Breaking Barriers

Recently, I was asked to provide comments at the funeral services of Willard Douglas, a good friend and former neighbor of mine.

He was a graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University School of Law, both of which I am proud to be an alumnus thereof. In fact, we were in law school at the same time, him being a year behind me.

When I told the attendees how, as a Virginia State Senator, I was able to get Douglas appointed as the first African American to serve as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, they told me afterwards, they did not know how this appointment came about.

They were more surprised to learn how I was able to get friends of mine in the House of Delegates to engage in the fight – and it was a huge fight – to get Douglas appointed as the first judge of color in a court in Virginia.

A further agenda, which few people knew, was that at that same time, a young associate in my office, with little or no experience, told me that he had been approached and offered the position as substitute judge if their choice, instead of Willard, would be selected for the judgeship. Though this was intended to dissuade me, I told this associate to accept their offer, which he did. It amounted to a “twofer” for me, as I had no intention of being dissuaded from the quest for a full time judgeship.

I cite this for no other reason than to show what can happen if elected officials do the job for which they are elected; to represent the people, ALL of the people.

I was prompted to write this post after a conversation I had with someone calling me about the situation at the Virginia Military Institute, relative to what amounts to the firing of General Wins, the superintendent at VMI. I reminded the caller that as a Virginia State Senator, I was able to personally select the first Black cadet to attend VMI, with a four year scholarship to boot.

When I asked the caller what he was doing about the “firing” and what had resulted from his contact with the legislative leadership, he was vague in response, which amounted to nothing.

Famed abolitionist Frederick Douglas’ words are always inspirational to me, “The price for liberty is eternal vigilance.”

Stay tuned.