Black History month

Black History Month wraps up this weekend with a pair of events honoring the contributions of black Odessans to the community.

In the first event, The Gertrude Bruce Historical Cultural Center Association will recognize eight Odessans in its annual Black History Banquet. The theme this year is "Remembering Our Pioneers II," and the event will feature The James Elkins Singers.

The event is scheduled at 7 p.m. Friday at the Odessa Regional Medical Center Auditorium, 515 N. Adams Ave. Tickets are $20.

The selected honorees will include McKinley Golden, Luberta Cravens Golden, Lillian Deaver, Lawrence DeGrate, Paulethia Kerr Hunter, Winfred Richmond, Millard Standifer Sr. and Emma Sue Robinson.

Association treasurer Shelia Collins said the purpose of the banquet is to honor the pioneers of the black community who have been in Odessa for a long time and helped the community through struggles such as segregation and Jim Crow laws.

The second event is the 2009 Distinguished Odessan Man of the Year Awards Luncheon on Saturday honoring Odessan Babe Ruth Archie for his community service.

The event, sponsored by the Castanettes Social, Civic and Arts Club, is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Odessa Shrine Club. A male fashion show will provide entertainment and guest speaker will be the Rev. Christopher T. Redden. Tickets are $20 and are available at the door or in advance.

Castanettes president Jo Ann Davenport-Littleton said the club aims to promote the accomplishments of black Odessans.

"One of the things that we wanted to do was turn a spotlight toward some of the positive things some of our black men were doing," Davenport-Littleton said.

This year's honoree, Archie, is a very God-fearing man who goes out of his way to help others, she said.

 "If there's a need, and he knows about it, he's going to try and meet it," Davenport-Littleton said.

Davenport-Littleton said Archie is humble and full of generosity. She told of a time when he bought T-shirts for a group of children at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in January, just because he saw the look on the children's faces who couldn't afford to buy their own.

"He's just an ordinary man, but he does extraordinary things," Davenport-Littleton said.

Archie said being helpful to others sprang from an encounter he had on the side of the road when he was 12 or 13 years old. A man was stranded with his car, and Archie, without any knowledge of how to fix cars, was able to get the vehicle started again. When the man asked how much he owed Archie, Archie said he felt a presence telling him to say, "nothing."

"It was the Holy Spirit," his wife of 42 years, Christine Archie, said.

It was then that Archie began his life of helping others.

"I strongly believe the Lord showed me how to fix that car," Archie said. "I still believe in doing the same things. Nothing is too hard for God to do."

The Rev. Lawrence DeGrate

>> Born Sept. 11, 1926, in Waco, McLennan County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1952.

>> Age: 82.

Education:

>> A.J. Moore High School in Waco.

>> Paul Quinn College in Waco.

Occupation:

>> The first black chair of education for the West Texas Baptist District Association.

>> Pastor of South Union Baptist Church in McCamey.

>> Did a lot of work with youth and raising money for youth activities such as helping youth attend college.

>> Traveled Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and California as part of his efforts to help youth.

Lillian Deaver

>> Born March 16, 1926, in Highbank, Falls County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1955.

>> Age: 82.

Education:

>> Booker T. Washington High School in Marlin, Texas.

>> Bachelor's and master's degrees at Prairie View A&M.

>> Took advanced course work at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, University of Texas El Paso and Texas Southern University.

Occupation:

>> Teacher at Hardin High School in Brownwood. Taught at Douglass, Carver and Milam elementaries in Odessa. Retired from Milam in 1988.

Family:

>> Has two daughters.

Observations about Odessa:

>> Biggest changes she has seen in Odessa are integration and paved streets.

>> "I enjoyed teaching second graders. My favorite subject to teach was reading. Helping students learn to read opened their eyes to new experiences. I know that the start my students received enabled them to communicate and receive communication for pleasure, information and entertainment."

Millard Standifer Sr.

>> Born July 19, 1925, in Valley Mills near Waco and came to Odessa in 1948.

>> Age: 83.

Education:

>> Smith Grady High School in Carwell, Texas.

Occupation:

>> Served in the U.S. Army starting in 1943.

>> Worked at Midcontinent Supply and Cecil Liquor Store.

>> Owner of Standifer Liquor Store.

Observations about Odessa:

>> Said the biggest change he has seen in Odessa is the number of new houses.

Paulethia Kerr Hunter

>> Born April 10, 1913, in Antioch, Lee County, Texas, and came to Odessa in the 1940s.

>> Age: 95.

Education:

>> Antioch High School.

Occupation:

>> Homemaker.

Family:

>> Has one daughter.

Observation about Odessa:

>> "I thought it was a terrible place. Grassy, very few trees or houses. It's good now. I like it now."

McKinley Golden

>> Born Sept. 1, 1924, in Anson, Jones County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1948.

>> Age 84.

Education:

>> Frederick Douglass High School in Anson.

Occupation:

>> Retired tire repairman.

Background:

>> Served in the U.S. Navy and received honorable discharge. Member of V.F.W. Post 6713.

>> Has one son and one daughter.

>> Member of Carter Chapel C.M.E.

>> Married to Luberta Golden and has one son and one daughter.

Luberta Cravens Golden

>> Born Sept. 12, 1925, in Anson, Jones County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1948.

>> Age 83.

Education:

>> Frederick Douglass High School in Anson.

Occupation:

>> Retired teacher.

Family:

>> Married to McKinley Golden and has one son and one daughter.

Observation about Odessa:

"I like Odessa now because of my ties and things with my church. I love this community."

Winfred Richmond

>> Born Dec. 21, 1927, in Axtell, McLennan County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1954.

>> Age 81.

Education:

>> Old Moore High School in Waco.

>> Bachelor's degree from Prairie View A&M.

>> Master's degree from Colorado A&M.

Occupation:

>> Taught industrial art education at Blackshear until 1972. Retired as principal of Ector Junior High in 1987.

Family:

>> Has one son and one daughter.

Observations about Odessa:

>> "First of all we've integrated. That means a whole lot. Now if (blacks) are living in the right zone, they can attend any school. It's a tremendous amount of change."

Emma Sue Robinson

>> Born June 25, 1929, in Mexia, Limestone County, Texas, and came to Odessa in 1947.

>> Age 79.

Education:

>> Dunbar High School in Mexia.

>> Two years at Odessa College.

Occupation:

>> Came to Odessa and cleaned homes.

>> Became supervisor of the county and state food program.

>> Helped start the Southside Senior Center.

>> Member of the Head Start board.

>> Former local NAACP president.

Background:

>> Member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church.

Family:

>> Has two sons.

Observations:

>> "In all the things I've done, I must give God all the praises."

>> She said she tried to set an example for youth would like today's youth to know they didn't get where they are without people "putting their back against the wall" for them.