< Previous20 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 By Robert Stanton For The Daily News O even the meanest, roughest and toughest kid stop — and think. police officer in the Galveston Police Department, gave them plenty to think about with her “tough love” approach to keeping young lives on track. Charles, who celebrated her 101st birthday in April. “I never had to hit a child. All I had to do was look at them and they would obey. The only thing I would ask a child is to tell me the truth. If you tell me the truth, I won’t lock you up.” much these days, her legacy has not been forgotten. teer, activist and education support er has been recognized with many awards and proclamations, including being named a Distinguished Citi zen of the Year by former Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas. a Juneteenth picnic named in her honor — the Annie Mae Charles Juneteenth Picnic that takes place at Wright Cuney Park, 718 41st St., fol lowing the Juneteenth Parade. added street signage from 39th Street from Broadway to Winnie streets re naming it to honor Annie Mae Charles. Police Chief Henry Porretta. “I think that her goal has always been to take care of the children. It’s all about the children. Mrs. Charles is a positive motivator and a trailblazer and she Beverly Lewis holds a photo of her parents, Annie Mae and Moses Charles, on both their wedding day in 1944 and their 50th anniversary in 1994. An- nie Mae Charles who turned 100 in 2013. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Annie Mae Charles talks about what it takes to make it to 100. “Stop being a fool and treat ev- erybody right.” JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Charles was the first black woman to be hired by the Galveston Police Depart- ment as a juvenile police officer. COURTESY PHOTO 16February 2015 | Juneteenth | The Daily News | 21 By Robert Stanton For The Daily News O fficer Annie Mae Charles. Just the mention of her name was enough to make even the meanest, roughest and toughest kid stop — and think. And Charles, the first black woman police officer in the Galveston Police Department, gave them plenty to think about with her “tough love” approach to keeping young lives on track. “I never had to hit a child,” said Charles, who celebrated her 101st birthday in April. “I never had to hit a child. All I had to do was look at them and they would obey. The only thing I would ask a child is to tell me the truth. If you tell me the truth, I won’t lock you up.” While Charles doesn’t get around much these days, her legacy has not been forgotten. The longtime community volun- teer, activist and education support- er has been recognized with many awards and proclamations, including being named a Distinguished Citi- zen of the Year by former Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas. Each year, Galvestonians flock to a Juneteenth picnic named in her honor — the Annie Mae Charles Juneteenth Picnic that takes place at Wright Cuney Park, 718 41st St., fol- lowing the Juneteenth Parade. What’s more, the city of Galveston added street signage from 39th Street from Broadway to Winnie streets re- naming it to honor Annie Mae Charles. “She is a trailblazer,” said Galveston Police Chief Henry Porretta. “I think that her goal has always been to take care of the children. It’s all about the children. Mrs. Charles is a positive motivator and a trailblazer and she only enhanced the department.” Porretta said Charles’ personal and “tough love” for young people has turned lives around. “She spoke with people, not to people,” he said. “Now we (officers) try to speak with people and they speak with us. Then it’s a two way dialogue, and that promotes trust and understanding.” Charles moved to Galveston in 1936 after graduating from Houston College for Negroes, which later be- came Texas Southern University. Her home economics background came in handy, landing her jobs as a cook at the Jack Tar Hotel and Elks Club. She said she became involved with law enforcement “quite by accident” after taking part in ride-along with a juvenile police officer while she served on the Carver Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. Her two kids attended the school. “They (Galveston police) needed some help with those kids,” said Charles, who lives with her daugh- ter on Ball Street near Wright Cuney Park. “They didn’t need to be in no- body’s jail. They needed help where they can get their education.” Charles joined the Galveston Police Department as a juvenile officer on Feb. 15, 1962, and worked at GPD for 15 years before retiring in 1977. Galveston resident Lonnie Jones said that the lessons of “Mrs. Charles” still resonate with him