Letters and Opinions, request to rename Robert E. Lee High School

Published 2:54 pm Friday, July 10, 2020

July 3, 2020

Dr. Marty Crawford, Board of Trustees, Tyler Independent School District

Dear Executors:

This letter is a more formal request from me for the renaming of Robert E. Lee High School.

I spoke briefly for the 1 minute, 20 seconds that you allotted to the speakers a few weeks ago at the Board Meeting, and about a year ago, and I appreciate that opportunity. I have high respect for each of you, individually, and collectively for the very fine job you have done, and yet do to serve our community in education.

Around 8, and 9 years ago, I appealed to the Board, and Superintendents, Mooring, and Reid, respectively then, to consider primarily the old vacant Mamie G. Griffin School, or secondarily, Mattie Jones, for an African American Museum, either all, or a part of those buildings. My request was graciously considered, but no action taken.

The Texas African American Museum currently occupies a space in the old Griffin School, now for a few years, but that is a different group from mine, but we do work together on some projects.

I did eventually start one, partially mobile, and permanent, a few years ago in our Church Building, the National African American Historical Society Museum at 200 S. Glenwood Blvd., Tyler, Texas, 75702, operated by the National African American Historical Society (East Texas Area), and Tyler/Smith County African American Historical Society, that I am Founder/President, of now for over 10 years to promote African American History, in Tyler, East Texas, and beyond.

At this critical point in time, our decisions, and actions today will be analyzed, and reviewed by future generations, and history tomorrow. This letter is written to further explain my views on this matter, the “Robert E. Lee Name Change”.

As I said that night when I spoke, the image of Tyler is on the line, locally, nationally, and internationally.

As a native-born Tylerite, educated in this city, most of my years, a 1974 graduate of John Tyler High School, top 10%, the school year that we won our State Football Championship, in December, 1973, and a proud classmate of Earl and Renee Campbell, as we all were seniors that year, a great year for not only John Tyler, but Tyler as well.

I was 1st chair trumpet player in Professor James R. Williams Band, along with Renee at that time. So, while Earl was running the touchdowns on the field, under Coach Clark “Corky” Nelson, and a great team, I was tooting my horn with the Band to help spur them on to victory. I have lived through the turbulent 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.

I came back after college, and taught in Tyler ISD, mostly history, and geography, many years, twice at John Tyler, and Roberts, later Plyler Alternative Schools, in between that, before becoming later a Counselor in Longview ISD, several years, at the High School, and then an Alternative School. Then I became a Principal in Marshall ISD, for a brief time, and have substituted back in Tyler ISD, for several years in various positions.

Executors, with all due respect, it is time for this stain, and dark cloud that have hung over Tyler far too long, to go. It is an embarrassment, and impediment to our growth.

This a great city, and area to live in, growing fast, but we need to come together to build on it further, and I am willing to work with Tyler ISD, to help, not only with, encouraging this process of, “Lee Name Change”, but to see how we can incorporate more African American History, and others of color, in our curriculum, which is very needed in an ever increasing diverse society.

I am opposed to the renaming of, John Tyler High School, as I feel that bearing the city of Tyler’s name, once called Tyler High School, downtown, and changed to John Tyler High, a few years prior to being built at its present location on the northwest part of Loop 323, it needs, in my opinion, to stay the same.

Even, if John Tyler was a slave owner, he was a president of the United States before the Civil War, just as Washington, Jefferson, and others who were slave owners, and some presidents.

It is a sad fact, but true, but we cannot change that. Most cities, and towns have at least 1 high school that bears the name of the city, so I think John Tyler being built because of the growth of Tyler, then, and “John” added in the late 1950’s, prior to moving to the loop, and no longer downtown, and it has the city of Tyler’s name with all of its rich history, it’s name should be left alone.

We need at least one high school to identify with this city, and I did not see the need a few years ago when it came up, or now, at the request of changing Lee’s name for it to be changed. I feel this is to satisfy some people who do not understand that one does not have to affect the other.

The name, “Robert E. Lee”, has always, and will if it continues, intimidate us, as Black people, as it symbolizes, a racial tone that should have been left back at the end of the Civil War, in 1865. He was the Commander of all Confederate Armies that seceded from the United States, mainly over the emancipation, of black slaves.

