Legacy of a Common Man

Copyright © 2017 by James Garvin, Jr. All rights reserved under the international copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express, written permission of the author or publisher. The exception is reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

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contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Chapter 1 – December 21, 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter 2 – The All-Stars Are Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Chapter 3 – A Course for “Coloreds”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Chapter 4 – A Safe Haven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chapter 5 – Langston vs. the Bahamas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 6 – Golf and Goodwill in St. Lucia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Chapter 7 – Up from the Outhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Chapter 8 – Coach Hinton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Chapter 9 – Howard University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Chapter 10 – Duped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Chapter 11 – Trials May Come. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Chapter 12 – Fallen Angel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Chapter 13 – Off to Probation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Chapter 14 – The Human Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Chapter 15 – Golf’s Greater Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Chapter 16 – Commencement Address and New Honors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Chapter 17 – Life after Judgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Chapter 18 – We Are One Legacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Afterword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 • vii •

ForeworD

J

immy Garvin is the only man I ever saw who could turn a golf club into a magic wand. He used that magic to change the lives of youths in Washington, D.C. with his formula of “Golf is the Carrot, But Education is the Key.” I watched him work to create opportunities for youths in the area who had no opportunities – putting golf clubs in their hands to open their minds to a better life.

Jimmy was such a magician, he got me – a grizzled sportswriter who had no use for the game of golf – to embrace him, and his work, and the legendary golf course where he carried out his work, Langston Golf Course.

I have a soft spot in my heart for people who devote their lives to children; there will always be a place for Jimmy Garvin in my heart because I have seen the good he has done, first-hand, with youths. He created an oasis in a troubled Washington neighborhood, a place where kids, looking for security and education, could come. That oasis was the Langston Learning Center. He called them Jimmy Garvin All Stars, and those kids felt like All Stars when they were around Jimmy.

His story is one of hope and victory, coming from poor surroundings in ­F lorida to become one of the leaders among youth organizations in the nation’s capital. It is a tale of inspiration. Actually, I can speak from ­experience – to be around Jimmy is to be inspired to help youths. When you read his story, you will likely be inspired as well.

Jimmy would build relationships with influential community leaders in Washington, all with the intention of helping kids and creating opportunities for them. That is what Jimmy was always about – showing kids that education and commitment can lead to a better life, something that some of these kids would have never dreamed of in their environments. It was a tragedy that some people of influence used Jimmy Garvin’s good heart for • ix •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

their own selfish needs. But, I know Jimmy, and his heart is still committed to better opportunities and better lives for kids. He is still a magician who will use a golf club to help make the world a better place.

–Thom Loverro Award winning sports columnist, author and ESPN talk show host

•x•

PreFace

I

invite you to follow the journey of Jimmy Garvin from a small hamlet in rural Florida. Follow his fight for survival in the big city and join him as he shows what it takes to persevere in the face of adversity.

Along the way, he has made numerous friends and collected the baggage that waits in the wings for the downfall of a successful comrade.

Jimmy’s story is one that can set an example for the youngsters who hear the whining of adults who are content to let circumstance beat them down.

The lesson best learned from this autobiography is “GET UP!!!” With the application of hard work, the break you are looking for is just around the corner.

–Tim Lacy Special Columnist The Afro-American Newspapers

• xi •

introDuction Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

(Hebrews 12:1)

R

eal diamonds require a lot of heat to pass a purity test – the ­ultimate proof of whether they’re real or fake. This book is about a diamond in the rough, a young man growing up in deep poverty in ­Immokalee, Florida, who climbed his way up with the help of family and close friends. He made his way to Howard University on a full scholarship to play baseball but left after five years without his degree.

He then went on to work menial jobs until he moved his way up at the Marriott Corporation. His first assignment was at the renowned Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., which had a food service contract with Marriott. A job delivering food trays to patients might not seem like a pivotal career move. But little did he know that the hospital work would open up the door for a position he never could have imagined: managing a golf course.

More than a corporate success story, this is about rising from poverty to live the American dream. It is also a cautionary tale about the tentative nature of success and how one mistake, a poor choice of a friend, can threaten to undo a lifetime of achievement.

