Contact:

The Admissions

Coordinator

Office: (478) 445-4516Fax (478) 445-5583

Email:

vyoung@pruitthealth.com

2249 Vinson Highway Milledgeville, GA 31061

Our Mission:

The staff at Georgia War Veterans Home is committed to providing the highest quality care to veterans

with skilled nursing care needs while seeking to improve their quality of life. This includes providing support

to the Veterans in all activities of daily living in a setting that is as

home-like as possible.52264-1

2018

As we celebrate African American History Month in February, we recognize and honor the accomplishments of so many African Americans who have helped shape the face and future of our nation. From arts and entertainment to politics, poetry, sports, science and beyond, black Americans have made historic contributions to the fabric of our country and collective culture. This February, we pay special tribute to the generations of African Americans who stood up for equality, justice and opportunity in their fight for full citizenship before, during and following the civil rights era. Their struggle against adversity and their dedication to achieving and protecting equal rights serves as an example for all Americans and all the world. The Union-Recorder is celebrating Black History

Month by hosting an essay contest. The following essays are the winners of this year’s contest.

Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.– Arthur Ashe

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OAK HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL

256 Blandy Rd NW

Milledgeville, GA 31061

478-457-3370

“”Know your history

and you will always be wise.

- African adage

INNERS

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155 Hwy. 49 West •Milledgeville, GA(478) 453-6429

www.baldwincountyschoolsga.org

BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL

Home of the Braves

Congratulations to the

2018 Black History

Essay Winners

12th grade winner: Re’Gena Simone Brown from Baldwin High School

2 - Black History Month Wednesday, February 28, 2018www.unionrecorder.com

This year we asked students: Who inspires you? Tell us about a leader in American black history that inspires you to be a leader today.

My name is Re’Gena Simone Brown and I am a senior at Baldwin High School. I have been in-spired by a long list of Military service men and women in my family. I have been a member of NJROTC at Baldwin High School from 9th-12th grade. I joined NJROTC because of several of my military family members, but one in particular in-

spired my the most, my uncle Master Chief Boat-swain Mate Sherman Byrd. He was the first African American Naval Explo-sive Ordnance Disposal Technician. He worked with the United States Secret Service and guard-ed four Presidents of the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President John F. Ken-

nedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Pres-ident Richard Nixon. Whenever there was a bomb threat he was the one they called on to go in and locate the bomb and then he would take is down below sea level to be detonated. My cousin Cynthia Byrd Conner has written a book entitled “Quiet Strong” it is about the life of her father (my

uncle) Sherman Byrd. The book “Quiet Strong” is now available in hardback, paperback and e-book. My uncle had eight children and all of his children were either active in the military or worked in some capacity on a military base. Many of his grandchildren also followed in the family tra-dition and they are cur-rently serving in the Navy,

the Army, the Air Force, the Marines and the Coast Guard. In 1989 my uncle Lar-mont Emanuel a US Navy Sailor was one of the first people to arrive on the scene extinguishing burn-ing bodies, when a naval airplane made a crash landing on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower down in Pensacola Florida. My grandfather Arthur

James Emanuel was Mary McLeod Bethune’s paper boy and he too was in the US Navy. With a family so deeply rooted in the mil-itary how could I not be inspired. Upon my graduating from High School I too will take my rightful place in my family’s rich mili-tary tradition and pursue a career in the United States Air Force.

Sherman Byrd

11th grade winner: Taylor Sherwood from GMC Prep

As a frequent traveler, I often depart from Atlan-ta’s Harsfield-Jackson In-ternational Airport. I am not alone; in fact, millions travel through the world’s busiest airport each year. However, many who fly to and from Atlanta every day are unaware of the in-spiring story of one of the men for whom the airport if named after- Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first Af-rican-American mayor. Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. moved to At-lanta, Georgia when he was seven years old and later graduated from high school at only fourteen

years old. When Jackson was fifteen, he achieved his first “first” by becoming the first African-American to receive a library card to the Atlanta Public Library. At eighteen, Jackson grad-uated with a degree from Morehouse College. Edu-cation was undeniably a significant aspect of his life, and his example encourag-es me to take advantage of the academic opportunities I receive and maintain edu-cation as a high priority in my life. After working in various fields, in 1968, the same year the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was mur-

dered, Jackson decided to run for Senator against white supremacist Herman Tallmadge against all odds. Although he only won ap-proximately a third of the statewide vote, he domi-nated the polls in Atlanta. Instead of succumbing to his defeat, the next year Jackson ran for and won the position of vice mayor of Atlanta. He profoundly exemplified characteris-tics that should be demon-strated in all - tenacity, determination, persever-ance and persistence - and proved that these attri-butes can lead to success, despite previous failure.