today. He shared his thoughts on a post on Facebook: “The mid 1950s, George W. Carver Elementary School, 7 years old. I was afraid to ‘shoot hooky’ from school because I thought Mrs. Charles would catch me and take me to jail. Fast forward 40 years. At 47 years old, I was delivering her mail. “Every year for Juneteenth, she invited me to her house for ‘bar- becue and red soda water,’” Jones said. “Today, at age 67, I respect and honor Mrs. Charles. As grown as I think I am, there are still things I would dare not say or do in her presence.” • n living history “(Annie Mae Charles) spoke with people, not to people. Now we (officers) try to speak with people and they speak with us. Then it’s a two way dialogue, and that promotes trust and understanding.” Galveston Police Chief Henry Porretta 1722 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 J uneteenth is as American as apple pie. Its message simply is freedom. We celebrate its spirit by recognizing the dig- nity and equality of all Americans before the nation’s flag, as well as in the eyes of our Cre- ator. Juneteenth thus is an ultimate expression of the dignity and worth of American citizens. On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s historic Emancipation Proclamation decreed that “all persons held as slaves” in the states which comprised the Confederacy “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” As stirring as these words were, freedom would not be a reality for slaves in the southern states still un- der Confederate control. In June 1865, Ma- jor General Gordon Granger of the Union Army came to Galves- ton and took charge of the Department of Texas. Juneteenth com- memorates the date of June 19, 1865, when he issued General Order No. 3, liberating slaves in Texas. Another aspect to remember is that June- teenth happened here. Galveston can lay claim to many firsts, but Juneteenth is one of the most important of these. What joy and gratitude the new Afri- can American citizens must have experienced in their celebrations in the first few years after 1865! Then — as today — the meaning of Juneteenth is cause for celebration and remembrance by all. Casey Edward Greene is a Galveston historian. WHAT juneTeenTH meAns To me Casey edward greene Seven-year-old Jordan Spry bobs for apples during the Texas City Juneteenth Family Day at Nessler Park on Saturday afternoon June 18, 2011. KEVIN M. COX/The Daily News juneteenth history Juneteenth celebrations were held informally before 1978. Then in 1978, freshman State Rep. Al Edwards of Houston envisioned that blacks could have a formal celebration of emancipation from slavery. During his first year as a legisla- tor, he authored the most meaningful piece of legislation for the black community that had ever existed in the history of Texas or any other state. Rep. Edwards wrote and lobbied to get passed into law the bill making June 19th a legal paid state holiday, the first official black holiday in the United States. After numerous setbacks, hard work and the support of Galveston State Rep. Douglas McLeod, Edwards was able to push this bill through successful votes of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate within the last 24 hours of Texas’ 66th Legislative Session. At a memorable and historical ceremony on the grounds of Texas’ State Capitol in Austin, Texas, hundreds of supporters witnessed the bill’s being signed into law by Gov. William P. Clements on June 13, 1979. 181 24 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 WHAT juneTeenTH meAns To me david l. callender A s we approach the 150th anniver- sary of Juneteenth, we celebrate those who fought for freedom from slavery and those who brought that great news to our state. The culture of diversity and inclusion we treasure in Galveston and at the University of Texas Medical Branch would not have been possible with- out their sacrifice. The news shared on the first Juneteenth, that blacks had been freed from slavery by the Eman- cipation Proclamation, was a pivotal change in Texas history, announced in our island community known for African-American firsts. I believe that this event laid the foundation for UTMB’s long-standing leadership role in diver- sity — a core value of our institution. Just as Galveston is the birthplace of June- teenth and UTMB, so our university has been birthplace to firsts in the effort to ensure equitable access to health sciences education and health care for all. In 1902, UTMB opened Texas’ first state-subsi- dized hospital for blacks. The then-named Negro Hospital was proclaimed as one of the finest in the South by the Galveston County Daily News that year. The facility, which could accommodate 60 pa- tients, served