MONTICELLO – Some people may think that Black History Month is only about the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and icons like Martin Luther King Jr and Jesse Jackson. But in Sullivan County, some local heroes were influenced by those men. One of them was Lieutenant Rowland Ward, formerly of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office. His daughter, Amanda Ward, is a legislator from District eight. She said none of her accomplishments would be possible without her father being a pioneer.
“Black History Month is a reminder that the lives we live today were planted by those who came before us, many of whom never get to see the harvest of their sacrifices. And really, it’s because of them. I stand where I stand today.”
Lifelong friend Al Dumas is the Town of Thompson historian, and he has fond memories of him.
“His influence on me was great; I paid it forward by being productive in the things I do today,” he said. “Lieutenant Ward had allowed what it was that he had to offer for himself, his family, and his community.”
Amanda Ward said her father practiced the Golden Rule.
“It was second nature to be like, who am I helping? Who am I impacting (today)?”
Comments