But Jackson didn’t stop there. In 1973, Jackson believed he could unseat the current mayor of At-lanta in the upcoming election. At age thirty-five, after attaining just under sixty percent of the votes, Jackson expanded Jack-son became the first Afri-can-American mayor of a major Southern metrop-olis. He quickly changed the political and economic environment of Atlanta for the better, always working for equality and striving to make a positive difference. During his time as mayor, Jackson expanded opportu-nities of African Americans

in the police department and improved business opportunities for African Americans. In fact, African Americans contracts with the City of Atlanta increased to thirty-five percent from a low of less than one percent during his tenure. Jackson also successfully oversaw the construction of a new terminal at the Hartsfield Atlanta International Air-port, which in 2003 would be changed to its current name to honor Jackson’s legacy. In addition to these tri-umphs, Jackson was an im-portant figure who helped Atlanta host the 1996

Olympic Games. Maynard Jackson is irre-futably an excellent leader, an inspiration to others, in-cluding myself, even today. He inspires me to gain knowledge, take risks, lead and support those around me, regardless of appear-ance. So next time you pass by to through Hartsfield-Jack-son International Airport, remember the man who was instrumental in the development of modern Atlanta, and live up to his legacy by leading in your community and making a positive impact on the world as well.

Maynard Jackson

Salutes Black History Month & Proud of the Accomplishments

of Local African American Leaders!

375 Blandy Rd Milledgeville, GA 31061

(478) 457-249552852-1

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Black History Month - 3 www.unionrecorder.com

10th grade winner: Jacob Kauzlarich from GMC Prep

As a military child, pro-fessional sports teams are challenging to support. I moved around a lot and am unable to choose only one city to support. On the other hand, my younger brother is extremely loyal when it comes to profes-sional football. His love for the Baltimore Ravens began after watching The Blind Side for the first time. The main character, Michael Over, is drafted to the Ravens at the end of the movie. My brother tried to watch Baltimore

play every Sunday of the movie. He started to learn every player and fell in love with their middle linebacker. Ray Lewis, the middle linebacker, was the cap-tain of the defense. He would play every defen-sive snap and be near to every tackle. Ray Lewis changed the way I play sports today. The next year, my po-sition in football was changed to linebacker. Initially I was completely lost, but then I sat down

to watch a Raven’s game with my brother. When the players ran onto the field, my brother told me to was the one guy walk out. He ran to the end zone and started to dance; however, unlike most young athletes, his jig was not contemporary. He did a personalized mark of dominance that involved sliding to each side and beating his chest. Lewis confident enough to dance his own way, and after watching him play, I saw his confidence trans-

ferred towards the field. He was vocal in the cen-ter of the field and kept his men well informed. Talking to teammates is a skill I use today. This past weekend, my team played a tough game of soccer against Harlem. My booming voice was a constant reminder to my team of the threats around them. Lewis demonstrat-ed effective communica-tion. After watching Lewis play, my brother and I looked him up on the in-

ternet. Unfortunately, we found out he killed a man in the bar fight. The fact made us rethink our deci-sion to idolize the player; however, my father ex-plained that Lewis grew from the experience and kept living his life. The lesson to learn from the past is a daunting task to complete, but it will help one to grow. I learn from and do not dwell on past encounters with classmates when we are grouped together be-cause part of the evolu-

tion of learning is learn-ing and moving on. The assignment does not have feelings; the effort that is placed and the lessons learned are all that mat-ter. Learning from the past is key to leadership. Ray Lewis is a leader I admire. Watching him play was a sight to behold. He taught me to be con-fident in communicating and to move on from past mistakes. Lewis is a mon-ster of a football player and an inspiration for young football players.

