College.

ANOTHER OF TUSKEGEE'S GIANTS THAT I GOT TO KNOW WAS WILLIAM

L. DAWSON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tBHRB6-0DM

William Levi Dawson was born in Anniston, and at the age of thirteen

ran away from home to enter Tuskegee Institute. Supporting himself

by manual labor, he completed his education there in 1921.

He holds degrees in theory and composition from Horner Institute of

Fine Arts in Kansas City, MO, and the American Conservatory of Music.

He holds honorary doctorates from Tuskegee Institute, Lincoln Univer-

sity and Ithaca College.

In 1931, he organized the School of Music at Tuskegee, and for twenty-

five years conducted the one hundred voice Tuskegee Choir. In 1932-

33, this choir was a main attraction at the grand opening of the Radio

City Music Hall in New York.

The Tuskegee Choir, under the direction of Dr. Dawson, performed for

Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dr. Dawson has

made guest appearances throughout the United States and abroad.

He is a recognized authority on the religious folk music of the American

Negro, and his choral and orchestral arrangements are extensively per-

formed. He composed the "Negro Folk Symphony" which premiered in

1934 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Leopold

Stokowski.

OH HOW I REMEMBER MR. P.H. POLK - GIANT!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQfhrGeey3A

25 November 1898: Born Herman Polk in Bessemer, Alabama, the

youngest of four children (including daughters Mayme, Freddie, and

Georgia) and only son of Jacob Prentice Polk and Christine Romelia

Ward.

1909: Jacob Prentice Polk dies of black lung disease and Christine must

support the Polk family through her job as a seamstress. She started

Polk's formal education in the public Hard School in Bessemer shortly

after his father's death.

1911: Sent to the Tuggle Institute, a subsidized boarding school in

Birmingham, Alabama, to further his education.

1913-1914: Returned home to help Christine financially by working in

the tailoring shop of William A. Freeman.

1916-1920: Enrolled first as a night student, and then as a full-time

day student at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute where he stud-

ied photography under C.M.Battey (1873-1927) and became principal

musician in the Institute Band. Upon enrollment, Polk took his father's

middle name Prentice and was usually referred to by friends and col-

leagues simply as "P.H."

1920: Moved to Mobile and then Chickasaw, Alabama to work in the

shipyards to raise money to move to Chicago to reunite with his

mother and sisters.

1921: Began correspondence course in photography.

1922: Moved to Chicago where he worked as a painter for the Pullman

Company (1922-1926).

1926: Started a twenty-month apprenticeship with Fred Jensen, a

prominent white photographer in Chicago at the time. Learned re-

touching techniques.

1927: Moved in October with his wife and his son, Prentice, back to

Tuskegee, Alabama to open a private portrait studio (Polk's Studio).

Polk would father nine children in all.The Spinning Wheel was commis-

sioned by Prince's Magazine. Began photographing the "Old Charac-

ters."

1928: Became a faculty member in the Photography

Division of Tuskegee Institute as well as the

assistant to the Division Head and Official University Photographer,

Leonard G. Hyman (born 1895).

1933: Named the third head of the Photography Division at Tuskegee

Institute.

1938: Left Tuskegee Institute to open a portrait studio in Atlanta, Geor-

gia. His work is selected for the Southeastern Photographers Conven-

tion (Atlanta) and won three awards.

1939-1984: He accepted and retained the position as Official Photogra-

pher of Tuskegee Institute (now University).

1930s-1950s: Completed the George Washington Carver series. Polk's

interest in rural Alabama and its inhabitants can be seen through his

work during this time. Polk photographed all dignitaries visiting

Tuskegee Institute, such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Vice-Presi-

dent Henry Wallace, Eleanor Roosevelt, W. C. Handy, Paul Robeson,

Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others.

1941-1945: Polk photographed the progress of the Tuskegee Airmen, a

famous group of young African-American pilots who trained at the

Tuskegee campus and formed the 99th and 100th Pursuit Squadrons

during World War II.

1945: Purchased his home on Washington Avenue and set up his pri-

vate studio at that address.

1947: Completed a seven-week course at the Professional Photogra-

pher's School in Winona, Indiana.

1960s: Polk documented life at Tuskegee including 1965 student

protests, visiting civil rights leaders, and the March from Selma to

Montgomery.

1974: Exhibited at the Museum of Natural History, New York City.

1975: Received the Alpha XI Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Award. Exhibited

at the George Washington Carver Museum, Tuskegee, Alabama.