as a pillar of hope not only for Galves- ton residents, but also for many blacks in surround- ing counties who had no place else to go for care. Over the years, the hos- pital was expanded and improved by UTMB lead- ership and the state. By 1958, the Negro Hospital closed its doors and was integrated, well before federal desegregation laws. We were before our time, but not for the first time. In 1949, five years be- fore the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which called for the desegregation of schools in the South, UTMB admit- ted the first African-Amer- ican student into medical school in Texas. Dr. Herman A. Barnett graduated from UTMB with honors and went on to a successful career in medicine and a life filled with accolades. He became the first black to serve on the Texas State Board of Medical Exam- iners and the first black president of the Houston Independent School Dis- trict Board of Education. Today, UTMB bestows promising medical stu- dents the Herman A. Barnett Memorial Award scholarship annually in his honor, as our legacy of diversity and inclusion carries on. According to UTMB’s Of- fice of Diversity and Inclu- sion, 45 percent of UTMB employees were members of a minority group in 2014, and minorities are represented in 85 percent of all university depart- ments. Our School of Medicine is ranked fourth nationally in the number of African- American graduates and second in percentage of underrepresented minor- ity graduates. We are constantly exploring new ways to recruit under- represented minorities to our schools and our workplaces, and we strive to forge ties with women- and minority-owned busi- nesses. And, true to our mission to improve health for the people of Texas and around the world, we work to develop models for increasing access to care to underserved popu- lations. From our employees to our patients, from our students to our faculty — diversity and inclusion have long been guiding principles for UTMB. They form a cornerstone of our success, made pos- sible, no doubt, by the great news of freedom declared 150 years ago on June 19. Dr. David L. Callender is presi- dent of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. UTMB and Galveston: A shared legacy of diversity and inclusion quick facts 45 percent of UTMB employees were members of a minority group in 2014. Minorities are represented in 85 percent of university departments. 1902 was the year UTMB opened the first state-subsidized hospital for blacks in Texas. 5 years before Brown v. Board of Education, UTMB admitted first African-American student into medical school in Texas. 2021Pictured at the offi cial statue dedication are Sam Collins III, National Trust for Historic Preservation; Earl Jones, the artist; and Wayne McDowell, Chevron Phillips Chemical Sweeny Complex Plant Manager. PRESERVING THE PAST Sweeny Plantation Freedmen’s Tree On display at the Brazoria Historical Museum, 202 W. Smith Street, Brazoria, Texas. PROJECT FUNDED BY CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL COMPANY, SWEENY COMPLEX22 Offi cers for 2015 (L to R) Rev. Kevin Hodges, 1st Vice President; Mary Patrick, President; Annette Scott, Secretary; Archie Ruth DeClouet, Treasurer; Rev. Eddie R. Johnson, 2nd Vice President. Seated (L to R) Frances Gregg, Assistant Secretary; and Mattie Muse, Assistant Treasurer. The NAACP Chapter (6180) of Galveston 150 Members Strong Proudly celebrates the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth228 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 Douglas Matthews welcomes the crowd during the 32nd Annual Honorable Al Edwards Juneteenth Emancipation Proclamation Reading and Prayer Breakfast on June 18, 2011 at Ashton Villa in Galveston. KEVIN M. COX/The Daily News By Robert Stanton For The Daily News M likely to come to mind — former state Reps. Al Edwards and Doug McLeod, and Galveston community leaders James Thomas and Ennis Williams. 1979 designating June 19 as a state holiday, and McLeod rallied support for the measure in Austin. Thomas, president of the Galveston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Williams, an educator and com munity leader, also lobbied for the bill. as died in March 2007. conversation of Juneteenth, how ever, is the name of Doug Matthews, who as Galveston assistant city manager played a huge behind- the-scenes role in the legislation’s passage. ton, I remember the many June teenth celebrations in Galveston and throughout Texas — especially the barbecue, watermelon and red soda water,” said Matthews, now assis tant vice president of governmental relations, UTMB health policy and legislative affairs. passage of the Civil Rights Acts in 1964 because many in the