70 YEARS (1954) AFTER BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS HEARD IN THE SUPREME COURT AND SEGREGATED SCHOOLS WERE OUTLAWED IN AMERICA–POLITICIANS HAVE SINCE SUCCESSFULLY TURNED BACK THE CLOCK—WITH THE HELP OF A FEW SPOOKS THAT ARE SITTING BEHIND THE DOOR. THIS IS PERSONAL WITH ME, SERVERAL OF MY FRIENDS AND MENTORS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS STRUGGLE FOR AN EQUAL EDUCATION-THEY WERE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!

Hattie and I visit President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in 1969

My friend and Spingarn High School basketball teammate Spotswood Bolling was a plaintiff in the 1954 Brown versus Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling. Spotswood is seen celebrating with his mother at their home in SE DC. In 1954 he was a student attending Sousa Middle School at the time of the ruling.  He was later invited to the White House to meet with Vice-President Richard Nixon.

I remember we were in high school during basketball practice when I told him I had met Vice-President Richard Nixon and I had become his caddy on the weekends. Spotswood dribbled around me and said, (paraphasing), “Been there and done that!”

This leads me back to segregated schools, Roe vs Wade, voting rights for Black America being attacked by politicians nation wide (redistricting), and Critical Race Theory.

Spotswood, US Marshall/Judge, Luke C. Moore and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall must be turning over in their graves, to know that politicians have successfully turned back the clock when it comes to the quiet return of segregated schools in America. 

It all comes down to, “Who Can You Trust on Capitol Hill” and you can also add, “Who can you trust on the Supreme Court?” Trump has made Black Americans, “Damage Goods” with his recent appointments!

As I write this blog the politicians are 24 hours away from shutting down the government. As they shut down the government, millions of American citizens will be out of work, including military personel around the world. But guess who won’t be missing a meal or a paycheck? The working stiffs on Capitol Hill! They will ride, or fly away to their villars in the suburbs and have no problem leaving everyone else behind (strike was averted in last minute).

Let us not forget their history during difficult times, especially, their colleague like former Congressman William Jeffereson (D-Louisanna). It was on August 3, 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson’s home in Northeast Washington as noted in an 83-page affidavit filed to support a subsequent raid on his Congressional office. The FBI found $90,000 in cash in his freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen-food.

Next door in Prince Georges County former County Executive Jack Johnson was also arrested for taking brides. In a raid on his home no money was found hidden in his freezer, but thousands of dollars were found hidden in his wife Lesley”s bloomers ($76,600)! May 17, 2011, Johnson pleaded guilty to extortion and witness-and evidence-tampering. He served most of his seven-year and three-month sentence at the Cumberland Federal Correctional Institution. His wife Lesley served one-year in jail for witness and evidence tampering. Proving crime does pay–she ran for office on the PG City County and won in 2010.

Recently, Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey took accepting brides to a new level, when the FBI raided his home and found gold bars and a stash of cash ($500,00) hidden in his suit pockets. Menendez explained, the money was drawn from his personal bank account in case of a family emergency. The gold bars and brand new Mercedes Benz in his driveway, he never explained.

In the meantime, the American Black Farmers were once promised 40 Acres and a Mule, are now being held hostage by Tom Vilsack and the Agriculture Department. Vilsack refuses to allocate over 5.1 billion dollars or funds necessary under the America Rescue Plan Act, approved by President Joe Biden to help Black Farmers to save their farms. Something is wrong with this picture!

In 1954 Thurgood Marshall was the lead attorney who argued the case of segregated schools in the Supreme Court and won. 

My friend and mentor Luke C. Moore was the US Marshall-In Charge during that turbulent period in American History.  This is the same history that Governors, DeSantis in Florida and Youngum in Virginia do not want Black and White children to learn as they lead the charge by implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in our schools across America. 

Thurgood Marshall would go on to become a giant for the civil rights and human rights of all Americans. He was appointed Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court in 1967-1991. He died in 1993.

In a interview with Judge Moore on “Inside Sports” he explained what losingThurgood meant to everyone, no matter black or white! He was a champion for all the people. https://studio.youtube.com/video/Fkafk63frbg/edit?o=U

Luke with homeboy, Chief Judge Eugene Hamilton and me.