1976: Exhibited at the Washington Gallery of Photography, Washing-

ton, D.C., and the Studio Museum of Harlem, New York City.

1977: Exhibited in group showing of black American photographers at

the House of Friendship, Soviet Union and for FESTAC '77 in Lagos,

Nigeria.

1978: Exhibited at the Nexus Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia.

1979: Honored with the National Conference of Artists' Award.

1980: Won the Black Photographers' Annual Testimonial Award. Nexus

Press in Atlanta published the portfolio edition, P.H. Polk Photographs ,

to wide acclaim. Exhibited at the Pyramid Gallery of Art, Detroit, Michi-

gan. Received Tuskegee Institute's Alumni Merit Award and Black Pho-

tographers' Association Award.

1981: Received the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in pho-

tography. Major exhibition of his work shown at the Corcoran Museum

of Art in Washington, D.C. And Douglas Elliot Gallery in San Francisco.

Presented lecture on his work at the International Center of Photogra-

phy, New York City.

1982: Exhibited at the California Museum of Afro-American History, Los

Angeles, and the Ledel Gallery, New York City.

1983: Honored guest at the launching of the Space Shuttle Challenger

with first African-American astronaut, Guion (Guy) Bluford on board.

Polk's photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt and Chief Anderson was dis-

played at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL during the-

launch. Exhibited at the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Al-

abama.

29 December 1984: Prentice Herman Polk died in Tallassee, Alabama

and was buried in the Tuskegee University Campus Cemetery.

MR. WILLIAM CHILDS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGE7BLM4Qso&feature=related

Mr. Childs - a Tuskegee Airmen, America’s black fighter-pilot unit in

WW II, was honored at the White House for their service. President

George Bush awarded a Congressional Gold Medal—the highest and

most distinguished award the Congress has for civilians.

Over the course of the war, there were 994 pilots trained at the army

air field in Tuskegee, Ala., Today, there are only a few hundred of the

airmen left, and several of them live in the Triangle.

“They are the greatest fliers this nation has ever seen. Mr. Childs was

known as "Wild Bill"

I WILL NEVER FORGET CHIEF ALFRED ANDERSON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMXbodjsUpg&feature=related

C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson spent at least six decades training and men-

toring countless African American aviators. Interested in flying from a

young age, he saved enough money by the time he was 20 to take fly-

ing lessons, but he could not find a school that would accept a black

student. With his savings and some borrowed money, he bought his

own plane and begged for lessons from any pilot who would listen. He

finally found an instructor in Ernest Buehl, a German World War I pilot

who had emigrated to the United States. Anderson earned his Private

Pilot Certificate in 1929, and in 1932 he became the first black to re-

ceive his Transport License. He became friends with Dr. Albert E.

Forsythe and taught Forsythe to fly. Together, in 1934, they were the

first black pilots to make a round-trip transcontinental flight.

In 1939 Anderson initiated the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPT) at

Howard University. Soon he was hired to be the first African American

pilot instructor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which had the largest

CPT program for blacks.

He was an inspiring instructor. Although many thought it couldn’t be

done, “Chief” created expert pilots at Tuskegee. As the chief civilian

flight instructor at Tuskegee, Anderson was known and loved by the

thousands of pilots he trained during his 53 years as an instructor.

The most famous photograph of “Chief” Anderson shows him smiling

from the cockpit of his plane, as a beaming Eleanor Roosevelt sits be-

hind him. The photograph was taken in 1941 during Mrs. Roosevelt’s

fact-finding trip to Tuskegee. As First Lady, Mrs. Roosevelt did much to

promote the cause of equal opportunity for black Americans. Over the

Secret Service’s objections, she flew with Anderson to show her sup-

port for the Tuskegee program. According to Anderson, the Army Air

Corps began training blacks several days after Mrs. Roosevelt’s flight.

PRESIDENT LUTHER H. FOSTER - GIANT

Luther H. Foster is recognized as one of the outstanding educators in

America. Beginning in 1941 he served at Tuskegee Institute as busi-

ness manager and as president. In addition he was a member of the

visiting committee for the Department and Graduate School of Educa-

tion, University of Chicago; the Southern Regional Education Board; the

National Commission for Cooperative Education; and the Overseas De-

velopment Committee.

Dr. Foster's activities in the field of education extended beyond the

United States; he served on the Consultive Committee on Education in

Africa, the Committee to Study Rural Education in Africa, the Presi-

dent's Advisory Commission on International Educational and Cultural

Exchange, and the President's General Advisory Committee on Foreign

Assistance Programs. He was also decorated by the Liberian govern-

ment.

