Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 8-1-17

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Celebration Of Freedom Ceremony
James E. Tokley, Sr. wrote a poem, “A Modern Manifesto” in honor of the grand opening of the George Edgecomb Courthouse in 2004. In December of 2010, his poem was engraved on a plaque and placed in the side- walk directly in front of the statue of Lady Justice.
The plaque was damaged in 2012 during the Republican National Convention and had to be redone.
The Thirteenth Judicial Cir-
cuit Court of Hillsborough County held a special Cele- bration of Freedom cere- mony honoring Tokley, Tampa’s first official poet lau- reate.
Since 1996, Tokley, Sr. has been a regular contributor to the art scene throughout Tampa and the state of Florida. In 2013, Tokley was also named the official poet laureate for Hillsborough County. (Photographs by Frederick Harris)
The Poem:
A MODERN MANIFESTO
Let me live in a land of Justice
. . .one where every human being Has been judged and found the equal of the greatest king or queen.
& Let me lift the lamp of reason
. . .so that all who seek may find That the scales of hate have been removed & Justice is not blind!
O’ Let me shout the Bill of Rights in every courtroom of the land Until the civil sword of Justice rests in every human hand,
& In the course of generations, let the cause of Justice be: That we pledge ourselves to Freedom,
But by Justice we are free!
Poem by James E. Tokley, Sr., Poet Laureate, City of Tampa
James E. Tokley, Sr. stands beside the poem he penned in 2004 for the grand opening of the George Edgecomb Courthouse in down- town Tampa.
Dr. Walter Smith, left, and Clerk of the Circuit Court, Pat Frank attended the event honor- ing James Tokley.
Carolyn Seals and Dawn Brown, left, with Joanna and James Tok- ley.
Marlina McClure, left, Judicial Assistant to the Honorable Claudia Isom, one of the hostesses for the celebration and wife of the guest speaker, Atty. Fred McClure; The Honorable Claudia Isom, Mr. Tok- ley and Arnell Bryant, Florida Bar Diversity Chair.
From left, Gail P. Williams, Betty T. Baker and Ny’Aya Hobley joined Mr. Tokley for the celebration.
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