Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
In celebration of Black History Month, the Monticello City Council recently handed proclamations to several African-American individuals and organizations as a way to recognize their contributions to the community.
Those honored in a brief ceremony and presented with certificates of appreciation by Mayor Gloria Cox at the Monticello City Council on Tuesday evening, Feb. 7, were:
* Police Chief Fred Mosley, the city’s first elected African-American chief of police. Mosley has been chief for the last 16 years, and with the police department since 2008.
* Bethel AME Church, 410 E. York St., is considered the oldest black church in Monticello, serving the community since 1865. Rev. Herbert L. Hollingsworth, the pastor, was unable to attend the ceremony. Accepting the certificate in his stead was Sandra Saunders, recently retired school board member.
* Tillman Funeral Home, 620 E. York St., is considered the oldest black owned business in Monticello, serving the community since 1931. Alfonza “Al” Hall is its director. Saunders again accepted this award on behalf of the funeral home.
* Individual certificates were presented to three Armed Forces veterans all now in their 90s. Two were Navy sailor Dennis Gallon, 98, and Army man Frank Daniels, 91, whose certificates John Nelson accepted. Last but not least was Air Force veteran George Pittman, 96, who accepted the certificate on his own.
The recognitions were the brainchild of Cox, who plans to make the awards an annual program to honor outstanding African-Americans in the community during Black History Month, which is celebrated in February.
The reason for February is that it’s the birth month of both Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, also known as the Great Emancipator; and Frederick Douglass, a former slave, author and well-known abolitionist of the 1800s. The entire month of February is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of African-Americans.
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