The Men’s Prayer Breakfast team at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View will host the monthly event on June 15, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at the church on 2000 Phillip Street. Patrons are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast and are asked to confirm attendance at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or call 936-857-3272.
Confirmed speakers for the event include City of Prairie View Police Chief Wilton White, Waller County Precinct 3 Constable Herschell Smith and Prairie View Magazine Publisher Dwayne Charleston. The panel will address policing with the historical context of the creation of the police force and its continued evolvement in today’s society for law and social justice.
Chief White is a native of Hempstead and has more than 30 years of experiences as a Police Officer for the Brenham, Lieutenant of Operations at Prairie View A&M University, Texas State Trooper, Chief of Police for Eagle Lake and was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Prairie View in 2022.
Constable Herschel Smith is a native of Hempstead and has more than 30 years in Law Enforcement in Houston and Prairie View and serving as an Army Vet, a Correctional Officer - Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the pastor of Enlightened Chapel Ministries, Community leader, founder and executive director of a homeless shelter.
Charleston is a native of Prairie View and has more than 30 years of experience as civil servant in government, community activism, entrepreneurship and publishing including Editor in Chief with the African American News and Issues and Publisher of The Prairie View Magazine.
This month’s event commemorates the 159th Anniversary of Juneteenth with a panel discussion themed “From Chains to Change: Policing and the Path to Freedom.” The theme is designed to encourages dialogue, education, and community engagement, fostering an environment where the history of Juneteenth and the evolution of policing are not just remembered but are actively used to inform and improve our collective future.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed of their freedom on June 19, 1865, marking a pivotal moment in American history. This day symbolizes the end of an era of brutal enslavement and the beginning of a new chapter of liberty and justice. The path to true freedom was fraught with challenges. The establishment of formal police forces in the South had its roots in slave patrols, which were created to maintain the system of slavery by enforcing discipline upon enslaved individuals who sought freedom. These patrols were among the first forms of organized law enforcement in the Southern states and laid the groundwork for modern policing practices.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, we also reflect on the complex legacy of policing in America. It's a history that intertwines with the very essence of freedom and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The theme "From Chains to Change" invites us to consider how far we have come since the days of slave patrols and how the role of the police has evolved over time. Today, communities and law enforcement agencies are working together to forge a new relationship based on mutual respect, accountability, and a shared commitment to justice.
This Juneteenth, let us honor the past by embracing the future—a future where every individual is treated with dignity and where law enforcement serves as a guardian of the freedoms we hold dear.
The Men’s Breakfast is commemorating its 20-plus years at St. Francis of Assisi, and the current team include Donald Sowell (Coordinator), Glenn Berry, Darryl Johnson, Charles Muse, Frederick V. Roberts, Michael Sowell, William Sowell and Herbert Thomas.