Published: April 06, 2008 12:34 am            

Remembering a legend

From time to time God sends the people a Liberator! Mr. Obie Clark was one of those people! He came along at a time when it was not popular for men of his ethnicity to speak out against injustices being brought against his people.

He did it with vigor, wisdom and courageousness — all elements needed to tackle such a task. Although a teacher by early trade, Mr. Obie found his calling under the then current NAACP Liberator Rev. R.S. Porter. The torch was passed along and the rest is history. Just like in the Bible days when Moses passed his rod on to Joshua, Mr. Obie accepted his commission as a Civil Rights leader and did many great things for the less fortunate in the Meridian and Lauderdale County area.

Now the Lord has said to him, "time’s up!” “Well done my good and faithful servant, well done!” We the people of Meridian and Lauderdale County — both black and white — should be forever grateful for witnessing the levels of understanding, wisdom, and courage it took to take on such insurmountable tasks — to liberate, or to simply even the playing field for all people — regardless of social or economical backgrounds.

Mr. Clark’s legacy will be forever remembered in the State of Mississippi! All throughout this state the name Obie Clark resonates with respect and reverence. We knew if Mr. Obie’s name was mentioned as “being on the case” — results would happen. Sometimes the methods were not always acceptable, but the cause for the challenge was always needed. Mr. Obie always did it his way!

Now the time has come when Meridian and Lauderdale County must move on without his ever presence. We all went by the funeral home — to sit under the shade tree, cooling and covering the porch — taking time to sit at the feet of wisdom, listening to the voice of reasoning. Regardless of how long it took for him to get to the point of a story, we just relished the time spent with this great man!

You will never know what you have until it is gone! The citizens of Meridian will greatly miss this giant icon. The way Mr. Obie went about his business was always factual, well planned and spirit led. Now we must say good-bye and pray for strength for Mrs. Melba and the Clark family.

We must also pray for the Lord to anoint us another Liberator who will see the injustices which still exist and approach solving them with a portion of the wisdom, understanding and well-planned strategies Mr. Obie used to justify fair justice and righteousness for all.

We will all miss you Mr. Obie!



Rev. Randle L. Jennings

NAACP Educational Chair

        

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