Members of the African American community in St. Bernard gathered at a recent council meeting to celebrate Black History Month with parish officials.

February was officially proclaimed Black History Month in St. Bernard by Parish President Craig Taffaro and the Parish Council at their last meeting, held on Feb. 15.

Prior to the meeting, Taffaro hosted local African-American leaders for a Black History Month Recognition lunch and discussion. Council Chairman Frank Auderer, and council members Wayne Landry, at-Large East, Mike Ginart, District D, and Kenny Henderson, District C, joined more than 20 honorees and their guests for the lunch.

“There is no denial of our country, state, and parish’s past which included racial divide,” Taffaro said at the council meeting. “Today, we, as a parish government, establish, for maybe the first time, an official statement that we have crossed into a new acknowledgement of community partnerships. While our society as a whole may still have an ongoing challenge to balance political, social, economic, and spiritual agendas across ethnic lines, we take time to acknowledge several of St. Bernard’s outstanding figures in this process.”

At the meeting, elected officials, outstanding educators, community and religious leaders, longtime businessmen and top athletes were recognized for their contribution to St. Bernard Parish. They are pictured here

· Dr. Henderson Lewis, principal and St. Bernard Parish School Board Member
· Honorable Barbara Manuel, Justice of the Peace Ward J
· The late Mr. Willie Smith, former Principal of Violet Consolidated School
· The late Coach Donald Moore, former coach and educator at Millaudon Middle School
· Ms. Dedra Bailey, principal of Willie Smith Elementary School
· Dr. Montrell Sinegar, principal of Andrew Jackson Elementary School
· Mr. Tommie Powell Jr., Supervisor of Instruction for St. Bernard Parish Public Schools
· Mr. Warren “Nip” Williams, barber and business owner for 59 years
· Arthur Brown, barber and business owner for 57 years
· Reverend Raymond Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church of Verrett for 20 years
· Reverend Clarence Thomas, pastor of Greater Round Hill Baptist Church for 40 years
· The late Reverend George Robinson, founder of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Committee in St. Bernard
· Yolanda “Loni” Banks Thomas, 2007 St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
· Jeff Sanchez, 2011 St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
· Kia Jefferson, 1996 St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete Honoree
· Danielle Lewis, 1998  St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete Honoree
· Areal Bienemy, 2001 St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete Honoree

“As Dr. King challenged all of us, these community leaders have excelled in their respective areas of talent to rise above racial, economic, and social boundaries and serve as models not only for the Black community of St. Bernard Parish, but as models for all of St. Bernard Parish and beyond.”