This is the story of my ascent up the ranks of golf course management, my downfall decades later, and my eventual rebound from a federal indictment for a crime I didn’t commit. Although the very beginning of my life starts in a shack in Southwest Florida where I grew up (more about that later), my book begins and ends on the golf course. Here is how the pieces of my life fell into place just prior to the start of my career, running a golf course.

• xiii •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

After my first stint in hospital food service at Children’s National M ­ edical Center, I was transferred across town to Capitol Hill Hospital where I worked as the cafeteria, catering and cash operations manager. I was later promoted to production manager, one step below the director. I was transferred to Tallahassee, Florida, to work for the largest employer in the state as cash operations manager at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. That stint lasted for a little more than a year, before I was forced out by the new ­general manager who had a hard time accepting a man of color running the front of the house operations. Looking back, that really wasn’t a good fit for me. Luckily, my ties to Washington had stayed strong. I returned there and landed at Golf Course Specialists “GCS” working my way from a maintenance employee to the top spot as the first African-American president/ partner in the company’s 28-year history.

I was well established in my career when I befriended a city councilman who I thought was working for the good of the community. However, I later found out through court proceedings that this official was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He was pocketing grant money intended for youth sports programs. I was facing serious allegations for my connection to the rogue politician.

I went about the business at hand, naively assuming that my innocence would be proven and my name would be cleared. But to my utter dismay, I ended up being indicted by the U.S. Attorney General for a charge called misprision of a felony. It is a rare charge for having knowledge of a crime but not reporting it. I never mishandled any money, and until the charges were filed, I wasn’t even aware that the councilman was enriching himself using the grant funds for youth sports. I ended up paying a heavy price for something I didn’t do. I thought I was tarnished for life, but in reality, the false accusations were a test of my mettle. The diamond came out of the fire better for having proven its worth.

My journey is full of triumphs and travails. This book will take you on a rollercoaster ride through the good times in my life, the crushing events, and the rebound after my world came crashing down. In this book, I give credit to my earthly angels for the times when life went well. And when my luck ran dry, they were there to make sure things didn’t completely fall apart.

• xiv •

Chapter 1

December 21, 2012

T

oday is December 21, 2012, the day I began writing my life’s story in an attempt to understand an ironic turn of events. I had a lifelong track record of overcoming impossible odds. Yet, here I was facing an insurmountable situation: a felony conviction at the height of my career.

It has been exactly 313 days since I resigned my dual posts as president of Golf Course Specialists (GCS) and general manager of Langston Golf Course. The general manager position had historically been held by middle-aged white men in their late ‘50s. Holding this position was a major accomplishment for someone like me. I was the first and only AfricanAmerican to have been named president and equal partner in the company’s 28-year history. It was an amazing breakthrough signaling the end of a longstanding racial barrier at the company. Given how far I had come to get to this point, it was a singular moment for me personally that constantly replayed in my head: me – a young black man – general manager and partner. It would be hard for me to bury that moment, even as I was leaving it all behind.

GCS was founded nearly 30 years ago by Bob Brock. I first met Bob some 20 years ago at Rock Creek Park Golf Course where we were clearing trees after a storm. At that time, we didn’t know one another from Adam’s house cat, but I felt we both had a love for work. As we cleared those fallen trees, there wasn’t a lot of talking, just grunt work. When the work was done, Bob went back to headquarters and I returned to the ground crew at Rock Creek. I wouldn’t see Bob anymore for more than a year. You see, my job at Rock Creek was a part-time position, one that I held to be able to play as much golf as I could for free, one of the best perks any job could have!

My permanent position was at the Marriott Corporation, where I had been steadily building a career since 1986.

• 19 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

Marriott Corporation In 1986 I made my first move up within Marriott hospital food services.

They often moved managers around the country to give them greater exposure and varied experience. Initially, I moved across town to Capitol Hill Hospital where I became the cafeteria and cash operations manager working under the director of food service, Scott Klier, and district manager Henry Richardson. During this time, Henry was the only black district manager within Marriott’s health care division. Henry and I got along well, even though he was a graduate of North Carolina A&T, one of Howard’s rivals in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The staff at Capitol Hill welcomed me with open arms as a member of their family.

