Lelia Foley Davis A Name You Should Know

Lelia Foley Davis was the first African American woman to be elected mayor in the United States. She lost her seat and regained it again. She was and currently is mayor of the all black town, Taft, Oklahoma. EVERYDAY is Black History.

Davis was born on November 7, 1942, and raised in Taft, Foley-Davis graduated in 1960 from Moton High School. In January 1973, Foley was a divorced mother of five, surviving on welfare. She had run for a spot on the school board of Taft, Oklahoma. She lost the election, but was inspired to positively changer her town and by the successful election A. J. Cooper as mayor of Pritchard, Alabama. Davis raised $200 dollars from her supporters and family. She then pursued Tafts’ mayoral seat.

On April 3, 1973, the citizens of Taft elected Foley as mayor. In doing so, she became the first African American female mayor in United States history. Her election predates that of Doris A. Davis, who was elected mayor of Compton, California later that year. In the wake of her victory, Foley would confer with Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. In 1974, Oklahoma named Foley Outstanding Woman of the Year. Davis lost her mayoral seat in the 1980s,, however she continued to serve her community. In 2000, known Lelia Foley-Davis regained her position as mayor. At the beginning of the twenty-first century she continued to reside in Taft, where local highway signage proclaimed the town “the Home of Lelia Foley-Davis.”

Lelia Foley Davis is truly an amazing black women pioneer. She was the first black woman to become mayor of an American city. This accomplishment is grand. What is grander is Davis ability to strive despite difficulty. Davis was a single parent of five children, but still felt passionate about pursuing her dreams of helping her town. She did not become a victim of her circumstance. She exuded the inner strength, confidence and hard work needed to reach her aspirations. Family, this is what we must do to. We must not become victims of our circumstance. We can change any problems that enter our lives, as long as we do not give up. Use your situations as Davis did to motivate you towards triumph and happiness. We can all become better and have our lives flourish if we make it happen and believe in ourselves. ~Know Your Worth~ -M. Millie

 

When History is a Lie, what do you do?

Yes, our history. Black History spans centuries far before the Civil Rights movement and slavery. We were the first. We were the first people in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica. This is ludicrous? There is no proof to validate this? This is what people who want to keep you from your true history will say. They will try to make you  believe this because they want to continue to use systematic tactics of oppression and degradation. They want us to believe that we are powerless. They want us to question our abilities and value. Have you ever heard of the Willie Lynch syndrome? Well, it is real, and it is alive and working through the minds of many of us.

What do you do to combat this? Look for history books that are not made by the oppressor. Visit the walls of tombs in Europe, India and Africa. Look to find that there are images of us as champions of success, rulers, leaders and warriors before that of the European. Look to immerse yourself in the knowledge that we were the first creators of Mathematics, Literature, Science and Architecture.

There is a wonderful two-part documentary called Hidden Colors. This movie gives factual traceable evidence of the greater lineage we blacks, African-Americans, Caribbeans, Africans and Afro people come from.  You can find the link here to the website  www.hiddencolorsfilm.com Upon watching this movie I thought it was 30% true, with exaggerated details. Oh, was I wonderfully surprised.

As I began to research some of the topics in the movie from the true founder of the art Karate, to the destruction of the Tasmanian people, to the Moors of Ethiopia, I learned how much history has been distorted. When I learned about the truth with Michelangelo and the Sixteenth chapel I could not believe my ears. You see, our image is worshiped throughout the world. Our great contributions to the development to life on Earth is known by everyone else, but us. Our contributions were stolen, because they feared us as they do now.

Here is that question again. What do you do when your history has been a lie? What do you do when the feeling of insecurity, the feeling of worthlessness, the feeling of degradation has been indoctrinated in you throughout your educational, family and societal experiences? What do you do. Reclaim the truth. Educate yourself with our real history and teach others. Teach your daughters, sons, husband and wife. Teach them that greatness is in their veins.

Yes, we were kings and queens. Yes, we were rulers, but we were and are still so much more than that. We single-handedly created the seeds to flourish all the conveniences that people enjoy today, We set the foundation. We were the brains behind it all. Stop allowing fear to cloud your mind. Stop allowing fear to subjugate you from learning your real worth. Learn where you come from and be a vessel for change and continued greatness.

Our ancestors, with the mark they have made and the accomplishments they have reached have sewed within us all we need to survive, achieve, maintain and win at life. Use the gifts, knowledge and understanding of our past to propel you forward always.

-M. Millie