At the age of 28, I became the first African-American ever elected to our county government body. This was in 1976. My interest in public service had been kindled by the political activism in which I had engaged while a student at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Those were the waning days of the solid South, the politically united southern states of America, traditionally regarded as giving unwavering electoral support to the Democratic Party. An unfortunate feature of this period was the methodical exclusion of people such as myself from the political process. And though
we made many gains, domestic responsibilities caused me to redirect my efforts elsewhere beginning in the 1990's.
On retiring several years ago, I have gradually began to reassert myself in politics and other areas of interests, this time with the added attribute of a lifetime of experience. Though, my current orientation is more broad based. My skill set for communicating and expressing myself is well-honed.