One of the highlights of the year was the company picnic where we would go out to a nearby park for a day of fun and games with the entire hospital staff. Henry, being the competitor that he was, would always stage the inter-department games. He once invited a group of us employees over for dinner, and the night ended with a bet that our food service director, Scott, would beat his boss, Henry, in a game of cribbage. Henry won; Scott lost.

Then there was the time when Henry challenged me to a strike-out contest, in which he dubiously declared himself the winner. There were many other fun challenges to come during my time at Capitol Hill, and I enjoyed them all.

By 1989, Scott had been offered a job in Florida as general manager at a Florida hospital that had a food service contract with Marriott. But before he left, he promoted me to production manager with oversight of the meals for the patients, staff and visitors. I was stepping into much bigger shoes, second in command behind the director. It was a big jump since my days as a porter at Children’s Hospital.

As production manager, I was allowed to set my schedule, which gave me an opportunity to work part-time at the golf course. On the green is where I learned the agronomy side of the business thanks to Dick “Geese” Gieselman. More about Geese later. With my schedule set, I worked from 5:30 am until 2:00 pm at Capitol Hill and 3:00 pm until close at Rock Creek Golf Course. This is where I learned the art of mowing fairways, greens, tees, rough, and collars. Even on my weekends off from the hospital, I was working down at the course. Prior to leaving for his new job in Florida, Scott • 20 •

Chapter 1 n December 21, 2012

and I had become really close. He promised me that he would send for me when a job became available at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

I didn’t think any more about it, but six months later he called with an opportunity for me as cafeteria, cash operations and catering manager.

With this offer came a 15-percent raise with a two-step grade increase, one of the largest increases offered by the company at that time. This was a 24-hour operation, which meant I was always on call. Prior to accepting the deal in Florida, I spoke to Lana about it. Her response was, “If it’s what you want to do, I’m with you 100 percent.” During a site visit to Tallahassee, they wined and dined me at one of Tallahassee’s finest restaurants and treated me to a college football game between the state’s rival teams, Florida State and Miami. I never will forget that tailgate party and game, the climax of an exciting day.

Upon arriving back home, I told Lana that I think we should take this opportunity; she agreed. This meant packing up the family and moving to Florida, the place I left 14 years ago to escape poverty. But before leaving, I had to share the news with Geese, my golf course mentor at Rock Creek.

If things didn’t work out down south, he said he would hook a trailer to his truck and come get me. I said my goodbyes to my wife and daughter, who stayed behind to assist with the packing of our things. Marriott sent a relocation team to our house to help pack the moving boxes.

I was about to begin my new job at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, the largest employer in the state of Florida with sales ranging from $45,000 to $60,000 per week. A month later, my wife and daughter arrived and we were back together again. After Lana looked for employment for a month with no success and Nicole had trouble adjusting to daycare, we decided that Lana would stay home with Nicole.

There were many days when I arrived home from a long day at Tallahassee Memorial and Lana would be waiting at the big bay window looking for me. She needed adult interaction and I just needed to rest. After months of this, Lana and Nicole returned to D.C. for a visit that coincided with my niece Cornita’s graduation.

It had been hard for me, too, adjusting to life in Tallahassee, a college town with two large universities, Florida A&M and Florida State. With no friends, I was a homebody with no social life. Eventually the food service • 21 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

director invited me out to play golf with him at the country club, which didn’t have any black members. Imagine being the only black player on this exclusive course. I felt like I was under a microscope. Fortunately, my game was solid. I had started playing golf while in college, and by then I was a 10-handicap. In golf speak, that means I could play just as well or better than most of them. The country club golf outings would continue throughout my time at Tallahassee Memorial, giving me an outlet and something to look forward to outside of work. Unfortunately, the job did not last long.

Eight months into my assignment, Scott was promoted to a district manager position back up north. One month after Scott’s departure, all hell broke loose. The director took Scott’s place as general manager, and a new director was hired. For me, problems arose not with the new director but with the general manager who replaced Scott. Each week he would say to me, “Jimmy, we have a problem”. I was unaware that he saw me as the problem. Here I was thinking the problem must be something operational.

