We’re going to get started in just a couple minutes so thanks for your patience Oh okay thank you so Much Hi everybody welcome we are going to get started we’re really excited um my name is Aaron helmrick and I’m one of the Librarians here been very lucky to work with Debbie Taylor on two different books with Fifth Avenue press um over in mtown a few
Years ago and then now step it up the French Dukes which came out last year but we’ve really excited to have this special event today um we’re really excited to have black backstone cultural and bookstore here so please make sure buy books Debbie is going to be doing a
Full reading of the book so that we can immerse ourselves in the story and then we’re going to meet some folks who’ve got a busy agenda um lots of really fun stuff so please give a warm welcome to Debbie who’s going to introduce the rest of our [Applause]
Panel thanks very much uh so welcome everyone and thank you all for coming and I would be remissed if I didn’t thank Ain helrich and her team at The anabor District Library for birthing this book so thank you so much let’s give a hand to [Applause]
Erin so I came across the idea from the story while speaking with French duk’s member Kenny Mitchell our conversations led to the Book Project which was inspired by Kenny’s experiences and based on an actual event unfortunately uh Mr Mitchell passed away before seeing the final draft of this book but the
Story reflects his love for his family and his love for the community of French Dukes thank you Kenny right so before we get started you are all going to have to help me with the reading of this book when I say one two three and point I
Want you to say step it up French Dukes step it up okay let’s practice one two 3 you’ll do pig you’ll do all righty hit it s side step Sid step box box box the commander of the French Duke’s Precision drill team shouted orders to the squad marching past the
Farmers market Shoppers watched the men wearing starch shirts white Berets and white gloves and here is a beret similar to the ones that the French Dukes might have worn it’s shaped like a like a toy that you might use in the summer called a what frisbee okay I’m going to toss
This just see who might be able to catch this on this side all right let’s see she has a door prize all right and these are the white gloves that drill team members might have worn all right when they reached City Hall the four Columns of Marchers stepped smartly
Kenny’s big brother Ted was the tallest man in his column Ted’s eyes sparkled but his usual grin was replaced by a stern look Kenny mirrored the final steps of the routine to the right to the right Kenny stood at attention and saluted the drill team waved to the
Cheering crowd and shook hands with a few people one two three good job so when can I be a French dukee asked Kenny well you have to try out next Saturday like everyone else learn the steps practice the drills Kenny spun around huh that’s easy also he said be kind responsible and
Respectful to everyone that means doing your chores keeping tidy and staying away from the guys who pitch pennies and break windows and remembers French Dukes don’t give up they step up I will said Kenny one day soon soon I’ll be picking up my uniform from Sam’s clothing store
During the next few days Kenny rehearsed all 30 of the drill routines on Monday after making his bed Kenny raced to the driveway to rehearse by the winds swaying his arms like a windmill his mother called Kenny your bed is so messy it looks like you’re still in it on
Tuesday he practiced the Four Corners saluting in every direction on Wednesday he pretended the kitchen broom was a flag pole he swung it to the right and he swung it to the left the handle smacked right into a pitcher on the counter Kash on Thursday his grandmother
Chuckled as he gobbl down his dessert he hurried outside to practice the razzled Dazzle wiggling his legs like limbo sticks Kenny you’ve got more peach pie in you than on you she said on Friday he overslept and was late for school uhoh said Kenny late again Kenny said
Miss Brown I hope you won’t be late for the zoo trip next week oh no ma’am he said nothing can make me miss that trip I can’t wait to see the Tigers shout out to the Detroit Tigers all right on Saturday morning Kenny and Ted walked to the middle school
Grounds good luck little brother said Ted Kenny and two boys from his school Alonzo Peach and Mark White stood before Commander Smith and vice Commander deal will’ll be selecting one new member of the French Dukes today just in time for the contest at Pioneer High School next week said vice Commander Dill the
Boys took their places Kenny’s two classmates wished him good luck but Kenny just stared Straight Ahead then the commander called out the orders right right box box box Kenny hit each of the drills he marched with precise steps his head snapped right and it snapped left after the last routine all three
