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I'M THE PASTOR, FIRST SIGNED BAPTIST CHURCH, 1221 SOUTH CALDWAY BOULEVARD IN JEFFERSON, LOUISIANA.
WELL, I WAS CHOSEN AT, UH, FROM JOHN H. MARTIN, UH, TO GO TO EAST JEFFERSON THE FIRST YEAR TO INTEGRATION.
EAST JEFFERSON WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST BOYS SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA, AND WE, UH, WENT OVER THERE IN THE 10TH GRADE.
THERE WAS 23 OF US, I THINK, BUT THREE US GRADUATED.
IT WAS A, UH, A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
MY MOTHER WOULD CRY EVERY EVENING AND SHE'D COME LOOKING FOR ME WHEN ID COME HOME.
UH, WE HAD, UH, UH, A LOT OF, UH, UH, FIGHTING, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, NAME CALLING AND, UH, UH, POLICEMAN.
UH, THEY BROUGHT US TO JAIL SEVERAL TIMES.
IT, IT WAS, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE P T S D FOR ME, AFTER GRADUATION FROM SCHOOL, TOOK A WHILE TO RECUPERATE AND GET MYSELF TOGETHER.
THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS OR THE FIRST WEEK, IT WAS UNBEARABLE.
WE HAD TO HAVE AT ESCORTS AT THERE, AT THE SCHOOL.
UH, SOMETIME THEY HAD DOGS IN THE HALLWAY, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING US FROM, FROM CLASS TO CLASS.
THE MOST, UH, HARBOR TIME IS FROM WHEN WE CHANGE CLASSES, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE THAT SLAP YOU ON THE HEAD OR THEY'LL THROW STUFF AT YOU, YOU KNOW, AND THEY CALL YOU, UH, KNOW NAMES.
I GOT, UH, HIT A COUPLE TIMES WITH, WITH OBJECTS THAT THEY THREW AT ME.
FOR INSTANCE, ONCE I GOT HIT IN MY FOREHEAD, WHICH IS A SCAR STILL THERE, I AM ABSOLUTELY, UH, PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE DONE.
AND I, I LOOK BACK AND, AND I, I, I THANK GOD FOR THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT, UH, UH, I SET THE TRAIL AWAY FOR THOSE TO COME BEHIND.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A, IT WAS A POSITIVE BECAUSE I, I REALIZED HOW LITTLE I KNEW AND HOW MUCH I HAD TO GROW TO KEEP UP WITH SOCIETY, AND IT BENEFITED ME IN THE AIR FORCE AND IN COLLEGE.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY CRITICAL THAT WE REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM AND THEN WE HAVE A, WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL THE BLACKS, UH, TO REMEMBER THAT A, A FREEDOM IS COST SOMEBODY A LIFE OR THE TIME OR INJURY IT COSTS TO HAVE, TO HAVE THE FREEDOM THAT WE HAVE.
AND THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.