In addition to earning degrees from Virginia State College, Hampton In-

stitute, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago, he received

honorary degrees from Adams State College, the University of Liberia,

the University of Michigan, Colley College, and Loyola University of

Chicago.

DR. ALBERT MURRAY - GIANT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIlB_R9eftk

Murray, Albert (b. 1916), essayist, novelist, and cultural critic. Albert

Murray’s contribution to African-American literature has established

the value and importance of the "blues idiom as the basis for ap-

proaching life as an African American.

Born in Nokomis, Alabama, on May 12, 1916, Murray received his BS

from Tuskegee Institute in 1939. He joined the Air Force in 1943 and

retired with the rank of major in 1962. During his period in the service,

Murray earned his MA from New York, University (1948) and taught lit-

erature and composition to civilians and soldiers both in the United

States and abroad.

The Omni-Americans (1970), Murray’s first book, contains reviews, es-

says, and commentaries that engage and challenge the predominant

frameworks within which matters of "race and culture were then being

discussed. Critiquing what he called "the folklore of white supremacy

and the fake lore of black pathology," the book argues that all Ameri-

cans are multicolored and that social scientific attempts to explain

black life in America are fundamentally mistaken. His next book, South

to a Very Old Place (1971), extends that argument with a series of

memoirs, interviews, and reports that document the positive nurturing

aspects of the African-American community in the South.

In 1972, Albert Murray was invited to give the Paul Anthony Brick Lec-

tures on Ethics at the University of Missouri. These lecturers were pub-

lished as The Hero and the Blues (1973). Here Murray develops his

concept of literature in the blues idiom, a theory he eloquently prac-

ticed in the novel "Train Whistle Guitar (1974)," which won the Lillian

Smith Award for Southern Fiction. The hero of this novel received from

his family and neighbors in the segregated South the cultural equip-

ment necessary for leading a successful life-a sense of fundamental in-

dividual worth combined with community responsibility akin to the re-

lationship between the improvising jazz soloist and the supporting

band.

In 1976, Murray turned the concept of the blues idiom back on itself,

writing perhaps the best book ever published on jazz aesthetics,

Stomping the Blues, Murray collaborated with Court Basie on his auto-

biography, Good Morning, Blues (1985), and in 1991 published The

Spyglass Tree, the long-awaited sequel to his first novel. A catalog es-

say on the paintings of Romare Bearden (Romare Bearden, Finding the

Rhythm, 1991) extends Murray’s concepts of improvisation, rhythm,

and synthesis even to the realm of the visual arts.

MRS. CATHERINE MOTON PATTERSON - CLASSY GIANT

Catherine Elizabeth Moton, daughter of Tuskegee University's second

president, Dr. Robert R. Moton and wife of Dr. Frederick Douglass Pat-

terson.

In 1891, her father Robert Moton was appointed commandant of the

male student cadet corps at Hampton Institute. In 1915, after the

death of Dr. Booker T. Washington, he succeeded Washington as the

principal of the Tuskegee Institute, a position he held until retirement

in 1935. Moton Field, the initial training base for the Tuskegee Airmen

was named after him.

Dr. Patterson, Catherine's husband studied at Iowa State College,

where he received a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1923 and a

master of science degree in 1927. He was awarded a second doctorate

degree from Cornell University.

Patterson taught veterinary science for four years at Virginia State Col-

lege, where he was also Director of Agriculture. His tenure at Tuskegee

University started in 1928 and spanned almost 25 years: first as Head

of the veterinary division, director of the School of Agriculture and fi-

nally as Tuskegee's third president.

Patterson founded the School of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee in

1944, the year he also founded the United Negro College Fund.

MR. CHARLIE POLLARD - BIGGEST OF THEM ALL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TqrHiO5GwU

Survivor of the The Tuskegee syphilis experiment. Conducted between

1932 and 1972 in Tuskegee, Alabama, by the U.S. Public Health Ser-

vice. Investigators recruited 399 impoverished African-American share-

croppers with syphilis for research related to the natural progression of

the untreated disease, in hopes of justifying treatment programs for

blacks.

The 40-year study was controversial for reasons related to ethical stan-

dards, primarily because researchers failed to treat patients appropri-

ately after the 1940s validation of penicillin as an effective cure for the

disease. Revelation of study failures led to major changes in U.S. law

and regulation on the protection of participants in clinical studies, in-

cluding the necessity for informed consent, communication of diagno-

sis, and accurate reporting of test results.