Boys stood at attention addes said Commander Smith finally it was time to reveal the name of the newest member of the French Dukes Kenny rubbed his hands together Alonzo Peach welcome to the French Duke’s Precision drill team said the commander Kenny’s mouth dropped open Alonzo and M Alonzo and Mark shook hands
But Kenny just stomped to a bench Ted sat on the bench next to Kenny how come I’m not a French Duke yet asked Kenny I hit all the steps and I didn’t make any mistakes Ted nodded you’re right that box step was right on point your turns were tight and wow your
Spins were even better than mine Ted frowned but all week you missed the mark Kenny sigh he thought about the picture he’d broken the sloppy clothes he’d worn and he hadn’t shaken Alonzo’s hand but then Kenny nodded I’ll try again next month because French Dukes don’t give up they step up one two
Three Ted hugged Kenny’s shoulders that’s my man he said and the Dukes will bring home that trophy from Pioneer High School next Monday so on Sunday Kenny Drew pictures of tigers and after dinner he carefully swept the kitchen floor when he carried the garbage to the trash cans he ignored
The boys who were pitching pennies just before bedtime Kenny passed Ted’s room Ted’s uniform was so well starched it could stand up by itself his Beret and gloves sat on the dresser Kenny slipped his fingers into the gloves he saluted himself in the mirror step up private
Kenny the next morning Kenny hummed as he buttoned his shirt today is zo trip day today is zoo trip day he reached for his backpack then he saw Ted’s gloves on the nightstand oh no Ted needs those gloves for the talent contest mom and dad are
At work I don’t have money for the city bus or a taxi and Pioneer High School is 24 blocks away can you took a deep breath the hall clck struck eight he had 1 hour to get all the way across the city Kenny sprinted down the front steps
And raced down Summit Avenue at the corner a funeral procession inched pass more than a dozen cars snailed alone there was no way to cross the stre Street Kenny’s shoulders slumped for a moment then as a parade of cars drove by he stood at attention when the last car passed he
Raced across the street and down the corner after running 10 more blocks he reached Pioneer High School he charged up the front door Kenny ran to the stage entrance a barber shop quartet slouched against the wall a guitarist plucked his strings the French Dukes stood at attention as the
Commander straightened their collars Ted looked up as Kenny edged forward your gloves said Kenny Ted hugged his brother thanks so much we couldn’t win without everyone dressed in full uniform he said Kenny nodded he had just enough time to slip into a seat Dukes left right left right shouted
The commander oh the drill team was on fire their elbows were angled like railroad ties their head snaps were sharp and their T their Taps were as precise as Pistons the drills I’m sorry the Dukes drilled they strutted they paused like statues and then they launched into the French Duke
Special after 30 seconds the team saluted they marched to the back of the stage loud clapping filled the air the judges passed their ballots to the Head judge she stepped the microphone and Kenny held his breath the winner of the annual Pioneer High School talent contest is the French Dukes Precision drill team
You saw that coming [Applause] right Ted hugged his brother we couldn’t have won without your help you really stepped up then he blinked shouldn’t you be at school Kenny nodded the school bus is long gone I’ll have to explain this to Mom and Dad and Miss Brown hm Ted looked
At his watch well the commander and I can take you to school that night Kenny and Ted practiced drills with Alonzo Mark and a few others two Weeks Later Ted and Kenny walked out of Sam’s clothing store carrying a new uniform that was so crisp it looked like it could stand up and
Drill by itself one two three St indeed Step It Up French Dukes step it up thank you okay so next I’d like to introduce our moderate for today moderator for today’s session um this is Reverend Dr Debbie Mitchell Covington and she is the founder of all things artistic
Ministries Inc she’s chair of the African-American cultural and Historical Museum of washingon County and she’s director of strategic Partnerships and Equity initiatives at the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering she’s a lifelong resident of an AR ber poet author dancer an extraordinary Renaissance woman Reverend Dr Debbie Mitchell cumington good afternoon good afternoon
Congratulations to Debbie Taylor my dear friend and phenomenal woman on her latest release I won’t go on because Debbie is so humble and she will be embarrassed but uh know that I love you and respect you and appreciate all that you’ve done for our community and Beyond so Debbie Debbie has been a
Valuable member of all things artistic Ministries history alive program and that’s where she met Kenny Mitchell who is also a team member the team had a fellowship dinner to celebrate at the end of a successful season it was around the dinner table that steep it up the French Dukes was