Ray Lewis

9th grade winner: Emilie Sherwood from GMC Prep

There have been many influential leaders throughout American history. Rosa Parks was one who inspired many at the time of the civil rights movement and who con-tinues to inspire many to-day. Rosa Parks’ example motivates me to be a qui-et leader of change. Rosa Parks was not a typical leader during the

civil rights movement in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the leaders of this move-ment, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. or Mal-com X, were very vocal about their beliefs and their desires for change. They were seeking to have equal rights for all Americans, regardless of skin color. Rosa Parks

was not one who went around protesting loud-ly. However, what she is remembered for is her small act of bravery that helped inspire others to take charge and fight for their rights. After a long day at work, Rosa Parks board-ed a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Rather than move to the back of the

bus where blacks were required by law to sit, she sat down near the front of the bus. The bus driver asked her to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white passenger who wanted her seat. She qui-etly refused to move and was arrested. Her desire for equal treatment on the bus and elsewhere

was one of the many sparks that started the push for civil rights. Even though I may not influence a national movement for equality like Rosa Parks did, I can still make an impact on many people. When I lead at school, at home, and in sports, I don’t have to be in the forefront to be a leader. By choosing to

stick to my beliefs every day, even in small ways, I can lead. If I see someone being treated unfairly or unkindly, I don’t have to protest loudly, but I can quietly make a difference by standing up for what I know is right. My coura-geous example, like Rosa Parks’, can inspire oth-ers and impact the world around me for the better.

Rosa Parks

Black History Facts n The first black U.S. senator was Hiram Revels in 1870. The day he officially joined Congress, “visitors in the Senate galleries burst into applause as ... [he] entered the chamber to take his oath of office,” according to the Senate website. n Carter G. Woodson was the son of former enslaved Africans James and Eliza Riddle Woodson. He gained a master’s degree at the University of Chicago in 1908, and in 1912, he received a Ph.D. in history from Harvard Uni-versity. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History” started Negro History week in 1926, which later became Black History Month.n February was chosen as the month to observe Black his-tory because it is the birth month of abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14) and President Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12).n The U.S. armed forces were integrated after World War II under a 1948 executive order by President Harry S. Truman.n One of the first black units to join the Union forces in the Civil War, the 54th had the eyes of the nation upon it. The company, which was largely composed of freed black slaves from various northern states, earned its fame in the July 18, 1863, battle at Battery Wagner. It was assigned the

challenge of leading the assault on this Confederate fort, which was located on an island near Charleston, S.C.n Muhammad Ali,the self-proclaimed “greatest [boxer] of all time,”was originally named after his father,who was named after the 19th-cen-tury abolitionist and pol-itician Cassius Marcellus Clay. n Allensworth is the first all-black Califor-nian township, founded and financed by African Americans. Created by Lt. Col. Allen Allensworth in 1908,the town was built with the intention of es-tablishing a self-sufficient city where African Amer-icans could live their lives free of racial prejudice. n Before Wally Amos became famous for his “Famous Amos”chocolate chip cookies, he was a tal-

ent agent at the William Morris Agency, where he worked with the likes of the Supremes and Simon & Garfunkel. n Louis Armstrong learned how to play the cornet while living at the Colored Waif ’s Home for Boys.

Congratulations to the 2018 Essay Contest Winners

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8th grade winner: David Butts from Georgia College Early College

My Inspiration I am inspired by Freder-ick Douglass. He has made it through many struggles and still managed to spread his message of freedom. He spent years in slavery by en-dured it so that he may live in freedom one day. This inspires me to overcome the challenges I face in life and to thrive to become better.

