First, Judge Belvin Perry, former newscaster Carol Nelson Pond and Photo/journalist, Tee Tayler were welcomed as lifetime members of the University Club in downtown Orlando. This is something that would have been unheard of 40 years ago when the only folks who were welcomed in the University Club were rich old white guys.
So congratulations to these three people who have, in significant ways, changed the landscape for good in Central Florida. And congratulations to the University Club for extending this lavish invitation.
The other thing that happened yesterday is that legendary Congressman, Alcee Hastings, died. As a young attorney, Alcee arrived in Fort Lauderdale Florida around the same time we did. It was a time when Blacks could not stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, go to white schools, and on and on. He and my husband Ken, became good friends and worked together on projects, not only for African Americans but for women's rights. And in later years Alcee went on to champion the LGBT community.
Following is a story I wrote in June of 2019 when word came that Alcee Hastings had pancreatic cancer.
Sad to see in the paper this morning that my old friend, Alcee Hastings, has pancreatic cancer. U.S. Representative Alcee Hastings is the longest-serving member in Florida's congressional delegation. He was the first African American to be elected to Congress in Florida since Reconstruction and has been relected 14 times.
My husband, Ken, and I knew Alcee Hastings when we lived and worked in South Florida. Alcee, the son of house servants, was born in my current home town, Altamonte Springs. But we knew him in South Florida, at the height of racial tensions. He was a great friend and mentor to us in civil rights issues in the 1970s.
One of the things he taught us was how to keep our cool under pressure. A couple of times we witnessed the "soup" incident. The first time we were at a banquet. Alcee was seated next to me. At one point the waitress spilled soup all over him. His response was charming. I was concerned. He explained that getting soup spilled on him (by a white waitperson) was a common occurrence. I had to witness it one more time before I believed him.
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| Ken Crossman, in 1983, sharing his pulpit with Alcee Hastings, |
And now, since 1992, he has served (and easily won) his seat in the House. He remains a savvy and popular congressman but, of course, he's still controversial and still poking fun at his Republican opponents.
I wish Congressman Hastings well in this new battle with cancer. And I sincerely hope nobody has spilled soup on him in recent times.
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