One day, the new director told me that the general manager wanted me gone. I asked why, and he said, “I can’t say, but he’s planning a meeting with you soon.” The general manager and I were friends as long as Scott was there, but as soon as Scott left we started to have problems. You see, he was not accustomed to having a black man running the department, one that was generating a lot of revenue. So he wanted someone else of his choosing to do my job. Operationally, things were going well; cash flow was up and I was well liked. Nonetheless, D-day came. We had our meeting, and it ended with me being placed on an action plan. If you’ve ever been placed on a disciplinary action plan, you know the only way out is termination. The action plan meant I had added responsibilities on top of my normal duties of managing employees. After battling with him about the plan, he finally came clean. He admitted that I was not his choice for this position. Now that Scott was gone, I had to go, too.

It was the first time I experienced racism in the workplace with nowhere to turn. After conferring with Scott, his advice to me was to ask for a transfer.

But that didn’t work because you can’t transfer while being on an action plan. The only other option I had was to ask for three months’ severance pay, which I was granted. The severance money covered our return trip to Washington and bought me more time before actual paychecks begin to come in again.

• 22 •

Chapter 10

DuPeD We live together as brothers and sisters or we die together as fools.

–The Honorable John Lewis (D-GA) University of Maryland Eastern Shore Commencement Address

I

had no business being in any kind of mess; I don’t do messy. I’m a common man with a common mind. I live my life like an open book, above board, honest and beyond reproach. But here comes the devil, always working. A very good friend used to say, “People tell you anything, but time will tell you the truth.” Well, the trusting person I am affected my judgment. I let down my guard and I did not verify. I did not do any vetting. I just took what I saw at face value, placing my trust in the wrong person. Throughout my entire life, I have always respected authority and lived life above board. By living this way, I was able to be not only in the presence of powerful people, but I was also able to have the ear of these influential people: golf professionals, college professors, international government officials, independent business owners, corporate executives, professional athletes, professional singers, lawyers, doctors and politicians. I was respected because I gave respect first. When trouble came to my door, I was devastated and I’m still reeling from the effects of my decision. I also devastated my family, the juniors that I worked so hard to inspire, my community partners, the angels in my life that gave tirelessly of their time to help fulfill my vision, and the international partners that shared my vision and sought my support to enhance their programs.

On this sunny morning, my attorney and I had been summoned to appear before the U.S. attorney for an interview regarding the truth as I know it.

Little did I know they already had the version of facts they wanted me to sanction. A good friend of mine who is a retired F.B.I. agent had already • 93 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

told me that they already have information through their investigation, so only tell the truth as it happened. Upon entering the building, all I saw was agents and officers coming through with guns on their side. This was a frightening site because my path had never brought me to any place like this in my entire life. After 30 minutes of waiting in a secured lobby, an escort showed up, armed. This is when I asked myself, “What have I done to deserve this?” We were taken up by elevator to where the meeting was to take place. At least seven people were there to rattle my cage: FBI agents, representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s office, an IRS agent as well as the assistant prosecutor. For six hours, without a break, they peppered me with question after question, trying to get me to say something that was not my version of the truth. After being denied immunity, in the end we came to an agreement that wouldn’t land me in jail if I continued to cooperate with them – which I had been doing from the beginning.

My grand jury experience was in itself an eye opener for me. I had never known what the duties of a grand jury were, let alone being interviewed by one. I was under the impression that the grand jury was the group that heard the case and determined whether the defendant was guilty or innocent. Well to the contrary, they are the group that listens to the evidence as presented by the prosecutor to decide whether or not he or she can move forward with the indictment of the charges. So there I sat, not knowing what to expect because we had given the D.C. Attorney General all of the information in our possession prior to being interviewed. As I scanned the room, I checked to see if I knew anyone, and as bad luck would have it there wasn’t a soul. You see, if I knew someone they would have to reconvene because the pool of jury members would have been tainted. Meaning, I could have been given more time to prepare myself for the interview.

