(Special to The Dallas Examiner) – I was born on Aug. 27, 1948. I was the first boy in the family and had five sisters. We lived half a block from the State Fair with only a railroad track dividing them. In 1950, we visited the State Fair on what was called Negro Day at the fair. This was my first interaction with segregation. That being said, that was the only day during the entire State Fair season that we could go. Our dad worked at the State Fair, so we were aware of Negro Day, and we went.
My second interaction with segregation was in 1960. A few of my friends and I went to the Cotton Bowl. We got in free with a paid adult. It was the Dallas Cowboys’ first game at the Cotton Bowl. Ticket sales were terrible because the main team at that time was the Dallas Texans. It was announced on the radio that adults could bring five children in free. So three of my friends and I stood against the gate and a White guy asked, “You boys want to go in?” He said, “Yes sir.” We had to sit in the end zone in the empty stadium to view the game.
Another encounter was while riding the streetcar to go downtown. My sisters and I had to sit in the back. That was cool with me because I could sit in the empty driver’s seat in the rear.
I went to James Madison High School – the name was changed from Forest Avenue High School because White students that graduated from there didn’t want Black students graduating from the same high school as them. It was so funny, because I met Mayor Tom Leppert who graduated from Forest Avenue and when I told him I graduated from Madison, and we laughed our butts off.
I worked at the Southwest Bell Telephone Company for 31 years during my time there, I volunteered for Junior Achievement, a school program at Lincoln High School that taught youth about starting and running a business for several years. I received donations from SWBT to take youth to visit Black-owned businesses in DFW to provide them with a road to owning their own businesses in the future. I also volunteered with a SWBT Minority Business Program to assist Black-owned businesses to get qualified and do business with SWBT. I was given permission from top-ranked management to visit the Black community and volunteer on company time for nonprofits and government boards. The first board in the city of Dallas was the South Dallas Fair Trust Fund.
After retiring from SWBT, I focused more on the community with KKDA Radio. I served as DJ Cousin Linnie’s Posse President. Cuz would say, “Round up the posse” when people in the community needed help that mattered to so many. We helped people every week with food, yard work and other needs. Also, I started a website for Willis Johnson and assisted The Wolfman in meeting the needs of the public. At that time, I started DFW Scoop, now Called DFWBAM. Thanks to my KKDA friends my database went from 1,500 to 94,600 today.
During this time in my life, I served on three different city of Dallas boards.
1. South Dallas Fair Park Trust Fund, first appointed by Al Lipscomb and made president by Honorable Ron Kirk. This board made loans and grants to small business owners in South Dallas only.
2. The board of adjustments, I didn’t particularly like this board because I guess it wasn’t helping people the way I wanted to help and serve.
3. The Dallas Parks and Recreation Board for 13-plus years. First appointed by four different council members, and appointed president by Mayor Laura Miller. Currently, I hold the record for the longest-serving member. Listed below are my greatest accomplishments while serving on the board. The renaming of Rochester to William Bill Blair Jr. I was instrumental in the planning for downtown parks and acquiring the Klyde Warren Deck Park, instrumental in the largest bond package for parks and recreation in the city of Dallas history. On the committee that hired Gregg Hudson for the director of the Dallas Zoo. Development of youth programs in all parts of Dallas, worked on the committee to get Bahama Beach Water Park in Southern Dallas. On the committee to hire John Jenkins, and Willis Winters as park directors, and Greg Hudson as the former Dallas Zoo president.
Other things that I volunteered on was bringing 13 new playgrounds to Southern Dallas, the Kiest Park Softball Complex, work to bring the new Cedar Crest Clubhouse and renovate the golf course, upgrades to the Cotton Bowl, advocating for $80 million to downtown parks and the renovations of four recreation centers in Southern Dallas.
Other boards that I served on include:
BATC: I also served on the board as a board member and president of the Bishop Arts Theatre Center for 20 years. We served 5 to 15,000 kids per year, a diverse organization that brought the community of Oak Cliff together. I am proud to have received the Bishop Arts Theater Center Legacy Award in 2022.
I served on the Dallas County School board, after Edna Pemberton and Jordan Blair. This board was about the safety of kids.
I was a member of the Dallas Youth Council. This board took youth on college tours, Fair Park and other places of interest.
I was a Nova Academy board member, advocating for the education of children in Dallas.
I was on the Dallas Zoo Board to entertain and educate children about animals.
I was also on the Dallas Park Foundation and the Texas Horse Park Board.
HONORS AND AWARDS:
The Brian Eberstein Unsung Community Hero Award, presented by the Elite News of Dallas
Legacy Award by Bishop Arts Theatre Center
President Obama Community Service Award
The People’s Parade Award 1/21/2013 Dr. William “Bill” Blair Jr.
Community Network Award-SBC, for serving the community
SBC Advocate of the Year-1996 For assisting Black and Hispanic business owners to do business with SBC
Helping Hands Award – DFW Minority Business Development Council
Community Hero Award, awarded by KKDA radio for outstanding work in the community
City of Dallas Service Award
Unity in the Community Award
Outstanding Community Leader Award – ALWE Inc.
Greater Southwest Black Chamber – Service Award
Coaches Corner – Community Servant Award
Summer Youth Programs – Dallas Parks and Recreation
And many more.