THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE AND TIMELY RECORD-KEEPING TO THE LIFE AND HISTORY OF BLACK AMERICANS

The Importance of Accurate and Timely Record-Keeping to the Life and History of Black Americans Recently, Fred Gray, Marion Jordon, and William Still have all made the same point: That any people must maintain accurate and timely records of the major events in every day life, which are the grist and substance of their unique history. Everything has a history. Trees have rings and roots, which tell theirs. Rocks have minerals, colors and textures, which tell theirs. Animals leave ossified fossils in layered sediment, which tell theirs. Even gamma ray bursts tell the history of star formation and destruction from over ten billion of years ago. Man, of course, leaves monuments, fossils, and minutes--writings on clay, granite, papyrus scrolls, wood, or paper, to tell his story for those that follow to read and to glory in. William Still, an escaped slave, wrote the UNDERGROUND RAILROAD based upon records that he had maintained, while serving in the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society offices. There he had assisted thousands of slaves, materially, financially, familiarly, and logistically. Quite often he helped anonymously, or through others, due to such critical support being declared Constitutionally and statutory illegal across the country. To assist escaping slaves, was an inherently dangerous activity! Among those that the great William Still helped on their journey to Canada, was the great and now-renown Harriet Tubman, and her family members. Still, fortunately for us in this century, understood the value, short and long-term, of accurate and timely record keeping. His thrilling book is an historical masterpiece, an abolitionist who's who, and a literary tour de force! Attorney Fred Gray told me directly in Miami Beach, Florida, at the National Bar Association Convention in August 2013, that it was important that blacks tell their own story or someone else will. He said that, as he was handing me a personally autographed copy of the updated and revised, 2013 edition, of his autobiography, BUS RIDE TO JUSTICE. I had already read his earlier edition, as well as his sister's book, THE FRED GRAY STORY, well over 10 years ago , and I could not agree more! Gray has dedicated his life to "destroying everything segregated" that he could find, he writes. In case after historic case, he proves true to his secret/sacred pledge, with a quiet, unassuming efficiency based upon sound legal methods. From the Montgomery Bus Boycott, to the personal representation of Martin Luther King,Jr. , to Birmingham and it numerous litigations, to the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, and others, Gray is true to his troth. Rev. Gray, also a Church of Christ preacher, walks the walk, talks the talk, writes the writs, and rights the wrongs, in case after immortal case! Marion Jordon is the Editor and publisher of THE KC GLOBE weekly newspaper, a successful food processor and distributor, and a close friend of mine. He recently published a celebratory 40-year anniversary issue commemorating his and other black KC businesses' longevity. He has requested that I paradigmatically synthesize the articles therein to enable a vision, a perspective that transcends mere colloquialisms. He noted that our people will comment, but that too few will write! Truth once again is spoken. So, an author-abolitionist from the antebellum and "Reconstruction"era, William Still; an iconic trial lawyer-author from the Civil Rights era, Fred Gray; and a businessman-newspaper publisher in the present era, Marion Jordon, all agree on the importance of timely and accurate record-keeping for life and history. I could not agree more!