Political Quotes

“In honor of Black History Month, I want to recognize the Austin family of Lake Wales, Florida. James P. Austin, Jr., was born in 1919. He served in the United States Army as a staff sergeant during World War II. Mr. Austin served as the Lake Wales NAACP president for over 33 years, founding the branch along with his wife, Jeresa Austin, and Reverend W.J.H. Black. During his tenure, both Austins were instrumental in the sit-ins and swim-ins as far away as Ocala and St. Augustine in the 1960s, as well as the integration of the Polk Theatre in Lakeland in 1976. Mr. Austin was elected to the Lake Wales City Commission, vice mayor, and became the first African-American mayor of Lake Wales in 1987. As well as a civil rights leader, Mr. Austin was a major developer in Lake Wales, building many of the homes on the northwest part of the city, and had a community center named after him. Jeresa lived for about 4 years after her husband's death, serving as a teacher in Polk County schools. James' brother, Reverend Allen Austin, was a longtime pastor of the First Institutional Missionary Baptist Church in Lake Wales, and for the past 5 years has served as pastor of the First Baptist Hilltop Church in Frostproof. James' sister, Lula Jones, was born in 1925 in Lake Wales, Florida. After graduating, Ms. Jones worked as a housekeeper and, along with her brothers, was a member of the Lake Wales branch of the NAACP. Ms.…”