George Carlin, Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/GarlandJournal America, and Trump!
Big Mama shouted: “Don’t come for me unless I send for you!” Voter suppression will not win!
QUIT PLAYIN’ by Vincent L. Hall
BLACK CARD by Terry Allen
Follow us on Twitter @GarlandJournal Your Ad belongs here, contact: 241-941-0110
GarlandJournal SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
ELECTION 2020
MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Spread LOVE
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2020 VOLUME X
Allred keep Congressional seat, looks to future
Speak the truth. Share your feelings. Show love. I have known Curtistene McCowan for over 30 years. Reflecting on many of our conversations, I realized we always expressed our feelings for and about each other. For that I am grateful because she is no longer here to hear me say how much love and respect I had for her. Which brings me to my truth. Last weekend citizens, friends
U.S. Congressman Colin Allred
By Allana J. Barefield Mayor Curtistene McCowan
and loved ones participated in a service honoring DeSoto first female Mayor Curtistene Smith McCowan, who died Wednesday, October 28. In early October she announced her lung cancer diagnosis during a City Council meeting on Zoom, she said. “Those of you who know me are also aware that I have an unusual amount of energy,” she said at the time. “So when I get tired or don’t put in the time and energy that I normally do on an issue, something’s up.” Her death came as a shock to many. “We’ve lost a great committed leader,” said U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), whose district includes DeSoto. The two were the only living African American females in the district to have schools named in their honor. “Her leadership spirit will be missed. Her influence and her leadership was felt in DeSoto, her first love.” A strong advocate of education, some say she had many loves and she was committed to her family, her faith and a life of service. In her 54th year of marriage, during an interview last December with Texas Metro News, she proudly stated that she and husband, Leon, had been married for 53 years. “I married my high school sweetheart,” she said, noting that there was no resistance to their nuptials because, “Leon was such a great guy.” She also shares a distinction with another elected official as the two were honored as distinguished alums of El Centro College, now Dallas College. Her fellow alum shared his expressions. “She devoted a lot of her time and service to the public,” said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, adding that Mayor McCowan was a selfless leader, pointing out her service with Concerned Citizens of DeSoto, DeSoto School Board, City Council and even secretary of Dallas County Inland Port, to name a few. “She spent a lot of time serving.” And that’s how many will remember her. See MY TRUTH, page 7
Staff Writer
U.S. Congressman Colin Allred (D-TX) says he is ready to return to Washington after maintaining his seat with a sizable defeat over Republican challenger Genevieve Collins, representing Texas’ 32nd Congressional district. Allred earned 53.88 percent of the votes while Collins earned 44.33 percent, according to unofficial results by the Texas Secretary of State’s office. He earned 178,018 while Collins garnered 157,511 votes. Speaking to reporters on a Zoom call late Tuesday night, Allred claimed victory and said defeating COVID-19 would be a priority in his next term.
But, he said, he would need his constituents’ help. “When Americans work together, we can overcome anything and do great things for this nation,” Allred said. Collins sent a message, via social media, to her supporters Wednesday afternoon, conceding the race. “While we may have come up short last night, I am so proud of this campaign and will never forget the experiences traveling around the district and hearing your stories,” she tweeted. “It was my honor to be your Republican nominee and I have zero regrets. “I look forward to what comes next.” Allred also thanked support-
ers late Tuesday. “To all the volunteers, the self-organizers, and the families who support, thank you,” Allred said in a Zoom call, after 9 p.m Tuesday. “This is your victory, thank you for all that you do and
will continue to do for our community, here in North Texas.” Allred’s district includes portions of eastern Dallas, Garland, Richardson, Mesquite, and Park Cities. On Tuesday, supporter Jim McCormack of Frisco praised Allred for seeking a second term. McCormack, who was volunteering for Democrats outside of his own precinct, held a Biden-Harris sign at Collin County Community College that read, “Don’t stop at the top. Vote for every Democrat!” He said Allred, who played five seasons with the Tennessee Titans pro football team, had been effective in his representation of North Texas. “He’s an intellectual, I think a lot of people see Colin Allred as a former football player and don’t think about the fact that he’s an educated lawyer,” Mccormack said. Allred faced an uphill battle to hold on to the seat. Allred accused Collins of darkening his skin in her campaign ads. She also associated him with groups rioting and looting after protests of racial injustice.
Too close to call
check www.garlandjournal.com
Davis wins Frisco school board seat Becomes the first African American to serve
By Eva D. Coleman I Messenger Media
Consistently ranked one of the fastest growing school districts in the nation, Frisco ISD has dramatically changed over the years. Yet, in some areas, things have remained the same. The lack of African Americans seated at the table of the Board of Trustees is one of them. According to Frisco ISD historical data, its Hamilton School served African American children from 1924 until a school board vote to integrate Frisco High School came on August 31, 1964. Now 56 years later, with
an enrollment of 4, defeating Amit over 60,000 stuKalra and Muni dents, the District Janagarajan. has an African The election American popwas moved from ulation of 11.2 the spring to Nopercent. Still, no vember, and acrepres entation cording to Davis, in top tier deciit has taught her sion-making has the power of enensued. durance. Entrepreneur “None of us exDynette A. Davis pected to still be has brought this running for our Dynette A. Davis long-standing respective offices phenomenon to an end. beyond May; much less have our As the first African American names on the ballot with presielected to the Frisco ISD Board dential candidates,” the DePaul of Trustees, she’ll serve in Place University alum and member
of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., added. While results were late coming in for several races, it was a fairly early night for Davis and her supporters. “I am thankful for the lessons learned; grateful to all of my supporters and humbled by the faith that voters in this great district chose me to be their next Frisco ISD Trustee,” said Davis. “The historical nature of my win has not been lost on me. It is an honor to make history as the first African American to be elected to the FISD Board of Trustees; however, it is profoundly sad that See FRISCO at page 3
School desegregation, busing left their good and bad marks I WAS JUST THINKING
By Norma Adams-Wade I ran across a 1976 news articles that described how Dallas prepared for one of the early chapters of school busing during the 1970s. 1976 was a pivotal year because of court orders that Dallas get really serious – this time – about desegregating its school system.
Remember, the federal Supreme Court some 22 years earlier in 1954 had ordered that all U. S. schools end the sham “separate but equal” method of educating Black and White students. The 1970s, this time, were to make racial integration a true mandated order. From 1954 into the 1970s, cities and school districts across the land pretty much made their own decisions about whether to desegregate. Districts dragged their feet, putting up creative
road blocks or just outand-out ignoring the Supreme Court order. Then slowly, school authorities beLinda Brown of the Brown gan to comv. Board of Education case. ply because Photo credit: Wikipedia of the power and might of federal government oversight and intervention.
I was just thinking about the human toll of that desegregation fight and the life-changing impact – good and bad – on young people who went through those struggles. I was just thinking of Linda Brown. In 1954, she was the 11-year-old youth at the center of the landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas that ended the law that protected segregated schools. Brown, who was born February See SCHOOL, page 5