I ran across this article in yesterday's Austin American Statesman, and thought it was a wonderful, uplifting story for the upcoming events this week. Following are some highlights, but if you have a few minutes, this is an inspiring story of a fascinating woman.
Bertha Means, of Austin, Texas is most likely in the running for the oldest (88) Democratic National Convention delegate and perhaps most experienced (active since 1946) Democratic Party activist, although this will be her first time as a delegate to a National Convention.
http://www.statesman.com/...
Mrs. Means met Obama in 2004, and has followed his career ever since. But long before that, she was instrumental in ending segregation in the University of Texas @ Austin athletic program. Her son subsequently became the first African American to letter in a varsity sport at UT. After she was turned away by a UT administrator when she tried to apply to a graduate program, she wouldn't take "No" for an answer, and eventually ran into a professor who helped her get admitted.
She has some good thoughts on Unity, too:
Means, who said she would be supporting Hillary Clinton if Clinton were the nominee, hopes differences within the party will be resolved in Denver. "I like the Clintons," she says, "and if there's a Hillary supporter who's not for Obama, I would say, 'This is the Democratic Party, and we are together. You have quarrels among each other, but you come back and get together, because you're looking at the big picture.' "
She is looking forward to some super events this November -- the election of Obama as President, and the birth of her 17th great grandchild!
One last note:
Where was she when JFK was shot? In Austin, preparing to attend the $100-per-plate dinner for Kennedy that was to be held at the city auditorium that afternoon.
My in-laws were planning on attending that same event here in Austin -- somewhere around here, we still have the tickets.