Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom, Faith, and Forward Progress in Monroe By Marie Brown As Juneteenth approaches, the people of Monroe have an opportunity to celebrate not only a historic moment in American history, but also the resilience, faith, and…
Category: Opinions
Thank God and The Monroe Free Press for ten years of writing ministry
First, allow me to thank God and Rev. Roosevelt Wright, Jr. for opening doors for me on this incredible journey. In June 2016, I began my God-given assignment of writing Christian articles for The Monroe Free Press. The very…
Our Rich Black Heritage: Herman L. Finley Sr., Minister of Music, Music Director, Gospel Recording Artist, and Music Executive at Jewel Records
By Garry Blanson As I was growing up in Monroe, Louisiana, I can remember my mother, Mrs. Jessie Mae Phenix Blanson, attending and graduating from a local vocational school that used to be located at 700 Rogers Street in Monroe,…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown People in Monroe are still reeling over the failed 2 Renewal tax propositions that occurred on May 16th. The Monroe City School system has 83% of its enrollment of black students. It has been noted that…
Our Rich Black Heritage: Colored People and “Packing and Cracking” During the First Period of Reconstruction in America
By Garry Blanson As I was going to look up the old nursery rhyme about “St. Ives” — you all still remember that old nursery rhyme — something made me realize that the redistricting currently going on in Louisiana and…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown The primary elections for the congressional, state and local have concluded. There are runoffs forthcoming and all 5 state constitutional amendments were defeated. The most devastating blow were the 2 local tax RENEWAL propositions that were…
Our Rich Black Heritage: Union Baptist High/Elementary School for Negro Children in Monroe, Louisiana, in the 1950s
By Garry Blanson “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905 It’s amazing how not being born during a certain era can keep Black people in Monroe, Louisiana, from…