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Right to Serve

Twice, I’ve been called to jury duty. The first time, I was dismissed because my ex-law partners were trying the case. The next time, I refused to agree to convict someone if it meant an automatic life sentence without chance for parole. Both times, I was ready and grateful to be on the jury. I wanted to exercise the right to serve. A...

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Black History Month by Me

Okay, guys, I missed February 1st. But they say don’t sacrifice the good-enough to the perfect. This year, 2025, as the Federal government works tirelessly to pretend no merit resides in anyone but straight white males, I will during Black History Month blog on how extraordinary Black Americans have impacted my personal history. Short...

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2025 So Far

Sometimes, WordPress logging me out is enough to put me off posting. Blame passwords, which I can’t remember, because I have different ones if WP logged me out or I’m trying to comment on someone else’s blog post. I hate passwords. I follow healthy passwording guidelines and use a different password in every instance. Then I...

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New Year’s Resolution or Epiphany?

I didn’t take a nap today. I swam 950 yards in the pool. That’s a fairly big turnaround for someone who has been napping like a demon for months now. My poor Apple watch has given up on me. It whimpers, You closed one ring today—good job! We’ll see what it has to say about today. Maybe it will blink its little self on and...

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The Blank Spot in our Brains.

Thank you to Tod Davies and Exterminating Angel Press for publishing this excerpt from my as-yet unnamed memoir-in-progress. “The Blank Spot in our Brains” opens with a story about my mother and veers off from there. The short piece explores how hard it is to accept information we don’t want to be true. I now have four...

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Weekend of Remembrance

Please enjoy these photos from the recent Weekend of Remembrance in Vicksburg. Dr. Albert Dorsey, Jr. at Bethel AME Church discussing the Massacres at the Weekend of Remembrance Dr. Beth Kruse at the church speaking about the impact of the Massacres Rev. Andy Andrews at the Vicksburg National Park Libation Ceremony on Saturday of the...

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Rest

“Rest,” the doctor said. And I thought, what is rest? Not bed rest. That’s different. Just simple rest. Like sitting on the back porch waiting for the squirrels to appear on the squirrel highway where they jump from the Chinese Golden Rain Tree to the flat frond of the palm tree. The most amazing feat, to land on that...

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Mississippi Free Press and Me

Yesterday, on the day of Thanksgiving in America, the Mississippi Free Press Voices published my essay, “Nearing Vicksburg: Examine What You Think is True.” I’m not going to tell y’all a lot about it, because I want you to experience it for yourself. Just know this: I’m a little Piglet when it comes to publishing...

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The Vicksburg Massacres Remembrance

In one month, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, we will have a weekend dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Vicksburg Massacres. Creating the Vicksburg Massacres Remembrance has been a collaborative, community effort. The planners include Vicksburg National Military Park, Catfish Row Museum, Bethel AME Church, Becoming Beloved Community Episcopal...

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