 Luke was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1955 and joined the Washington, D.C. law firm of Cobb, Howard & Hayes where he remained until 1959 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.  In 1962, President Kennedy appointed Luke Chief United States Marshal for the District of Columbia.   With that appointment Luke became the first African American to serve as Chief Marshal in any Federal District since President Rutherford B. Hayes appointed Frederick Douglass as U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia in 1877.  His appointment came just months before the Ole Miss crisis with James Meredith.

In 1967 Luke was assigned by President John F. Kennedy to go to Mississippi to lead a larger contingent of US Marshall, after three attempts by Chief U.S. Marshal J.P. McShane, who led a small contingent of marshals to enroll Meredith, but were blocked by Mississippi politicians and state troopers.

President Kennedy ordered a much larger group of deputy U.S. marshals, a 127 man contingent, to carry out the court order and to protect Meredith.  After Meredith successfully enrolled on October 1, this larger contingent was supervised by U.S. Marshal Luke Moore.

Under orders from President Kennedy, over 300 U.S. Border Patrol agents were made special deputies, bring the total number of federal law enforcement officials to 538.  They were soon tested. 

On October 1, ten days after his admission was first blocked by Mississippi officials, Meredith finally became a student at Ole Miss.  Later that day rioting broke out on the Ole Miss campus.  The marshals and federal troops were called up to restore order.  By the time the violence ended two men were killed including a French journalist and 28 deputy marshals were wounded by gunfire.

Following the initial confrontation, US Marshall Luke Moore was assigned to work directly under Chief Marshal McShane and U, S Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Luke, supervised, coordinated and monitored the U.S. Marshal’s activity in Oxford.  In his supervisory capacity Luke traveled to Oxford on numerous occasions although few knew of his role and his visits at the time.

Luke was not the only African American Marshal involved in the Ole Miss integration.  Black deputy U.S marshals were not allowed to participate in the initial integration confrontation but soon afterwards they became a regular part of the Meredith security detail.  The Kennedy Administration did not send those same US Marshals in September and October, 1962, he feared that their presence would further inflame the racist crowds opposed to the integration of Ole Miss. 

In this regard the Kennedy Administration was following a precedent established by President Eisenhower during the 1957 Little Rock Crisis, when he called out the 101st Airborne to the city to enforce a desegregation order and protect the nine black high school students designated to integrate the school.   Eisenhower ordered that only white soldiers of the unit be sent to Little Rock.

Once Meredith was enrolled, however, African American marshals were assigned to his security detail at Ole Miss.  Eight of these marshals, Richard Kirk Bowden, James Palmer, Howard Riley, Oscar Spearman, Joseph Robinson, Cleveland Braxton, Frank Lamondue, and Braxton Harris, all rotated in and out of Oxford and Jackson along with a much larger contingent of white U.S. deputy marshals in October, November, and December 1962. 

Initially even these federal law enforcement officers were subject to Mississippi segregation.  When they were in Oxford, they were housed by local black beauticians Thelma Boone Price and Cecilia Nelson, who were active in the civil rights movement. By Christmas, 1962, they were accommodated, along with white deputy marshals at the Oxford Holiday Inn.

Luke, remained Chief U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia after President Kennedy’s assassination and through the administration of his successor, President Lyndon Baines Johnson. 

April 4, 1968 will be etched in my memory forever. I remember I was tstanding on the corner of 9th & U Streets NW on a beautiful bright sunshiny day. Standing with me was my co-worker, NFL great, Willie Wood. We were both working for the DC Department of Recreation & Parks’ Roving Leader Program.

During the off-season, Willie would return home and work in the DC Public Schools as a teacher or with the Roving Leader Program. 1968, he chose the Roving Leader Program.

WILLIE WOOD INDUCTION INTO THE NFL HALL OF FAME 1989.

We had just had lunch at the Che Maurice Restaurant and were standing on the corner watching the girls/ladies walk by. Suddenly, a car drove by with a brother they called, “DC’s Oldest Teenager” Harvey Cooper. He yelled, “They just shot Dr. King in Memphis”, before we could comprehend what he had just said, they drove off.

