WACO, Texas — As we look at Black History Month and the many contributions made to history by African Americans, Bell and McLennan County leaders see firsthand how they are adding to black history.
Working alongside of Lester Gibson for two decades was quite an experience for Patricia Chisolm Miller.
Miller is currently the commissioner for McLennan County Precinct 2. Gibson was elected commissioner in McLennan County after reconstruction, and his goal was to improve quality of life for people in his precinct which had large numbers of Black and Hispanic people.
One of Gibson’s biggest fights was getting a resolution put under the 'hanging tree noose' photo at the Waco courthouse. For the hanging of Jessie Washington, it would take him from 2002 to 2011 to get the resolution passed.
In honor of his contributions to Waco, Black History Waco renamed the trail.
Miller said he had a passion for teaching young black children about their history and the legacy they must carry on for black people across the nation.
Patricia Miller was elected commissioner for the same precinct after Gibson’s tenure. With over 1,000 commissioners in Texas and only six of them being black women, Miller says she is grateful for her support from the community but knows more work must be done.
Being the first black female Mayor in Killeen, Debbie Nash King says she had to overcome the doubt that many African American women and men are faced with in a leadership role. Mayor King says representation at the top of organizations is important for any race but especially for African Americans.
Waco Police Chief Cheryl Victorian says when she was in the police academy, she was one of few women of color. Now, the first African American female police chief in Waco she says it shows the strides that have been made in black history. Chief Victorian says breaking the barrier can sometimes feel like maybe you don’t belong, but if you put the work in that’s needed then you have earned the seat at the table.
Three black leaders seeing the importance of encouraging younger generations that look similar to them, have shown that they can have a lasting impact in communities across the world with knowledge of who they are, and the perseverance African Americans must have to continue push our race forward.