Dear Editor,
I was very pleased to read of the appointment of Dr. Marcus Jones as the 20th president of Northwestern State University. This assignment is extremely meaningful to me. As an elementary student I lived three blocks from NSU formally known as the Normal College, but because of the color of my skin attending NSU was not an option due to segregation laws.
Only Southern University and Grambling State University were available for me to attend. I was only able to work at NSU in the laundry. One of my classmate’s father’s was a custodian in the science department at the Normal College and would often speak of tutoring students in that department. Decades later, after the abolishment of segregation laws, two of my grandchildren attended NSU middle lab in the gifted program.
They have acquired advance degrees and are employed as a speech language pathologist and a publishing editor at the J. Paul Getty museum.
These accomplishments by people of color are no means are limited to just my family, but to others in Natchitoches and throughout the world.
The installation of Dr. Marcus Jones, as NSU president serves as a positive role model to other boys and girls in our community and beyond.
Sincerely,
Alma L. Johnson