Willie and I were left standing there trying to figure what Harvey had just said! People started to come out of the stores and restaurants, screaming, “Dr. King had been shot in Memphis”, no one knew his condition. Willie suggested we call the Roving Leader Office for further instructions.

As we started to walk down the U Street corridor, Luke Moore joined us and we walked shoulder to shoulder until we got to Ben’s Chili Bowl. There we spotted Ben, Carlton Snipes, Duke and several other businessmen standingout front. Luke, left Willie and I to see what was going.

He returned and said, “President Nixon has ordered all businesses to shutdown.” This was according to DC Mayor Walter Washington.

I called Stanley Anderson, the Director of the Roving Leader Program and was told, Assisstant Chief of the DC police Department, Tighman O’Bryant wanted to see me at the 4th District Police HQ. O’Bryant was the highest ranking black on the department in1968.

When I arrived at the V Street NW HQ I was directed to rollcall downstairs. I walked in and O’Bryant called me over and introduced me to the officers all standing at attention. He pulled out a police badge and swore me in–no gun! The badge would allow me to bypass the police and military barricades.

The next three days and three nights were a living hell, until I met FBI undercover agent Wayne Davis. Wayne would later become one of the FBI’s earliest and most respected Black executives. During his career he led the FBI Detroit Office and several other field offices. We hit it off right away. He was a New Jersey guy from Newark. He was an outstanding college basketball player at the University of Connecticut.

We became great friends and after he retired, he made several guest apperances on Inside Sports.

If DC Mayor Barry had left his ego in Facess Restaurant the night I warned him the FBI was coming after him, “The Bitch Would Have Never Set Him Up.” Wayne, told me to warn him.

FBI Director Wayne Davis and me at the Detroit FBI HQ.

We attended the Thomas Hearns vs Pipino Cuevas title fight on August 2, 1980 at the Joe Louis Arena. The HIT MAN won his first world title with a vicious knockout of Mexican power puncher Cuevas. Wayne died at age of 81 in 2020–a brother truly gone too soon.

In 1969 Luke was reappointed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.  Three years later President Richard Nixon appointed him to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  Luke, remained on the bench until his retirement in 1987.

During his tenure on the bench EQUAL JUSTICE was not just a ralling cry it was found in DC Superior Courtrooms. There was Chief Judge Harold Greene, judges, Harry T. Alexander, Ted Newman, Henry Kennedy, Jr. and Chief Judge Eugene Hamilton. In Maryland, William Missouri (Upper Marlboro), and Alex Williams, (Md, Federal Judge) were the Gatekeepers. All followed Luke in support of my non-profit Kids In Trouble, Inc. endeavors. Luke died at the age of 70–another brother gone to soon!

Luke introduces KIT Santa’s Helpers, Roy Jefferson (NFL), Ted Newman and Henry Kennedy, Jr. at the Foxtrappe Annual Christmas toy party. Henry met his wife Altomise at one of the parties.

Thurgood Marshall-Luke Moore-Spotswood Bolling-Willie Wood-Wayne Davis-Eddie Slaughter all warriors in the struggle for a piece of the American Pie!

FOOTNOTE: IN MEMORY OF EDDIE SLAUGHTER

Black Farmer, Eddie Slaughter died suddenly on Wednesday after decades of fighting for the Black Farmer. I met Eddie through my high school teammate and Black Farmer spokesperson, Lawrence Lucas via podcast and occassional telephone conversations where he would explain the plight of the Black Farmer. He was a humble and gracious black man. Eddie was 72 years old. Join Corey Lea, Michael Stovall and other black farmers in Atlanta on December 9th. Show up and show out in memory of Eddie.

This outing will not be read in the Washington Post, or heard on the Joe Madison Sirious XM or Roland Martin Podcasts. Eddie Slaughter, longtime advocate for Black farmers, dies – Center for Public Integrity

harold bell is a pioneer in sports talk radio. His Inside Sports talk show format changed the way we talk and report sports in America and beyond. He can be reached at 240-705-3447