His Struggle According to biography.com, Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, around 1818 with the name Frederick Augustus Wash-ington Bailey. Douglass lived with his mother until he was put into a plantation, which may have held his fa-ther. His mother died when he was around 10 years

old. A slave owner, named Sophia Auld, taught Doug-lass how to read and write, even though this disobeyed the ban on African-Amer-ican education. Douglass would read newspapers and would direct his reading towards political writing. Douglass would teach other African-Americans to read the Bible during church ser-vices. This later was discon-tinued due to slave owners not liking Douglass teaching them how to read. Douglass was later transferred to the slave owner Edward Covey. Edward Covey was known to break slaves, and he phys-ically abused Douglass until Douglass fought back. On September 15, 1838, Douglass married a free woman by the name of

Anna Murray. However, for the marriage to happen they had to escape the South. On September 3, 1838, Doug-lass and Murray boarded a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland. Using a sailor’s suit, given to him by Mur-ray, and the identification papers of a free man, Dou-glass was able to make it to a safe house in New York. It is there that he and Murray married each other. history.com recognizes Douglass as an important African-American leader because of his contributions as an abolitionist, a write and an orator. In addition to several autobiographies, he edited a black newspa-per, called “The North Star,” for 16 years. Douglass gave speeches where he would

talk about topics such as racism and slavery. He was also a supporter of the early women’s rights movement. The Democrat and Chron-ical states, in June of 1872, at the Equal Rights Party Con-vention, Douglass was nom-inated for vice president of the United States. Douglass, however, didn’t act upon his nomination and paid no attention to campaigning. Although he never became vice president, his support of causes such as civil rights and women’s rights influ-enced politics.

My Motivation Douglass faced many ob-stacles throughout his life. Learning about his strug-gles and accomplishments made me think of how I slack off or act lazy some-

times. The determination he had to escape and suc-ceed makes me want to work harder to achieve greater goals in life. He makes me want to work harder and prove my worth as a young African-Amer-ican male. The fact that he tried to escape two other times before he was able to do it successfully shows me that sometimes it takes more than one try for you to achieve your initial goal. Not having his own fam-ily throughout life shows me that he had the ability to work hard for his own. Receiving help from his owners shows me that he had the ability to work hard for his own. Receiving help from his owners shows me that you might get help

from the most unexpected people. I am currently in-volved in many organiza-tions designed to help me develop as a leader. These include Kappa League and Jack and Jill of America inc. I also play soccer and a band member for Oak Hill Middle School. I am a member of Flagg Chap-el Baptist Church where I serve as a junior deacon and sing in the junior choir. I currently attend classes with Georgia College Early College. The story of Fred-erick Douglass inspires me to work harder to graduate college early and to take advantage of all the oppor-tunities the organizations I belong to make my family proud and to be the best person I can be.

Frederick Douglass

4 - Black History Month Wednesday, February 28, 2018www.unionrecorder.com

7th grade winner: Toler Dixon Thompson from GMC Prep

Justice Thurgood Marshall was one of the greatest legal minds our country has every had the benefit of being influenced by. Marshall was one of the bravest attor-ney activists that the United States has ever had. Before he was nominated and sworn in as a Supremem Court Justice, Marshall fearlessly fought and is responsible for desegregation of public schools. Before he would accomplish all of this he would be the founder and executive director of the legal defense fund for the NAACP. Born in 1908 and being a descendant of slaves on both sides of his family, Thur-good Marshall would be raised by parents who had a great respect for the law. They instilled in him a respect for the Constitu-tion. Marshall graduated from Frederick Doug-las High School a year early. He then went on to attend Lincoln University. There he became a member of Lincoln University’s chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the first collegiate fraternity formed by Af-rican Americans by African Americans. After marrying Vivien Burney in 1929, Thurgood Marshall would graduate from Lincoln University. After graduating from Lincoln University, Marshall wanted to attend the University of Maryland School of Law. He could not attend because he was African-American and would have to attend Howard University School of Law. In 1933 Marshall graduated law school first in his class. He would become staff attor-ney for the national chapter of the NAACP. At only 33 years old, Thurgood Marshall

would be he founder of the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund. His career would take the direction of arguing cases involving civil rights. One of his first cases would be to take on the University of Maryland School of Law, the school who would not let him attend simply because he was African American. After Marshall represented the petition-er in Pearson vs. University of Maryland, the Maryland Court of Appeals integrated the school that once denied him. In 1954 Thurgood Marshall would argue the case of Brown vs. Board of Education in the United States Supreme Court. This is the landmark case that ruled that separate public education is not equal education and desegregated schools across the coun-try. Thurgood Marshall was one of the great-est legal minds of the time. President John F. Kennedy nominated Marshall to the Court of Appeals in 1961. President John nominated Marshall to be the U.S. Solic-itor General in 1965. At that time in 1965, that was the highest public office any Afri-can American had ever held. In 1967 he became Justice Thurgood Marshall and joined the United States Su-preme Court. While there he worked to ex-pand the rights of individuals, to include the rights of women. Marshall always said, “You do what you think is right and let the law catch up.” That was a practice he followed un-til health problems led to his retirement from the Supreme Court in 1991. Marshall passed away in 1993 in Bethesda, Md.