Here I sat in a room full of strangers answering questions about things that will forever be a part of my past. My attorney was present but he wasn’t allowed in the room. The only way he could be a part of the process would be if they asked a question that I wasn’t sure of. If that was the case we would call for a short recess and I would be allowed to go out and ask his advice. At this point, I’m afraid because I had not been charged yet. But I had been approached with an agreement of no jail time if I cooperated fully with the Grand Jury. So in answering their questions, I’m guarded because I don’t know if some are trick questions or not. There were a couple of questions I had them repeat because of the way they were worded.

• 94 •

Chapter 10 n Duped

To this day, the only thing that got me through this was my belief in God. He was there every step of the way and will always be with you as long as you worship Him. A word to the wise, if you believe something is not right in a situation you are involved in, say something to someone in authority and let them figure it out. No matter how high-level the person you are working with is, it pays to check and double check.

• 95 •

Chapter 18

we are one legacy

T

he next chapter of the Jimmy Garvin Legacy Foundation is being written by the juniors who came up through the Langston golf programs and have their own success stories to tell. But no success story is complete without the drama, frustration and redemption that comes on the rise to the top. One day, I look forward to hearing their life stories. Now, I’ve tried my best to keep up with as many of the junior golfers as I could. I’ve tried to track each of the juniors’ journey after they left the program. But if I made an error in my memory in the list below or missed anyone, please forgive me and blame my head and not my heart!

Much love to all of you!

• 163 •

Chapter 17 n Life after Judgment

sins of the father I inherited a sense of trust, honesty, hard work, caring and sharing from my father. He was the most trusting man I ever knew – too trusting. My mother was an alcoholic, which is now classified as a disease. But back then in the 60’s and early 70’s, we didn’t know where to get help for her alcoholism. The only thing alcoholics thought they needed to get better was money to buy their next drink. For as long as I can remember growing up, he would give her the money and she would leave, sometimes staying gone for weeks at a time. When she returned, he would repeat the same action, trusting that she would return eventually. Her behavior never changed, but he continued to trust her with the grocery money and we continued to struggle as a family.

This brings me to my sins of trust. Everyone that has entered my life since early childhood until this moment, I have trusted them to be the person they say they are. For the majority of these people, I have not been wrong, there has been mutual trust and unconditional love; they have remained consistent in character.

For example, Florence Jelks, came into my life when I needed support at a critical time, my early teens, as I was preparing for college. She moved me in with her and made sure I got the nurturing and care I needed throughout my adolescence. She has never changed and is still by my side, lovingly still bossing me around.

I can say the same about Coach Chuck Hinton. He came into my life once I entered college. He was there to make sure I got a chance at life with either a trip to the Major Leagues or a college education or both. He did that without question, even when I flunked out after my first year. He refused to allow me to go back to Immokalee where he knew I had no future. He never changed and even before he passed, he let me know he would stay by my side in spirit.

The same can be said about Jake Felton, the baseball trainer, who also passed away. He came into my life when I needed a place to stay after not graduating on time. He allowed me to move in with his son with no set rent amount saying, “Pay what you can pay.” He is another good, trustworthy person who never changed.

• 159 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

The same can be said about Len Snyder and Marilyn Glandt who were my bosses at Children’s Hospital where I began working after I left Howard without graduating. They saw my potential and asked what I was doing there busing trays and if I wanted to work for the Marriott Corporation.

I worked for Marriott at Children’s for about five years before they transferred me to Capitol Hill Hospital where I encountered two more angels, Scott Klier and Henry Richardson. Scott and Henry stuck by me through the ups and downs. We remained good friends, and they continued to support me through participation in my foundation events. I’m saddened to report that Scott and I will not enjoy our good times together any more, as my dear friend suddenly passed away while the book was in editing. How I miss my friend.

Earlier, I talked about Dick Gieselman, another angel who was my boss when I worked at Rock Creek Golf Course. Dick stuck by me and never swayed in his belief in me. I stayed at Rock Creek for two months before being transferred to Langston where I encountered another angel, Bob Brock. Bob was the last in a long line of angels who helped me reach the top of my career, but he was not the least. Thanks, Bob. Indeed you, were and continue to be a true angel in my life.

