A00295 - The Legacy of the Ancestors

 Tony, Wayne, and Renee,

Thank you for providing this information. I will be sure to note in my Fred Parker's post.  By the way, Walter followed me to UC Berkeley (as did Sheila Maddox, Class of 1980).  His legal career is far more illustrious.  His Russian language skills came in quite handy during the demise of the Soviet Union and the opening up of Russia to commercial activity.  His London based law firm is quite prominent.  Indeed, as I recall, one of his partners happens to be the twin sister of Elin Nordegren, the former wife of Tiger Woods.  It is my understanding that Walter's law firm represented Ms. Nordegren in her divorce negotiations.  

As I also recall Walter has served on the Board of Trustees for Hampshire College and one of the coolest things he has done was to host an international conference in London a few years ago that brought together some of the most accomplished people from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States to discuss various issues pertaining to Black folks throughout the world.  He has come a long way from his frisbee throwing days on the Amherst Quad.

His sister Adrienne is also quite accomplished so much so that a few years back she was a candidate for the Amherst College Board of Trustees. 

I am particularly pleased to learn about Alexandre White (Class of 2010) and Fritz Cliver (Class of 1986).  The legacy of Fred Parker is truly remarkable.  But folks it is not the legacy of Fred Parker alone.

If you read Fred's obituary, you may note a quite remarkable achievement.  Fred Parker taught high school math for almost forty years before he transitioned to teaching mathematics at the college level. That tells me that Fred Parker had some serious math skills.  In my mind, when I think of Fred Parker and his legacy, I also think that Robert Mattingly, Class of 1906, a brilliant mathematician who graduated from Amherst, Phi Beta Kappa, in only three years.  Mattingly would go on to head the math department for black schools in Washington. D. C. schools.  In reading about Fred Parker, I see Robert Mattingly standing with him.  

Along with Fred Parker and Robert Mattingly, I also see William Tecumseh Sherman Jackson (Class of 1892) standing with them.  William, after all, began the Dunbar to Amherst pipeline that brought Fred and Robert to Amherst.  Whenever I read of Walter or Adrienne or Fritz or Alexandre, I cannot see them without also seeing Fred and Robert and William and any praise for their accomplishments should also be a reminder of the efforts of the ancestors.

For those who are Star Wars fans, at the end of the first trilogy, after the Rebel forces have triumphed, there is a celebration.  And at the celebration, the deceased Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker (formerly known as Darth Vader) are shown in spirit smiling down on the participants.  For me, that occurs every time we have our memorial service get togethers.  We are not there on our own, the spirits of all those who came before us are there as well.  They are smiling down on us, marveling at all the amazing things that we have seen and done.

Wherever we may walk in life, we never walk alone.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Fairfield, California

July 14, 2024