Thurgood Marshall

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Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Black History Month - 5 www.unionrecorder.com

6th grade winner: Shriyansh Parekh from GMC Prep

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most, if not the most influential Black activist of all time. How-ever, some of the less no-ticed but very important leaders go over looked. One of these is Thurgood Marshall. As the first Af-rican American justice in U.S. history, he inspired many lives like my own to think about what I can do. Thurgood Marshall bat-tled through his struggles and became an influential character in the black his-

tory. In his early days, Thur-good Marshall attend-ed a racially segregated schools that were avail-able in Baltimore, Mary-land. Marshall graduated from Lincoln University. He received a law degree from Howard University and came under the influ-ence of Charles Hamilton Houston. Charles Hamil-ton Houston was the dean of the law school that Mar-shall attended. Marshall’s early life was very law

filled just like his future. Marshall began to move around the U.S. He be-came an attorney for the NAACP from 1934 and 1961. During this time, he battled many racial cas-es due to his past racial experience. Marshall ex-ploited the laws to help African Americans, earn-ing him the name “Mr. Civil Rights.” He argued 32 cases, and prevailed 29 of the 32. One of these cases known as Brown vs. Board of Education inval-

idated state-enforced ra-cial segregation in schools. His life was soon going to change as he reached na-tional levels of court. In his late years as a judge, Marshall achieved national levels of courts. President John F. Ken-nedy appointed Marshall to the U.S. Court of Ap-peals in 1961. After being in Court of Appeals for 4 years, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Marshall as solicitor gen-eral. Finally, the highlight

of Marshall’s life came when President Johnson appointed him to the Su-preme Court. During Jus-tice Marshall’s time in the Supreme Court, he battled many gender and racial cases and even challenged all cases with the death sentence. No justice has been more liberating for gender and racial discrim-ination and violence. In conclusion, Thurgood Marshall inspires me be-cause he battled through racism, showing strength.

He worked hard to become an attorney showing dedi-cation. Finally, Thurgood Marshall showed courage because he showed the world how great one man and his fair thought pro-cess could change the sys-tem and its laws. I plan to follow in Marshall’s foot steps, being hard working, strong and dedicated to-wards my goals. Thurgood Marshall was a great man and inspired many young men and wom-en.

Thurgood Marshall

5th grade winner: Daisy Hardigree from Lakeview Academy

As many know, Harri-ett Tubman is a very well known name all over. Many recognize her as one of the most import-ant Underground Rail-road conductors ever. She never lost a single pas-senger and always stayed on track. She neither dilly-dallied nor forgot what she was supposed to be doing. I chose Har-riet not because I knew a good deal about her al-ready, but because she really does inspire me to always stand up for what I believe in, even if nobody else is willing to go on the journey with you. When-ever she had an idea, if it was her choice, that idea WAS going to be reality. Her strength was that she never ever gave up. Even though she was separated from much of her family when she was young, she always found a way to keep in touch. I aspire to be her because no matter what the circumstances, she was never wrong or right (in her opinion) be-cause all that mattered to her is that SOMEONE heard her voice stand out from the crowd.