There are many others who I did not highlight who have remained true.

Men such as Tim Rosaforte, the Golf Channel’s legendary analyst, and the ever colorful Thom Loverro, were always supportive.

All of these angels proved to be the trusting and caring people I believed them to be, they never changed. They were who they said they were. They remained consistent and I am eternally grateful for having them in my life.

After receiving all of the angels over the past 30 years, my trusting soul that I inherited from my father is still with me. Yes, the sins of the father still remain, and I’m still trusting of everyone. But rather than blindly trust, I also verify that people are who they say are. Like my dear friend Bull Johnson once told me, “People will tell you anything, but time will tell you the truth.

Against all odds, the Jimmy Garvin Legacy Foundation survived and so did I. After everything that happened, I’m still just me. Through the ups and the downs, I won’t complain and I can’t do anything less than leave a legacy of caring, sharing and giving back. This. Is. My. Legacy.

• 160 •

Chapter 17 n Life after Judgment

Left to right: Van Jones, Henry Turner, Jimmy Garvin, and Willlie Blakney.

Left to right: Marlton Management Team: Damion Langston, Anthony Long, Van Jones, Jimmy Garvin, Henry Turner, and Lynda Hart.

• 161 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

Although the book ends here, my story is by no means over. Many lives have been touched, mine included. New angels have entered my life. As of 2015, the owners of The Marlton Golf Course invited me to join their new venture that will be the first black-owned golf venue in Prince George’s County, Maryland, home to one of the country’s wealthiest black communities. Stop by, I’m always there. That’s really the point of my story: in spite of life’s drama, I am still here doing what I love, starting over from the first hole. As someone once said, “Everyone falls down. It’s the getting up that counts.”

• 162 •

aFterworD

O

ne of my favorite authors, Lao Tzu, said, “The best fighter is never angry.” While I accepted this as truth, it was only as I matured and witnessed steadfastness in the face of turmoil, not tempered by anger, that I clearly understood what Lao Tzu meant. One of the people who helped me learn this life lesson was James “Jimmy” Garvin. I first met Jimmy at the historic Langston Golf Course, an oft-forgotten and generally maligned course, historically relegated to Washington, DC’s then-new-togolf African American community.

By the time we met, Jimmy was the course “Pro” and had been running Langston for at least twenty years. Lean, self-confident and at ease with himself, Jimmy worked tirelessly to improve the course and he welcomed all. I enjoyed being around him from the first day. There is this saying: You really don’t know a person until trouble comes. Well, in Jimmy’s case, the trouble didn’t stand a chance. He never wavered; he remained true to himself. And, Jimmy’s trouble wasn’t everyday trouble; it was big Washington-Post-front-page, network television, kind of trouble. It was the kind of trouble capable of changing most.

Know this, Jimmy Garvin came from humble beginnings; no, he came from “Hardscrabble Nothing, USA,” and everything he had – everything he built – was taken away. Everything, that is, except his loving wife, Lana, and a beautiful, supportive family.

When Jimmy’s trouble came, so-called friends, political connections – and even religious stalwarts – walked the other way; some not even returning Jimmy’s calls. When it was clear that his problems would persist, Jimmy hired me to represent him.

Over time, more than just an attorney/client relationship developed; we bonded. Our mutual respect grew and our similarities surfaced. Jimmy • 169 •

Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

Garvin’s stories of yesterday, the way he lives his life today and the plans and goals he has for tomorrow justify a guiding principle I came up with, and by which I have tried to live my life: We are not the things that happen to us, rather what comes from us.

What has come from James “Jimmy” Garvin is a person I am absolutely honored to call my friend.

God bless you, Jimmy. From you, I have learned so much.

–Vandy L. Jamison, Jr. Attorney at Law

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Chapter 16 n Commencement Address and New Honors

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Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

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Chapter 16 n Commencement Address and New Honors

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Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

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Chapter 16 n Commencement Address and New Honors

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Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

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Chapter 16 n Commencement Address and New Honors

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Legacy of a Common Man: The Walk Was Uphill

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Chapter 16 n Commencement Address and New Honors