black community began to celebrate July 4 more than June 19,” he said. “Then Rep. Al Edwards, with the support of former state Rep. E. Douglas McLeod, were able to secure pas sage of House Bill 1011 (Juneteenth measure) — the first black gov ernment-recognized holiday in the United States.” how it has spread throughout the state and the nation. When it passed Doug Matthews plays huge role in success of Juneteenth 24February 2015 | Juneteenth | The Daily News | 29 s d s n d e n s By Robert Stanton For The Daily News M ention the history of June- teenth in Texas and some high-profile names are likely to come to mind — former state Reps. Al Edwards and Doug McLeod, and Galveston community leaders James Thomas and Ennis Williams. And for good reason. Edwards introduced legislation in 1979 designating June 19 as a state holiday, and McLeod rallied support for the measure in Austin. Thomas, president of the Galveston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Williams, an educator and com- munity leader, also lobbied for the bill. Williams died last July, and Thom- as died in March 2007. Often missing in the historical conversation of Juneteenth, how- ever, is the name of Doug Matthews, who as Galveston assistant city manager played a huge behind- the-scenes role in the legislation’s passage. “As a kid growing up in Galves- ton, I remember the many June- teenth celebrations in Galveston and throughout Texas — especially the barbecue, watermelon and red soda water,” said Matthews, now assis- tant vice president of governmental relations, UTMB health policy and legislative affairs. “The celebration fell off after the passage of the Civil Rights Acts in 1964 because many in the black community began to celebrate July 4 more than June 19,” he said. “Then Rep. Al Edwards, with the support of former state Rep. E. Douglas McLeod, were able to secure pas- sage of House Bill 1011 (Juneteenth measure) — the first black gov- ernment-recognized holiday in the United States.” Edwards said he is “in awe with how it has spread throughout the state and the nation. When it passed there were three Juneteenth func- tions, but it’s grown throughout the nation because of the state law.” In 1979, Matthews, then Galveston assistant city manager, began at- tending the Ashton Villa Juneteenth Celebration, which in the early days drew a crowd of 12 to 15 people. Today, more than 300 people come out to celebrate. When Matthews joined the Univer- sity of Texas Medical Branch in 1996 as director of external affairs, then Executive Vice President Jere Peder- son told him that “he wanted UTMB to be a good corporate sponsor in the community,” Matthews said. “He (Pederson) encouraged me to get involved with the June- teenth celebration with the sup- port and encouragement of UTMB, we — UTMB, Ennis Williams at Old Central Cultural Center and Rep. Edwards — started the Annual Ju- neteenth Banquet at Old Central 18 years ago,” Matthews said. UTMB began to help coordinate the Al Edwards’ Ashton Villa June- teenth Celebration in 1998. In 2002, under the leadership of Williams and Matthews, the Galveston June- teenth Coalition was created. The effort also received buy-in from the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, which contributed $40,000 over two years. In 1997, Edwards appointed Mat- thews as his Juneteenth Galveston coordinator, and the following year appointed him as chair of the State of Texas Juneteenth Advisory Com- mittee. “The Juneteenth Celebration since 1979 has grown significantly and in 2015 the community of Galveston will have over 20 Juneteenth cel- ebration activities, and we are so proud that Galveston is the place ‘where it all began,’ ” Matthews said. Rather than focus on his personal accomplishments, though, Matthews said it has been a team effort that has cemented Juneteenth’s success. “I’m just on the team, and I don’t see myself playing any major role,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to state Rep. Al Edwards for having the vision in creating that. I thank UTMB for being a good communi- ty sponsor in supporting an event like this. “I also thank Doug McLeod, who was a state rep at the time. He was the first white (state) legisla- tor to sign on to the bill making it a Juneteenth holiday. I think it’s an opportunity for everybody to come together, and it’s wonderful to see how it’s grown over the past 18 years.” • Doug Matthews plays huge role in success of Juneteenth Sitting at one of the many picnic benches at Jack Johnson Park, Doug Matthews talks about the availability of the park for parties and special events. The park was dedicated on Nov. 13, 2012. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News 25Next >