City Of Fort Worth: Black History Month Spotlight: Lonnell E. Cooper

Dallas TX

09 February, 2022

4:58 PM

Description

Press release from City of Fort Worth: February 09, 2022 Black History Month, celebrated in February, is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society, including activists, civil rights pioneers and leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. In the spirit of that mission, each Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the rest of the month, a local Black hero will be featured in hopes that their stories will inspire you all year long to explore other fascinating change agents. Lonnell E. Cooper joined the Fort Worth Police Department in 1953 and rose through the ranks, becoming the city's first Black sergeant. He received several awards, including the Liberty Bell Award for his work in encouraging freedom under the law, by 1972. In 1981, a year after retiring, Cooper was appointed constable in the newly drawn Precinct 8, becoming Tarrant County's first black constable. Cooper was born May 24, 1923, in Fort Worth to Oscar and Maude Cooper. His family ran businesses, including the Green Leaf Cafe and the storied Jim Hotel big blues venue in what was then a vibrant African American business district in downtown Fort Worth. He graduated from I.M. Terrell High School in 1939 and attended Prairie View A&M. In 1942, he became the first African American from Tarrant County to enlist in the Marines, serving in World War II. In 1953, Cooper left a higher-paying job with the U.S. Public Health Service to join the Fort Worth Police Department – one of six Black men to graduate from the police academy that year with "full authority" as an officer. Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brooks described Cooper as an "outstanding icon" in the community. "He was a leader to a couple of generations of African Americans who went into law enforcement," Brooks said. "He was a mentor. He was an advocate. He was an example."   Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram     Photo: Lonnell E. Cooper   Get articles like this in your inbox. Subscribe to City News.   This press release was produced by City of Fort Worth. The views expressed here are the author's own.