Around 1826, Harriet was six years old. Her life EN-TIRELY changed in one day’s time. Earlier that day, two of her older siblings were carried right off when her family’s owner decided to sell them. But it really rattled her when they took her, a little girl who barely know how to defend her-self. Knowing that one day this may happen, her dad had prepared her with many survival tips that he had taught her. The good part is that this would NOT be the last time she would be with her family. Once, after she was much older and free, she even helped her sister, husband, and their children become just like her, FREE! After Harriet had be-come a free woman, she always made sure that she kept up with what her family was doing back home in Maryland. But one day, she had bad news that her sister was going to be sold and sep-arated from her children and husband John. So, knowing that her husband was born a free man, and

her sister not, she decided to get in touch with him. When she finally got hold of him, she found out that her sister had already been take, but not yet sold. So, eagerly she gave John special instructions to go to the auction, tell them that the slave over found a new holder for her, and tell them that John was that man. The guards at the auc-tion actually fell for it! Next, John, her sister, and their kids had to hop in a boat, sail down a riv-er (which took them two days), hop in a carriage with an old woman who would take them to a house of a Quaker, and he would take them to Har-riet! The perfect plan that actually worked, and they were never even caught. I included these two sto-ries from Harriet’s life be-cause it proves my point that she is a very good role model for anyone and everyone. She never gave up, always stood for what she believed in, and did not let anyone prove her wrong. I love learn-ing more and more about her, because even though

I really had nothing to do with either the Civil War nor the Civil Rights Move-ment, it is very inspiring to look back at everything she did to help people that did go through it. The most important thing about Harriet is that even though she loves helping others so much and could never say no to innocent people, she never forgot about herself. She AL-WAYS insisted on making her dreams come true. Harriet even some-times helped people who she knew that did wrong. Except for one day while working in the corn fields, there were many differ-ent slaves there that day shucking corn. One young man decided to make his escape towards freedom, and she decided to follow him. The overseer (per-son making sure slavs did as thy were told) ran after him. The young man made it all the way to a store where the overseer had him cornered. Harri-et watched as the overseer called to her wanting her to help him tie the man up. Yet, she didn’t move. Just a second after, the

young man slipped right past the overseer. Harriet blocked the overseer from going out the door so that the young man could es-cape. It was her first time ever helping someone to-wards freedom, but defi-nitely another last. The overseer, angry, picked up a two pound weight and threw it towards the young man. It missed him, but hit Harriet right in the forehead. She was unconscious and bleeding on the ground. She would have to go back to her moth-er who would nurse her for as long as needed. This is how she earned the scar that would help many slave drivers/own-ers identify her so they could turn her in for the $40,000 reward on her name. I don’t understand why anyone would want to turn in a woman who was changing the mistakes they had already made. I know that they thought she was int he wrong, but in reality it was them. They were afraid of some-thing new. They were afraid of change! Which

is why they thought that African-American people belonged in the crop fields and kitchens, waiting on them hand and foot, just because they were differ-ent. But just as she should have, Harriet knew she was in the right and nev-er looked back. She never gave it a second thought, to just sit back and let slavery happen. She for-got about all the men and women wanting her back in those crop fields, or worse, dead. All this just because people back then did not like the idea of changing this world into something better. And honestly, still don’t. But that’s just how the world worked, and Har-riet knew that. So, she decided that she could at least try to make a change. A change that would inspire generations and generations to come to-gether to do the same. Although people around her were doing wrong, she chose to do right. She chose to make a difference and stand out from most. This is why I aspire to be just like Harriet Tubman!

Harriet Tubman

6 - Black History Month Wednesday, February 28, 2018www.unionrecorder.com

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Black History Month - 7www.unionrecorder.com

Honorable Mentions9th grade: Andrew Westberry from GMC Prep

Nichelle Nichols in-spires me because of the things she has fought for as well as the tragedies she has endured. Nichelle Nichols was born on Dec. 28, 1932 in Robbins, Illi-nois, near Chicago, to Sam a poor factory worker, and Lishia Nichols. She got her debut singing int he 1961 musical “Kicks and Co.” She then starred on the covers of magazines like Ebony and sang in shows with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. In 1964, aspiring tele-

vision director Gene Rod-denberry gave her the op-portunity to guest star in an episode of his first TV show, “The Lieutenant.” After the episode was shot Roddenberry saw her po-tential and approached Nichelle and offered her a role as a supporting char-acter named Lieutenant Uhura, the communica-tions officer of the Enter-prise, in his new project he called “Star Trek.” The show was an immense suc-cess, ad the saga continues today.

