Witness: Rising in the Ranks – National Law Enforcement Museum (NLEOMF) Event on African Americans in Law Enforcement
The ascent of African American law enforcement leaders and their impact on their community.
The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum presented an engaging evening program recognizing the achievements of black officers in law enforcement and the legacy of Sheriff Lucius D. Amerson on February 13, 2020. The late Sheriff Amerson was the first African American elected sheriff in the deep south since Reconstruction. This was an inspiring story of a law enforcement pioneer known for enforcing the law fairly and equally among citizens of racially segregated Macon County, Alabama, in 1966.
There was a video screening of the life and impact of Sheriff Amerson’s legacy, presented by his son Anthony E. Amerson, followed by a panel discussion on the impact of black officers within law enforcement and their community and the swell of recently elected and appointed black sheriffs, police officers, and other law enforcement professionals. After the program, attendees enjoyed the Museum and embarked on a guided tour of its collection and exhibitions.
Panelists and speakers for this informative discussion included:
Moderator: Anthony E. Amerson, Son of Sheriff Amerson
Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, Earl L. Harrison Minister of Social Justice, Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, DC
Sheriff Paula Dance, First African American Woman Sheriff in the State of North Carolina (Pitt County)
Frank Lee, Director, Emergency Management Agency, Macon County, Alabama
Captain Sonia Pruitt, Montgomery County Police Department, Chairperson of the National Black Police Association