Born Kenny passionately shared stories about the French dukes and Debbie the consumate writer began envisioning the book today we recognize and celebrate that accomplishment I wish Kenny Mitchell were here to be a part of this day but we know he is with us in spirit and it’s also a pleasure to moderate
This distinguished panel and I must say that they are my friends and my uh big brothers because we all grew up together here in an arbor and I love the French Dukes so after each panelist uh introduction I will begin with a question and finally we’ll open the
Floor to questions from our audience so panelist will you please introduce yourselves I’m uh Jimmy Yates uh frce Duke since 71 but grew up uh wanting to be a a Duke and my name is Larry Young from anaba Michigan U I always wanted to be a
French Dukes when my mom took me to the parade and I was a little bitty kid and I was like what is all this commotion Everybody follow these guys and I’m like wow it was it was really exciting to see these the roar that Thunder you know the
The clacking of the boots and the the the organization that they uh they presented and it just seemed like positive role models for me and they were positive role model for me and I I tell you I’ve been blessed to be a part of this drill team because it kept me
Out of trouble and it gave me an opportunity to travel and see some things that um I wouldn’t have been able to see so I just want to thank these guys for accepting me to be a part of the drill team my name is uh Larry Wright you
Might know my name when you see it in print as Larry e Wright I used to be a photographer for an Arbor news for 32 years growing up in an arbor I seen the Dukes when I was just neigh to anything and them coming through town and parades
And stuff like that and when I graduated from Pioneer me and Jimmy both that that same year uh 1971 we joined and we joined we missed a chance to go to Washington uh and a few other places but we got a chance to do our own thing too
Since we had joined and so I’ve always uh admired the French Dukes their discipline uh some of them a lot of them are no longer with us like Nicholson who’s uh who was the one of the uh he was our advisor and and sponsor uh
Through the Elks here in town and um he was a former military man himself so it’s just positivity positivity uh when I look at the Dukes and I look at old pictures of dukes before I even joined a lot of them I went to school with their younger brothers and uh siblings and
Stuff like that so it just uh to carry to see it still going on and some kids are still interested and want to do it want to be part of it I applaud them thank you thank you um I can say as a young person growing up in an arbor
And we were a very small black community but the French Dukes gave us a lot of Pride and uh yes you know just respect for ourselves and respect for them and when we saw them Marching In the inaugural parade I think everyone in ant Arbor was around
The television on that day so I’m going to start with a question and some of you have started telling your stories but feel free to expand upon it when and why did you join the French Dukes well like I said I joined in uh 71 like I said
Right after we got out of high school uh why because okay back in the 60s there wasn’t much for blacks to do in an arbor uh we didn’t have any clout we we didn’t have much going for us so this was I guess our recognition this was our
Aspiration we didn’t have uh we weren’t big sports stars or Corporation presidents or anything uh we we weren’t in a gang per se like the Crips or the Bloods or Chicago’s Blackstone we uh uh we were uh an arbor what homegrown I guess you could
Say you know uh uh uh just a group of people and there are a lot of folks uh in the audience who uh who have been Prince Dukes who watched frce Dukes who have been FR Dukes uh can probably tell it a little bit better than I can uh
Larry you want to add something well like I said they uh earlier um I’ve always wanted to be a Duke ever since I was a little boy and watching them into parades and stuff but also when they got a chance to travel and they went to Canada and they went to Detroit they
Went to Lancing there’s a lot of places here right here in Michigan that they went to uh usually was around some kind of celebration of a parade of some typ of sort uh either Fourth of July or something more local for that particular Community where they were invited to uh perform um
I’ve always like I said when I was a kid I said you know I want to do that and my mom was a little hesitant say I don’t know so you know I wouldn’t bring it up too much but she would let me go to
Seeed and parade or we all go to a parade or something like that but when I got a chance and I knew a lot of the dudes like I said I knew a lot of their younger siblings and stuff too so when I got a chance to join I decided I was