At the end of the first sea-son, Nichols decided to quit “Star Trek” and pur-sue her dreams of Broad-way. The day after she quit the show she went to an NAACP fundraiser. At the event she was told a huge fan of the show wanted to meet her, and she agreed to meet him. She was sur-prised to learn the fan was Martin Luther King Jr. himself! She informed him that she had quit the show and he responded by say-ing that “Star Trek” was the only show he and Lo-

retta would let their kids stay up and watch. He then went on to say that she was a hope to black people in America and around the world because she showed them that they could be as good as or better than white people. She was inspired by his words and went back to working on the show the next season. In November of 1968, she and the main character of the show, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) performed the first televised interracial

kiss. When the show was can-celled in 1969 she went on to more important work: she began campaigning at NASA to allow black and female astronauts. Her project was a gargantuan success and a leap forward for civil rights, for black Americans, and for wom-en. Her work sent astro-nauts like Dr. Sally Ride, the first female astronaut, and Col. Guion Bluford, the first black astronaut, to space. After the death

of her brother in the Heaven’s Gate mass cult suicide in 1997, two mar-riages and divorces, and a stroke in 2015, she still continues to go to conven-tions and to act. Nichelle Nichols inspires me to be a leader by using connec-tions that I already have to help achieve my goals. She used her connec-tions with Roddenberry and people she knew to NASA to inspire others and to achieve social and astronomical feats no one dared to attempt before.

Nichelle Nichols

Robert Sherwood from GMC Prep

Robert Smalls was a slave from a Beaufort, South Carolina. He was born before the civil war and influenced the out-come of the war. Robert grew up near the town of Beaufort, South Carolina and worked on planta-tions. He would later sail his way to freedom. Growing up as a slave was difficult, as Robert was put to work in the fields around age six. Even though he was fa-vored by the owner more than the other kids, life on the plantation made him hate slavery and think it

was absurd. Robert lat-er worked in Charleston, which became a major Confederate for that was blockaded by the Union during the war. Robert married his wife Hannah and they lived in fear that they would be separated from their chil-dren by being sold away. Because of this fear, Rob-ert hatched a daring plan. He wanted to escape in a boat to freedom. He talked it over with other slaves, and decided to do it on May 12, 1862. Robert carried out the first part of the plan as

evening fell upon the docks at Charleston. Robert convinced the crewman of the Plant-er, a Confederate ship, to come aboard for the night. Robert said that he would watch the boat. As a well-known figure around the docks, the crewman trusted Robert and came onshore. Rob-ert then hopped on the boat and silently sailed away. Robert went and picked up his family, along with several other men, women, and chil-dren. At this point in time, there was no go-

ing. They would have to stick to the plan. If they got caught, Robert and everyone else would be executed. After nearing the first fort, Robert gave the correct secret signal he had found in a book in the captain’s cabin. The attendant at the fort al-lowed them to pass. The same thing happened at the next fort. They were closer to freedom than ever be-fore. Robert sailed to-ward the Union blockade fearlessly. As the Union readied to fire, Robert

raised a white flag, mean-ing “I surrender.” The Union was astonished, and quickly climbed onto the ship. Robert came to attention, saluted, and promptly told the soldiers that he had ammunition, cannons, guns and a boat to give to the cause of the Union. After the war, Robert be-came one of the first Afri-can American politicians in South Carolina. He served in many political callings for the state, and even served not he House of Representatives. This was a remarkable

accomplishment for a for-mer slave. Robert Smalls inspires me to become a better leader. His bravery and will-ingness to take risks even though he and his family could have died inspires me to be brave when I face hard things. He used his intelligence and knowl-edge of the harbor to save not only himself, but through his compassion, his family and others. I can used my knowl-edge and talents to help not only myself but to lead others in a positive way.

Robert Smalls

8 - Black History Month Wednesday, February 28, 2018www.unionrecorder.com 8 - Black History Month Wednesday, February 28, 2018www.unionrecorder.com

DETERMINATION

PROGRESS

SUCCESS

In the face of adversity, African Americans throughout history have worked hard to pave the way for future

generations. During Black History Month, we salute their accomplishments and celebrate the African American men and women who continue to uphold a rich heritage full of

pride and outstanding achievement.