Now is your chance to vote for the Wiley College and the Marshall News Messenger’s Black History Now — community influencer. Voting is now underway through 11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24.
Community members were nominated by those who believed they were working to make Marshall a better place.
The winning Harrison history maker will receive a $500 donation to their favorite charity organization and be featured in the Marshall News Messenger.
Nominees include the following history-makers.
Angela Fitzpatrick is a pioneer in the community to inclusive groups of individuals. She shows her determination to providing a quality education to students. She provides resources and supportive guidance to future leaders of this world. She is active in civic organizations for the advancement of others. She’s heavily involved in her church and has a passion for serving the elderly.
Angelique Cooper is an outstanding student, a great supporter of the community and she strives daily to enhance the environment of others around her with her selfless acts of kindness.
Jim McCutchens wears many hats including being a pastor at a local Methodist Church and is the president of the Harrison County Branch No. 6185. He has been a longtime board member for Karnack ISD and has been a top advocate for the youth there, always volunteering his service to cover their sporting activities.
When he’s not working and serving on various boards, he’s volunteering his musical gifts, playing the harmonica wherever he’s called upon.
Flo Jasper is a retired 35 year Harrison County Extension Agent. She is still serving Marshall as a lifetime member of The Greater Marshall Chamber. Flo is a graduate of Texas College and a proud member of Delat Sigma Theta. She is active in Marshall Rotary and serves as a Marshall Chamber Ambassador.
Willie Jean Birmingham, a retired business teacher and entrepreneur, loves Marshall and advocates for the betterment of the city, in any capacity she can. Throughout the years, she has served on numerous boards, including past president of the Harrison County Historical Museum board, member of Marshall’s Main Street board, and city activist on Marshall’s All American City team. She does it all with a radiant smile.
Julia Williams has been a prominent part of building the greater Marshall Community for many years. She was a longtime occupational therapist. She worked alongside her husband and family, who owned People’s Funeral Home, an important institution in Harrison County since 1923.
Leo Morris is an outstanding member of the Marshall community. He is the most giving, and compassionate person, volunteering his time and energy for the betterment of our city. Morris is a member of the Newtown Neighborhood association, and serves as the coordinator of the groups watch program. He has served on two of the MISD school bond committees, the charter committee of 2018, the image board of the city which is now Keep Marshall Beautiful, and as a member of the I69/369 focus group.
For over ten years Louraiseal has been the County Extension Agent for Family and Community Health with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Through her job as Extension Agent in Harrison County she has worked in Family & Community Health, Economic Development, and as 4-H Coordinator. Louraiseal serves her community every day and is making tomorrow’s history better than today’s.
Monica Simmons is a wife, mother, aunt, daughter, friend and educator who demonstrates daily that she is a shining example of a strong woman of the twenty first century. Simmons is the Director of Special Programs and Curriculum for Elysian Fields I.S.D. She gives of her time and generosity to her family, her school family, her church family and her community.
Raylynn Hawkins is an inspiration to the Marshall community, she vows to help mentor and change the lives of young individuals in her community. She is a positive light shining for others to follow in her footsteps.
Stardom William lives in Marshall, but sits on the Marion County Fair board in Jefferson and is also the Marion County Fair Pageant director. She was able to help over a hundred kids with Operation Save Christmas from surrounding areas and later packed up the rest and sent it down with the Cajun Army for the kids in Alexandria that the tornado hit. She is now trying to put together and informational seminar for the youth on different situations consisting of bullying in the schools, human trafficking and etc and providing them on the proper way to handle situations and providing them with contact numbers.
