They have a spring in their step and a twinkle in their eyes. When you ask them about community, their faces light up, and they want to eagerly share their thoughts.
They are the three ladies who head up the Browning Progressive Civic League, and they have been involved since the organization's birth in the early 1970s. Most know them as Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Graham. They are, more specifically, Claudine Brown, Georgia W. Moore and Laura W. Graham.
It's no coincidence that Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Graham both have "W" as their middle initials. They are sisters.
This threesome is rarely seen apart when it comes to matters of the Browning Community. If a meeting of the Civic League is called and no one else shows up, you can bet that these three will meet anyway. They care about their community, and they are committed to making sure its people are united in some way or another.
"We put this organization together because we saw the necessity of organizing our community," Mrs. Brown said. Back in the days of the Civic League's forming, the Browning Community, formed by former slaves and their families at the turn of the century, covered a much larger territory than it does now - from Big Sand to Pelucia Creek and from Valley Hill to Mississippi 7. Back then, that area took care of all those who attended the Browning School. When the school was consolidated with Amanda Elzy, the community began to grow smaller. These ladies saw an immediate need to unite the people of the community and keep them together.
They smile when they talk about the goals of the community and their efforts to make sure these goals are carried out. Mrs. Brown pulls out a sheet of paper on which the goals are listed. She talks about them with pride.
"Our goals are to maintain our community identity, to better our roads and sewage, to improve and maintain the playground and its equipment, to provide fire hydrants and to assist in beautifying our cemeteries, which are in Carroll County," Mrs. Brown said.
Many folks in Leflore County know the Browning Progressive Civic League as an organization that puts on a grand Labor Day weekend festival. While that is true, the league does a whole lot more. In addition to playground and equipment, fire hydrants, beautification and better roads and sewage, they also sponsor a baseball team each year and donate $300 to the baseball league, they donate to the food pantry, they adopt a family from each church in the community and take baskets to various families at Christmas. Some of the ladies, including Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Graham, have also delivered meals through the Meals on Wheels program. And Mrs. Moore was one of the primary ones instrumental in the restoration of the Browning well.
"When something happens in this community, whether it be a sickness, a death, or just a need by someone, she visits everyone and gets things organized to help that person or family. She will gather food donations and whatever else is needed to help out," said Leroy Ware, who is chairman of the Labor Day Festival.
"Whenever there is a need somewhere, and not necessarily in this community, the league is there to help out," said Ware.
As highly as he speaks of them, Ware did mention he has one problem with the ladies who have been so instrumental in uniting this community.
"There's only one thing they haven't done," Ware said, half-joking, half-serious. "They haven't trained anybody to take their place." Consider the fact that these ladies are 70, 82 and 78, respectively - and still going strong.
"We are proud of our community," Mrs. Brown said. "It looks good. And people talk about what good leaders myself, Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Graham are. But, you know, the only way to be a good leader is to have good followers.
"We will continue to go forward, to progress. That's why the name of our organization is the Browning Progressive Civic League," Mrs. Brown said. "Our theme for this year is 'A United Community for Progress.'"
Roslyn Lockett, who is a resident of the Browning Community and a member of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, knows the influence these three ladies have on this community.
"Their names are synonymous when you speak of Browning," Lockett said. "They have developed a foundation that signifies the unification of a community. Because of them, this community carries such a profound sense of family and tradition.
"They just give you a sense of perseverance," Lockett said. "They are to be very much applauded by the Browning Community for their efforts."
The three ladies help to make up the executive board of the Civic League. Mrs. Brown is the president, Mrs. Moore is the secretary, and Mrs. Graham is the treasurer. They are now busily planning for the upcoming weekend's events. This is the 11th year of the Browning Labor Day Festival, which is open to the public. Activities will include a founder's day program at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Morning Star M.B. Church as well as a day of fun, games and food on Monday at the Browning Park.
BROWNING LABOR DAY FESTIVAL
- The following is a schedule of events for the annual festival.
Saturday:
5:30 p.m. - Opening ceremonies at Browning Park
Sunday:
4 p.m. - Founder's Day program
Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church
Monday:
11 a.m. - Children's games begin
Noon - WGNL live radio broadcast
1 p.m. - Motorcycle races, horseback riding, volleyball games and horseshoe pitching contest
3 p.m. - Talent contest
4 p.m. - Cash giveaway
5 p.m. - Live blues band
The event is open to the public. Admission is free. Bring your family.
