The City of Paris and the Paris Police Department are partnering with the Paris Chapter of the NAACP to honor several community members during Black History Month in February.
Paris Police Department Community Outreach Coordinator Kimmie Snowton initiated the project on behalf of the department and worked with the local NAACP to select the individuals to be recognized.
The City and the NAACP are also sharing in the cost of the project.
“Black History Month really is a time that we celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout our U.S. history,” Snowton said. “My thought came to celebrating the history of what those in Paris, Texas, have done.”
The flags will honor the efforts and achievements of several local black community members who have impacted Paris and Lamar County.
Eight individuals were selected for this year.
Five are honored posthumously, including Paris Police Sgt. Louis Wooten, local educator and school administrator Ralph Rogers, former Paris Police Officer and Paris ISD Police Officer and educator Robert Milton, school administrator Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bly, and former Paris ISD School Board Member Marva Joe.
The three additional honorees include the Mayor of the City of Paris, Reginald B. Hughes, retired educator, school administrator, and President of the Paris Chapter of the NAACP, Robert High, and Paris Police Department Records Division Clerk and Public Information Officer Alice Webb.
Four flags, each recognizing a different person, will be displayed for two weeks each during February.
Snowton is working to coordinate additional locations in the city to display the flags when not installed around downtown.
