DISCLAIMER: The following is a paid advertorial and should not be construed to necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the staff of the Jackson Parish Journal.  

(Paid for by James Bradford)

We all have a part to play in keeping our community safe. “When you see something, say something,” we’re told every day. After much reflection and research, I’ve decided it’s time someone speak up about the minority group that sent four Cease and Desist letters to Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, asking him to change the location of the Jonesboro monument commemorating the civil rights group that originated in Jonesboro in 1964, known as the Deacons for Defense and Justice.

The first three letters were signed by a Monroe resident, Funyanna Kirkpatrick Saulsberry, claiming that “they” represented the citizens of Jonesboro. Saulsberry never defined who the “they” referred to. Only three people, including Saulsberry, her husband, and one other out-of-towner showed up wearing FDK T-shirts on the historic day of the unveiling ceremony. I later learned the initials stood for Fredrick Douglas Kirkpatrick Foundation, named after one of the founding Deacons and Saulsberry’s grandfather.

You might ask: What does the FDK Foundation have to do with the challenges and changes that the citizens of Jonesboro and Jackson Parish went through during the civil rights struggle? And, What’s the motive of a handful of out-of-towners in sending letters to the Lt. Gov. on behalf of the citizens of Jonesboro? I know little-to-nothing about the FDK Foundation and wish it the best in doing any good work. But I would recommend to Mrs. Saulsberry that while proudly wearing the FDK T-shirt, she might also want to file her 2021 Annual Report to bring the foundation into “active” status with the state of Louisiana. I would also want her to know that we have capable people in our own town to make decisions that are in our best interest. If we need help from the citizens of Monroe, we’ll certainly give them a call.

Most importantly, I found Saulsberry’s letter to be riddled with false statements and misleading information about Jonesboro and its citizens. For example, she claims that “they” had held several meetings with community citizens about the location of the monument. I find this statement seriously hard to believe.

As a lifelong resident and former mayor of the Town of Jonesboro, I have heard not one word about a civil rights marker until late Fall of 2022 when Mrs. Christie Weeks, President of the Jackson Parish Tourism Board, conducted extensive research on the Deacons for Defense and followed up with the Louisiana Office of Tourism which falls under the leadership of the Lieutenant Governor. My personal thanks to Christie who worked very hard, unselfishly, to make known what she felt needed to be known about our town. And if you were in attendance on the day of the unveiling ceremony, you heard the passionate, powerful presentation made by Christie. She became emotional, almost to tears. It was great!

Moreover, Saulsberry’s letter states that “The citizens of Jonesboro community have spoken unanimously for placing the monument at its original site, near Hudson and Main Street.” One thing I have no problem believing is that three people spoke unanimously. But no one can make me believe that ALL the citizens of Jonesboro spoke unanimously about any issue.

In her attempt to explain why the marker was not being placed at the corner of Hudson and Main, Saulsberry wrongly cited me [James Bradford] as saying, “they didn’t want it there.” Saulsberry then follows up with the comment, “’they’ must be the white power structure, because the black community had voted to place it downtown. Her comparison of white and black responses was Saulsberry’s way of making the location a racial issue, with which I totally disagree. To me, it was an act  on her part of ‘pulling the last straw.’ I feel certain the marker’s location was decided exclusively by Mayor James Harris as the best spot for the most people to view it.

On first reading Salsberry’s letter, I questioned why and where between Hudson and Main? The answer came through clearly when I read the fourth Cease and Desist letter which was written admittedly, by Herbert Simmons, a local resident who owns the vacant building on the corner of Hudson and Main Street.

My next question was obvious: Could this be self-serving interest and not the interest of all the citizens of Jonesboro? Simmons’ letter also states that, “It is a disgrace for the marker to be located near Popeyes Chicken.” Now this statement really confuses me. Does Popeyes, a national franchise that provides jobs and a place to eat in our town, bring shame and dishonor to Jonesboro or to any small town? My answer is a resounding NO, for I recognize that with the Popeyes franchise, our town is all the better– has a stronger tax base, which helps
to provide better services to all Jonesboro residents.

Simmons’ letter states that he and his wife Jan had been working on this project for several years. If this were true, it had to be the best kept secret in Jonesboro, because I had the honor of serving as mayor of Jonesboro from 2015—2019, and never heard of anyone working to get a Louisiana Civil Rights Trail Marker in the town of Jonesboro. It seems to me that if any Jonesboro citizens were genuinely interested in getting a marker to honor the Deacons for Defense, those citizens would be happy and supportive of the marker being located at its current sight, 135 Richard Zuber Thruway (US 167), the most traveled highway in Jackson Parish.

As I think through these Cease-and-Desist letters, it appears also that there is a deeper concern for “Who gets the credit?” It does not matter—TODAY or 50 years from TODAY–who gets the credit as long as the Deacons for Defense get the honor.

Citizens of Jonesboro: I hope you see what I’m trying to point out: It’s dangerous to allow any outsiders to lead a movement in your town or community. I could go on citing other false and misleading claims stated in those letters, but space will not
permit. Before closing though, I want to give a shout out to our town leaders for forging ahead to bring into reality the historic events that took place in the Town of Jonesboro on July 6, 2023. It was a joyful, historic day for the citizens and many descendants of the Deacons who returned home from far and near to celebrate with family and friends.

My sincere thanks and gratitude to Mayor James “Spike” Harris and his committee for a job well done as they enlisted and worked with the Louisiana Office of Tourism in putting the Jonesboro Deacons for Defense and Justice on the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail.

Respectively submitted,

James Bradford