The following is from a transcript of Mobile City Councilman, Cory Penn’s address to City Council on Black History Month and John L. LeFlore High School’s impact on Mobile. He serves the residents of District 1.
Thank you, Mr. President.
This month we celebrate Black History Month and so each Tuesday in Black History Month, in the month of February, I want to celebrate something in Mobile.
So, I wore my signature orange tie for the greatest high school in the world. That's John L. LeFlore [High School], because I believe it's the greatest.
A lot of times in our inner-city communities, we hear about a lot of negative things that are taking place, but we never hear about the positive things that's taking place in our city. Most people know John L. LeFlore, civil rights leader, here in the City of Mobile and that's amazing what he had accomplished.
But what about the current achievements of people in our city? So, I want to highlight some people that have done some amazing things.
DeMarcus Cousins from right here in the City of Mobile, amazing job this past weekend. Coach Ben Harris received Hall of Fame honors from the National High School Association in Canton, Ohio. Amazing! And he graduated from Toulminville High School, which is now LeFlore High School.
This past weekend at the Grammys, Rogest Carstarphen received the Grammy, again. It's just multiple Grammys right from an inner-city community. Lauren Gamble, Bridgeton writer. La Jill Hunt, BET writer. And when you think about all the greatness that came from LeFlore, that's a lot of achievement.
I believe right now, we probably broke the record. Most people don't know this, but right now:
Commissioner [Sherry] McDade, on the school board, an elected official: Toulminville/LeFlore High.
Cory Penn: Graduate of the LeFlore High, that's the second.
Commissioner [Merceria] Ludgood, Toulminville, that’s three current.
And now, [U.S. Representative] Shomari Figures, number four.
I think that might be a record at one time for a school. All from an inner-city community.
A lot of great people graduated from the John L. LeFlore High School. We have two superintendents. The first African American superintendent, Superintendent [Chresal] Threadgill, graduated from LeFlore High School. Superintendent [Jeremiah] Newell is a graduate from LeFlore High School.
Academics, sports … we dominate. So, I just want to highlight the greatness that comes from John L. LeFlore.
Thank you, Mr. President.