When the study began in 1932, standard medical treatments for

syphilis were toxic, dangerous, and of questionable effectiveness. Part

of the study goal was to determine if patients were better off not being

treated with such toxic remedies. Additionally, researchers wanted to

understand each stage of the disease in hopes of developing suitable

treatments for each.

By 1947 penicillin had become the standard treatment for syphilis.

Rather than treat all syphilitic subjects and close the study, or split off

a control group for testing penicillin, the Tuskegee scientists continued

the study, withholding penicillin and information about it. Participants

were prevented from accessing syphilis treatment programs available

to others in the area. The study continued until 1972, when a leak to

the press resulted in its termination. Victims included numerous men

who died of syphilis, wives who contracted the disease from them, and

children born with congenital syphilis.

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, cited as "arguably the most infamous

biomedical research study in U.S. history, led to the 1979 Belmont Re-

port and the establishment of the Office for Human Research Protec-

tions. It also led to federal regulation requiring Institutional Review

Boards for protection of human subjects in studies involving human

subjects. The Office for Human Research Protections manages this re-

sponsibility within the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Charlie Pollard died in 2000.

COL. HERBERT E. CARTER - ANOTHER GIANT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQHeiJobsUk&feature=related

Herbert E. Carter, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force, retired is

a veteran fighter pilot and was a member of the original cadre of the

99th Fighter Squadron (Tuskegee's Airmen). He flew combat missions

during the North African, Sicilian, Italian and European campaigns of

World War II. During an 18 months' combat tour, he flew 77 opera-

tional missions against the German and Italian Air Forces. His unit, the

99th Fighter Squadron and other squadrons of the 332nd Fighter Group

compiled an outstanding record of performance in tactical air and

ground support of Allied Armies, including destroying 17 German air-

craft over Anzio Beach during the Allied Forces invasion of Northern

Italy.

During his military career Col. Carter flew five different types of fighter

aircraft, including the Mach II F-106 Fighter Interceptor. His assign-

ments Includes: Fighter Pilot, European theater 1943-45, Group Mainte-

nance Officer 332nd Fighter-Bomber Group, Lockbourne AFB Ohio

1945-48, Flight Test Maintenance Officer, Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio

1948-50, Professor Air Science and Commander, AFROTC Detachment

15, Tuskegee Institute 1950-55, Deputy Director Military Advisory

Group to German Air Force 1955-59, Chief of Maintenance 27th Fighter

Interceptor Squadron, Loring AFB Maine 1963-65 and Professor, Aero-

space Studies AFROTC Detachment 15 Tuskegee Institute 1965-69.

His military decoration include the Air Medal with four clusters, Air

Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, European

Theater Medal with five Bronze Stars, National Defense Medal and the

Air Force Longevity Medal.

Lt. Col. Carter earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Tuskegee In-

stitute 1955 and a Master Degree in Education In 1969.

After his Air Force retirement, Col Carter served at Tuskegee Institute

as Associate Dean for Student Services, Associate Dean for Admission

and Recruiting, Financial Aid Counselor, and is presently President of

the Tuskegee Chapter of TAI.

MR. EDWARD A. GIBBS - BIG!!

http://www.blackwingsonline.com

In his short life, Edward A. Gibbs played an important role in increasing

opportunities for African Americans in aviation. In the 1940's, he

taught those who became Tuskegee Airmen. In 1967 he founded, and

served as the first president of the Negro Airmen International (NAI).

From a handful of black flyers, the organization has now grown to in-

clude 31 chapters and hundreds of members.

MR. MILAN WILLIAMS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbEIzD4Ip_A

Milan B. Williams came from Mississippi and began playing the piano

after watching his older brother Earl, who was a multi-instrumentalist.

Prior to joining The Commodores, Milan did his keyboard-wizardry in a

rivaling band called The Jays. When The Jays disbanded, Milan was re-

cruited. He was in the very first edition of The Commodores and in

1969 traveled with the group to New York, where they recorded a sin-

gle called "Keep On Dancing" on Atlantic Records.

Among the tracks Milan wrote are The Commodores' first hit record

"Machine Gun", "The Bump", "Rapid Fire", "I'm Ready", "Better Never

Than Forever", "Mary Mary", "Quick Draw", "Patch It Up", "X-Rated

Movie", "Wonderland", "Old-Fashion Love" and "Only You" (a track Mi-

lan also produced, taken from The Commodores first Richie-less LP

"13" in 1983).

