CAMDEN — By TAMMY FRAZIER
Managing editor
Southern Arkansas University Tech in East Camden held its Black History Celebration on Thursday and welcomed Dr. Joycelyn Elders as its guest speaker.
The event was well attended, and Elders commented about the "wonderful crowd" and the university itself, which she stated is an important part of the community because if fosters "education, education, education" within the region.
The program is a fundraiser and held in memory of Betty J. Lewis, who was hired to work at SAU Tech in 1996. Lewis graduated Summa Cum Laude from the university in 1999 and received many awards. She succumbed to cancer that same year.
Many of the area's elected officials attended the event, along with business owners and representatives, and winners of the SAU Tech Essence Pageant, Hope Harcrow and April Lewis.
Elders was introduced to the attendees by her husband, Oliver Elders, who gave an entertaining opening for his spouse. He also recited quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who stated that, no matter what occupation a person may hold - even if it is being a street-sweeper, do so to the best of one's ability.
Joycelyn Elders took the podium and stated several times that education is the key to reaching dreams, fulfilling goals, and a means for a person to advance his or her community and even the nation. She shared that it was her educational opportunities that helped her overcome poverty.
She was born in the farming community of Schaal, Arkansas, in a poor, segregated area, had seven siblings, and her home was a three-room cabin that lacked an indoor toilet and electricity. She quipped that the only time her family had running water was when it rained.
Elders went on to become the 15th Surgeon of the United States and the first African American to head the U.S. Public Health Service.
She is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS), Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, states the SAUT website. She is a distinguished professor of the School of Public Health at UAMS.
During Thursday's program, she stated that "we honor history by making history. We don't need to live in the past, but we need to review it so that we don't repeat the negative parts."
Elders stated that ones can look at the examples of King, Carter G. Woodson, Rosa Parks and others to become motivated to make a difference in their own lives and within the world. She said to study such ones because "we're proud of the progress we've made, but we don't know much about our history. It's not just black history, but it's all (our) history - the good and the bad."
She also stressed that children should be prepared by their parents to have a good future. Elders briefly mentioned the recent shooting in Florida, and said that children should grow up without the fear of violence that has permeated the society. She stated that the student in that incident used a repeating rifle. and that gun advocates say that those types of guns should still be allowed because they are used for hunting.
"My daddy hunted," she said, "but he never had to use a repeating rifle to kill a rabbit."
Elders said that people need to make sure they are registered to vote so that they can make a difference.
"The only reason politicians don't change is because we don't demand it," she added.
After repeating the reasons and value of education, Elders ended by asking the attendees to strive for excellence through the power of knowledge.