Community Projects Incorporated--along with other organizations—is proud to announce that Russellville-Logan County was well represented at the March on Frankfort on March 5.
At least 128 community members/parents, including 96-plus students, signed up to attend. A second charter bus was secured for transportation being provided at no cost to the marchers.
Some students represented Logan County High School and Auburn Elementary/Middle School with the overwhelming majority of students being from the Russellville Independent School System.
At 4 a.m., students started arriving at the two different locations at the parking lot next to Arby's and the corner of Morgan and Fifth Street. They enjoyed the breakfast of eggs, sausage, toasted buns, apples, bananas, water and orange juice, donated and prepared by members of Bank Street AME Zion Church.
Elementary grades to sixth grade loaded on one bus with parent chaperones, and seventh to twelfth grades loaded the other bus with parent chaperones.
As one educational component, a documentary film on the Freedom Riders was shown the first half of the trip on the bus with the younger students. On the second half of the trip, the film was shown to the other bus with the seventh to twelfth graders. The film documentary was checked out and given to CPI to use from the Warren County Public Library by Monica Edwards, who formerly worked at the Logan County Public Library.
Although both 2014 buses were new, the drivers had to stop two to three times to check. In spite of working out kinks, the interstate, highways and the roads in Frankfort were clear and safe for travel. On this warm sunny day, the group arrived on time for the lineup at 9:30 a.m. at Frankfort’s Second Street and Capitol Avenue; signed in for credentials, programs and pins from the Allied Organizations for Civil Rights of the Kentucky Human Rights Commission.
The students/ parents/ community marched to the Capitol from 10- 11 a.m. They sang "Lift Every Voice" and participated in Vote Rally. They listened attentively to the different speakers on program:
The students/parents/community toured the Governor's Mansion and enjoyed the refreshments of hot chocolate and cookies from 12:15. to about 1 p.m. The Governor's Mansion had just been remodeled and an educational area added.
The students/parents/community toured the State Capitol from 1-2:30 p.m. They were graciously given a tour by Bryon Blackwell and, later, Rep. Martha Jane King. Morgan Todd was able to take pictures with Bryon Blackwell (her cousin) and Representative Martha Jane King, and later Sen. Neal and Sen. Reginald Thomas.
During the tour of the Capitol the group from Russellville got to see the different chambers where policy and laws are made. They also met Governor Steve Beshear, former Sen. Georgia Powell, Raul Cunningham and other platform guests, who addressed them for a few minutes. Mr. Cunningham chaired the March on Frankfort as well as emceed.
Bryon Blackwell will be a graduate of Kentucky State University in May 2014, is Mr. KSU and a KSU ambassador, who is an intern at the Capitol. His employer graciously gave her time explaining to them the job of each department and the importance of voting and helping make laws.
At 2:30 p.m., the group journeyed to Kentucky State University for a drive-by tour of the campus. They were greeted by the director of the KSU cafeteria and staff with all you can eat buffet lunch with a salad bar in a private section with white linen table cloths. While they enjoyed the different choices including pizzas for lunch, the representatives of the admission office of KSU explained the importance of education; what they had to offer in their four-year program and summer programs. They gave out gift bags of information on KSU.
They attended "The William McNulty Forum on African American and Future of Ky Politics" at the Brown-Foreman Room, Thomas D. Clark Center for the Kentucky History on 300 West Broadway. The moderator was Renee Shaw of KET with panelists Councilman Chris Ford, Mayor Bill Scheckles, Mayor Anna Sleet and Commissioner Pamela Smith-Wright.
“We realized that our few minutes stop at the Kentucky History Center was all we could do in order to return home between 6 and 6:30 p.m.,” says Charles Neblett of Community Projects.
“Community Projects Incorporated will be ever grateful to Mr. Ron Barbe and Ventra Plastics, who secured the first charter bus and all contributors who help secure the second charter bus to make this celebration viable for all of us,” adds Marvinia Neblett.
CPI designed a banner that listed all contributors who help make this event a united front. The organizations and businesses who participated in making sure that the Russellville-Logan County area and students were well represented were as follows:
Allied Organizations for Civil Rights, Attorney James Milam, Arby's, Archie Beck Hair Salon, Bank Street AME Zion Church, Concerned Citizens, Emerson Electric, Community Projects Inc., Rev. Lee Fishback /Mt. Herman Baptist Church, First Southern National Bank, Logan Chamber of Commerce, Logan County Adult Learning Center, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Papa John's Pizza, Piggly Wiggly, Roy's Barbeque, Russellville-Logan County Human Rights Commission, Russellville-Logan County NAACP, Subway, Students from Logan County High School, Auburn Middle School, Stevenson Elementary and Russellville Middle & High School, Summers, Kirby and Sanders Funeral Home, Rev. Lee Turner/Center Baptist Church, Western Kentucky African American Museum, United Coach & Tour and Ventra Plastics.