Community: News, People & Events People In The News
Darline Mabins
John Oke-Thomas
Darline Mabins, Arvest Bank Manager is running for a 2021 City Council General Seat A. Jan Fisk seat.
John Oke-Thomas, Owner and President of Oke-Thomas and Associates was voted Chairman elect for the SGF Area Chamber of Commerce
Lincoln High School Digital Image Collection At The Library
Daniel Ogunyemi
Daniel Ogunyemi, with Burrell Behavior Center is running for 2021 School Board Seat
University Of Memphis has signed Makaiya Brooks by Amy Johnson Marshall Unite Contributing Writer
Springfield, MO—It’s final, Makaiya Brooks, Central High School Student signs with the University of Memphis Women’s Basketball Team. Prayer, patience, and perseverance were (are) the tools utilized by lifelong Springfield, MO resident, Makaiya Brooks in her pursuit toward the next level. Hard work is no stranger to Makaiya who has spent endless hours focusing on her basketball dreams. Whether getting in the gym prior to classes beginning, to being the last one standing after practice, or even the workouts with trainers several times a week, her dedication and determination is admirable to say the least. Surrounded by a faith filled community of believers, Makaiya has developed a strong belief that all things are possible. With this spiritual guidance, she has been able to overcome many obstacles presented on her
R to L: Michelle Brooks, Makaiya Brooks and Michael Marshall
journey. Philippians 4:13- “I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me”, is a favorite verse of Makaiya’s, and has served as a foundation for who and how she is. Makaiya first picked up a basketball at the age of 4, and from that day forward, an inseparable bond was formed. The self-motivated work ethic that Makaiya possess is second to none. She has literally put thousands of hours into her skills the past 14 years. Practices, training, personal workouts, games, and tournaments are some of the contributors to her devotion
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John Thomas “Be-Bop” Brown learned to play the saxophone there. Ada Fulbright taught young minds there for 55 years. Kansas City Monarchs’ Herman “Doc” Brown, Jr. graduated from there, and reminisced, “Lincoln High School was the cornerstone for every African-American that hit this town.” Now, images of the people and stories of the Black lives that flourished at Springfield’s Lincoln Schools are together in a digital collection hosted by the Springfield-Greene County Library District. See “The Lincoln School Collection” at thelibrary.org/lochist. “One of the charges for Local History is to help preserve the history and culture of the Ozarks,” said Brian Grubbs, manager of the library district’s Local History and Genealogy Department. “We wanted to tell a piece of the history of Springfield’s Black community through the lens of Lincoln School.” More than a school, Lincoln served as a community center and a branch of the public library for Blacks. The library desegregated in January 1947, but the Lincoln Branch Library continued to operate until the school closed in 1955. The collection includes photos and documents from Springfield’s history: a 1925 Boy Scouts of America Troop Charter for Troop #35 at Lincoln School; a photo of the 1922 Boy’s Glee Club; a photo of Homer Boyd in his marching band uniform outside of the school – the same Homer Boyd who rose to fame with fellow singers as The Philharmonics. There are photos of Lincoln’s basketball teams, bands and orchestras, graduating classes, beloved teachers, proms and plays. Continued on page 12
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