Dear Editor,

This past Monday, I was blessed to be able to take part in the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday.
I was unable to walk the distance, but I drove it and I felt just as good.

I was happy to see all of the young folks there for the occasion and also the seniors that were there as they drove also.

It was well a well attended and organized march and I was glad to witness the event and I want to congratulate the organizers and thank them for a job well done.

We even had visitors from other states that came to support and to take part in the march. They made mention that they had heard about the loss of the Sam’s Memorial Bogalusa Voters League (by a way of it being burned down).

It was some sadness about the situation just before the march started, but everybody regained their composure and went on with the march after the prayer with no blemishes.

Me not being a spokesman for the league nor an office holder in the Sam’s Memorial Voters League, but I wanted to give a special thanks to Mrs. Meredith (James Meredith), family of Mississippi, who has a big place of honor in the Civil Rights Movements. Just to think, what an honor, they thought enough of us to come here to help us.

As I was sitting in my car waiting for the march to start, my mind took me back to the times when I attended meetings at the league. I could just hear that big strong voice of Mr. A.Z. Young speaking to us about justice, standing up for your rights, about the importance of voting, about studying the candidate’s intentions of what they were going to do for your community, city and town of state if they were elected and believe me, he held them accountable for whatever a candidate promised to voters.

I enjoyed every meeting that I attended at the league back in the days.

I listened and paid full attention when Mr. A.Z., Mr. R.T Young, Mrs. Gayle Jenkens, Mr. Bob Hicks, Mr. Sam Barnes, Mr. Charles Sims, Mrs. Hattie Mae Dillon and etc., etc. and etc. I know I’ve missed quite a few names that could or should have been mentioned. May God bless them all. They did that.

I especially liked it when they promoted non-violence, but if you had to fight, then stand your ground.

The league was very important to this city. I’ve witnessed candidates that were seeking to get elected at some point come through the Voters League to speak with us, from the governors on across the board. I liked that, meeting with the candidate, getting to know them before getting elected. Mr. A.Z. Young and Mrs. Gayle Jenkens saw to it that we had all of the info about any candidate before we went to cast our vote. Myself, and I’ve heard others saying that we rebuilt. Seeing the picture of that building when the march caught the eyes of many, and it was a nice life-size picture of the league.

Once again, the doors to The Greater Ebenezer Church was opened to the entire city to come and celebrate the Martin Luther King Day and what a beautiful program that was put on. Thank you Dr. Raymond Mims and to your entire church family. I must say I enjoyed the whole program. Please forgive me if I have left any names out that should have been mentioned, but it was not intentional. My prayer is now to see the league be rebuilt, reopened and back into operation. That league played a very important part of this city. I surely hope and pray that the entire community pulls together and let’s get it back up and going.

Again, I would to thank you for a nice, organized, peaceful and blessed march. As being president of the Community Action Organization, I would like to offer any support we can towards helping with this project.
Please let us continue to attend our Bogalusa City Council meetings. It is just as important you be able to hear what’s going on and around your city firsthand with your own ears. I love attending the meetings and I can see the changes and hear the promises that are being and not being carried out and it’s nice to be able to render your own opinion. Your opinion might just be the one that could make the big difference in the problem or help clear the problem if there is one.

Thank you to The Daily News for allowing me to put my two cents in here.

Joel Miller Sr.
Bogalusa