Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 2-12-16

Local
Congresswoman Kathy Castor Honors WWII Veteran, Civil Rights Activists
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Friday, Congress- woman Kathy Castor hon- ored two Civil Rights activists by reading their names and accomplishments into the U. S. Congressional Records. The event took place in the audito- rium of Middleton High School.
Cong. Castor paid trib- ute to retired Tampa Attor- ney Delano Stewart, World War II Veteran, Emmanuel Johnson, and Ms. Patricia Spencer, posthumously.
Attorney Delano Stewart A Tampa native, Attorney Stewart graduated from Morehouse College with a B. A. degree in 1961. He contin- ued his education at the Uni- versity of the Philippines, Long Island University, and Howard University School of Law. He was sworn into office on January 7, 1955, becoming the first African American to practice law in Hillsborough
County.
During his 50-year career,
Attorney Stewart has stead- fastly fought against discrimi- nation within the African American community. He served as a Civil Rights activist
MS. PATRICIA SPENCER
during the tumultuous 1960s, observing the struggle for Vot- ing Rights, Civil Rights, and Human Rights.
Attorney Stewart is the co-founder of the Tampa Or- ganization of Black Affairs and co-founder and past president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association, among others.
He officially retired in June 2015.
Emmanuel P. Johnson
A native of Marianna, Florida, Mr. Johnson served in celebrated his 94th birthday on October 14th.
Mr. Johnson is one of a few World War II veterans liv- ing in Hillsborough County. He recalls working as a civilian at the military base in Mari- anna because he was too young. When he became of age, he was drafted in 1942
A special Veteran’s History Project presentation was made to World War II veteran, Em- manuel P. Johnson. (Photogra- phy by BRUNSON)
and served until 1945. He was stationed in Nuremberg, Ger- many when the war ended.
In 1959, Mr. Johnson and his family became one of the founding families of the newly constructed Progress Village, a subdivision created for African Americans.
Cong. Castor presented Mr. Johnson a United States flag for his service to his coun- try. Mr. Johnson said of the presentation, “One of the last things they do at a veteran is to fold the flag and present it to the family. They gave me my flag while I’m living. I felt like President Obama with the people clapping for me.
“I said to them, after the glory, there is always a story.
Attorney Delano Stewart was chosen by Congresswoman Kathy Castor as the Congressional Records honoree this year. He is shown with Cong. Castor, left, and his wife, Attorney Carolyn Stewart. (Photography by BRUNSON)
To appreciate the glory, you have got to know the story, and when you live to be 94 years old, you know I have some stories to tell.”
Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Historian for the Progress Village subdivision and maintains historical records for his hometown of Marianna.
Ms. Patricia Spencer
A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Ms. Spencer be- came a member of the NAACP at the age of 7. She lived in Or- lando, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Tampa, becoming active in chapter of the organization in the community where she lived.
While in Montgomery,
Ms. Spencer worked with the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
During her tenure with the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP, Ms. Spencer was instrumental in helping the Branch participate in two his- toric 50th anniversaries of the March On Washington in Au- gust 2013 and the Bloody Sun- day, (March on Selma for Voting Rights) in March 2015.
In addition to serving as Branch Secretary, Ms. Spencer also served as the Area IX Director for the State Conference NAACP.
Ms. Spencer died after suffering a heart attack on De- cember 14, 2015, at the age of 79.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-A