It is a shame that Tyler would even think about naming a school after this general, as great as he was, one of the best out of West Point, and even President Lincoln wanted him, but Lee declined, to go with his, “beloved Virginia, and the South”.

Tyler never should have, in the late 1950’s during the height of segregation, and impending desegregation, name a school after this man, and start out with rebel flags, rebel guard with confederate uniforms, Dixie fight song, and all the symbolism associated with it. I remember it all growing up, as they fired the cannon, at every touchdown, and played Dixie, and blacks shook, and feared this terrible cry, and reminder of our dark past. Even when the mascot changed to, “Red Raider”, after much violent, and bitter protests, then over 50 years ago, the, “Robert E. Lee”, name remained, as a compromise.

It should have been changed then, changed a few years ago, and needs to be changed now most definitely!

Also, I hope you all will allow some student input that is so vital to this process, as they feel left out, and we are supposed to be here for them, and the decisions we make now will affect them, and us for future generations. They are our future leaders, as a sticker reads, “be careful how you treat your children, as they may one day have to pick your nursing home”.

Furthermore, I am proposing a name to replace, Robert E. Lee. His name is, “Bill Hartley”, one of the founders of Southside Bank, here in Tyler, that has grown across the State of Texas. He was a long-time president, CEO, Chairman of the Board, etc., In his lifetime, having only passed a few years ago, he did a lot for Tyler, East Texas, and Texas. He did a lot for people of all walks of life, highly respected by all.

He did a lot for the Black community, Hispanic community, as well as the White community. To me, naming this school after this man, that I met years ago, and was impressed with, until his demise of his untiring efforts to help humanity, I think it would be a great boost for the school, and the Tyler community, as he represented diversity, which is what we need today, in this troublesome time.

A dormitory is already named after him at Texas College, as he served on the Board of Regents there, and did a lot for that historically Black institution. The dormitory is named Gilmore-Hartley. Bishop Gilmore, Episcopal black leader of that CME District, during that time, and Bill Hartley worked close together.

Blacks, and many people of color are angry, because they feel they have been left out, disenfranchised from the mainstream of the American ideals, stated by the founding fathers in our Constitution:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator, with certain inalienable rights, among them being life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

In conclusion, I am proud of Tyler, yet active as a Retired Educator of about 40 years, 36 years as a pastor of a 121 year old pioneer church here, 45 years in the ministry, starting as a teenager, have mentored about 50 ministers, several pastors, in this area, have served in church affiliations on local, regional, state, and national levels.

I am a historian, longtime member, and only active black of Smith County Historical Society, downtown Tyler, and now first, and only black to be appointed to their Board. I am one of two active members of Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Committee. I am a member of the Tyler Morning Telegraph Advisory Board, only black.

I have many white friends, love them dearly, grew up with many during integration, and have worked with in school and the community with them as an adult.

My parents, said in their lifetime that Tyler, was “Jim Crow Capitol”, but they too loved whites, and whites loved them, worked hard, and respected the laws, leaders, and helped to build this city, encouraged their 3 sons to get college degrees, and we did.

My mother was a teacher, first black in her family, to get a college degree, in the 1940’s at Texas College, coming from Quitman, Texas, and now I have children teaching, and educated, nieces, and nephews.

We were taught, myself, growing up with 2 older brothers during these turbulent 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and up until now, to have the greatest respect for our country, and community, to be patriotic, and I also am an Eagle Scout, and have served on many city boards, and committees, in past years also, known most of the civic leaders in Tyler for the last 40 years of all races.

I am a lifelong learner, student of history, and other disciplines, have some writings that have been printed. As Winston Churchill said to Great Britain, during World War II, as Hitler’s bombs were being dropped on London. He told them to, “rise up, and defend your country, for this is your finest hour”.

So, I say to you the same, if you rise up, and take a stand for this, “Name Change”, and be open as you have already started again, listening, and respecting everyone’s opinions, and take this step, it could be Tyler’s finest hour.

Thank you for all you do, and taking time to read this lengthy expression of my feelings, and many others.

Respectfully,

Larry D. Wade, Sr.