In addition, Milan penned "You Don't Know That I Know", "Let's Get

Started", "Brick House", "Too Hot Ta Trot" (with the group), "I Feel

Sanctified" (with the group and Jeffrey Bowen), "Gonna Blow Your

Mind" (with Walter Orange) and "Lay Back" (with Dennis Lambert,

Franne Gold and Martin Page). Milan, together with James Anthony

Carmichael, produced "I Wanna Rock You" (co-written by Milan with K.

Cover) and "Ain't Givin' Up" with Hawk Wolinski, a track written by Mi-

lan, Tyron Stanton and Paula E. Smith.

Milan left the Commodores in 1989, allegedly after refusing to perform

with them in South Africa.

Judge Theodore R. Newman

Judge Theodore R. Newman, Jr. was appointed to the District of Colum-

bia Court of Appeals in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford. He was desig-

nated to serve two four- year terms as Chief Judge of the Court of Ap-

peals from 1976 to 1984 and assumed Senior Judge status in 1991 af-

ter serving as an Associate Judge from 1984 to 1991.

Judge Newman was born in Birmingham and raised in Tuskegee, Al-

abama. He graduated from Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts in

1951. He then graduated from Brown University in 1955, with a Bache-

lor of Arts degree in philosophy and received his J.D.degree from Har-

vard Law School in 1958, with a concentration in constitutional law and

jurisprudence.

Following law school, Judge Newman served a three-year tour of duty

with the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate stationed in France. He

then served as an attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the Depart-

ment of Justice from September 1961 to August 1962 before entering

the private practice of law as an associate with the firm of Houston,

Bryant & Gardner in the District of Columbia. In 1968, Judge Newman

left Houston, Bryant & Gardner to become a partner in the firm of

Pratt, Bowers & Newman, also in the District of Columbia, a position

that concluded with his appointment to the Superior Court of the Dis-

trict of Columbia in 1970. Judge Newman served as an Associate Judge

on the Superior Court until his appointment to the Court of Appeals in

October 1976.

Judge Newman is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation of the Amer-

ican Bar Association. He formerly held the following positions: Trustee

of Brown University; President of the National Center for State Courts;

and Chairman of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association.

Judge Newman served as a visiting lecturer, Harvard Law School, Ad-

junct Professor, Howard University School of Law, and Adjunct Profes-

sor, Georgetown Law Center. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of

Laws (LL.D.) by Brown University in June 1980. In 1984, he received

the highest award of the National Bar Association, the C. Francis Strad-

ford Award, for his outstanding service in the struggle for equal justice.

In 1988, he was awarded the highest award of the Judicial Council of

the National Bar Association, the William H. Hastie Award, for his con-

tribution to insuring justice for all people.

Sheriff Lucius Amerson

http://www.sheriffamerson.com/background.html

As First Black Sheriff In the South Since Reconstruction, Amerson’s

election in the spring of 1966 was as a result of: the newly passed

Voter’s Right Act of 1965, overwhelming support from student activists

at Tuskegee University, and residents of rural Macon County.

Sheriff “Amos”, as citizens of the rural communities called him, was a

Korean war veteran who became known for his “no-nonsense” and “up

in your face” style of law enforcement. He won the respect of black

and white citizens for his commitment to enforce the law fairly and

equally regardless of color.

During Amerson’s first term in office, he was immediately challenged

by Jim Crow loyalists when he arrested a white Police Chief and a white

Alabama State Trooper for beating an unarmed Negro man. Both white

officers were subsequently brought to trial.

Sheriff Amerson’s election drew local and national interest. Numerous

media outlets covered his election as well as his first three terms in

office. He was featured on the cover of Jet Magazine’s March 30, 1967

edition as well as the Alabama Sheriffs Star Magazine’s summer 1983

edition.

Sheriff Amerson served five four-year terms. The late Hattie Simmons

West Kelly, Retired Dean of Women [Tuskegee Institute] summed up

the sentiments of many Negroes during his first term in office by say-

ing “ We are proud of our sheriff because he’s not afraid of anything or

anybody”. Sheriff Amerson died of natural causes in 1994 at his home

in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Before his death, Sheriff Amerson penned several chapters to his even-

tual autobiography. His son Anthony E. has picked up where his father

left off and completed the book in December 2003. When younger

Amerson is asked about his motivation for documenting his father’s

story, his response is “Who else is going to tell our stories if we don’t?

It is my hope that my dad’s story will bring more balance to our

recorded history and that it will inspire our youth to maintain the pur-

suit for equality.”

Sheriff Amerson was a founding member of The National Organization

Of Black Law Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E).