Listics

My old schoolmate and friend Eugene Parks passed away last night.

Gene and his twin sister Irma were sophomores when I was a senior in high school.  They were the only African American students in my school.  When I graduated, there was a redistricting and Gene and Irma had the dubious opportunity to move to a new school and be the only black kids there.

No matter what our liberal reputation, Madison is as racist as the next place, and I was always concerned for Gene.  I probably didn’t need to be.  He was brilliant and strong.  He saw right through the craven boors who gave him a hard time.

In 1968 Gene ran as a write-in candidate for county sheriff.  I was his campaign treasurer.   A year or two later I went to a party at Gene’s place and he tried to talk me into some Blackstone Ranger or Black P. Stone Ranger or some kinda Chicago gun running thing.  I think we were a little loaded.  He would have made a great sheriff. 

In 1970 he was elected to Madison’s City Council, the first African American to hold elected office in Madison.  Ever.  He served three terms on the council.  When he left the council he was elected president of the local NAACP.  He wasn’t yet 30 years old.

Since then, over the last thirty years Gene has been our city’s gadfly for community relations and inter-racial sensitivity.   When I was on the west coast, from time to time my parents would send me clippings about Gene’s public exploits.  He loved Madison and he was ever trying to make it better.  When I returned 15 years ago, Gene’s public presence provided some continuity for me and made me think I could go home again.

Now he’s gone. 

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Too many good people are falling around me, cultural icons, family and friends.  I think this is the last memorial blog posting at Sandhill Trek.