Going to join and and that that was it uh they they uh I have never seen another group in a parade as sharp as the an aror French Dukes Precision drill team and so when we would go to the the celebration in Detroit uh we was to be at the uh the big
Park um there’s big Park in in uh what used to be Fairgrounds yeah the fairgrounds and State Fairgrounds okay and we performed there a few times and um we did some stuff at one of the local uh clubs down there and so when I don’t know if any of
You remember the this jockey who used to be on wam M black dis jockey first one they ever had name yep Charles Johnson also known is Mojo and uh cuz he used have to think I am Mojo and his theme song would be the brown bag
And but anyway he was at a club down there and he invited us to come in and he called us Mojo’s Army but we had a good time and uh we performed there and it just it’s just a lot of memories a lot of memories um
There should be stuff on file here at the library or maybe uh I don’t know how they do now than you know everything’s let El ronic and digital now so you might be able to see certain things online um if you look me up online you’ll
See a ton of stuff just stuff that I’ve done for my when I had my job at the news but um I I think any kid uh who wants to do something that’s positive and organized or learning about organization learning about uh discipline learning about being able to
Take commands uh learning how to be an example for others either themselves their their age or younger or older because certain older folks have a certain perception of some of the younger folks nowadays because you know sometimes we think some of you younger folks just okay but that being said there’s
Always hope you know Jesse said years ago keep hope alive so but it’s good hey can I add one thing um what you see here is original French duu but this went back early in the 50s late 50s early 60s 60s and I as I look
Out and P there were another uh guy that was invited to come I don’t know why he didn’t come but he had a lot of history that he could share with us and I’m looking out at one right now who I invited up here just now that he can
Share some history cuz he is one of the original uh French dukes and I would really like to have him come up and join us because he could share some of the beginnings of the French dukes and uh and uh I saw another Brothers now they
Were brothers on the drill team uh I want to call him out Grant sleep and uh Grant and Phil sleep and uh come on Carl Johnson Carl Johnson uh I would like to have you come up as well and uh Grant sleep and Phil I would love to have you
Cuz for real for real come on guys I got I take my that is that okay hand I I’m looking for Aaron or Tyler they’re look another handheld why don’t you share the mics we can we get one huh oh great we might one thank you gentlemen for joining us we’d
Love to hear your stories as well were you finished Larry yes okay well no no I I wanted to add too I want we got two Larry little happens a lot I just wanted to add something that was very important to me was the discipline that they
Instilled in the in the community you know it not only were they uh a great team of guys but what I learned when I joined the drill team is that we never took second place we always won first place first place trophies and that was that was something unheard of
Because um I remember the first year that I joined the French dukes and we drilled at the competition in uh Canada and they were actually retired and they came out of retirement and I was wearing this shirt with the FD on it and as we
Pulled up on the bus you know it it it felt like I was a rockar because they just came to the bus and Colonel Nicholson had to find out where they’re going to let us in competition CU we just came out of retirement and a lot of
Drill teams had left because of the French Dukes was on site they was like serious serious no Ser y they and U and then Nicholson got back on the bus and he said well I got good news and I got bad news which one you want to hear
First like come on Nick just give us the news and so uh the the the bad news was there were so many drill teams had left because they heard the French D was back but the good news was they were going to allow us to be in competition and I was
Just like wow you know I was just I was amazed you know I was one of the younger drill teams at the time I mean younger members that was adopted to the French duth and I was just so proud to have this shirt on and that’s why I try to
Keep it going um you know it’s just been really these guys and and this something too I want to share even though I never drill with this man right here but we are brothers I mean when we come every time we come to a meeting we’re like a
Family we all in inclusive you know Scotty is is one that’s helping me as well um and all the other French Dukes even though we may not have drill together but we still share that that comrade and we still share that passion for each other so I just I just thank God for
That okay one one of our model is French Dukes forever so like I say we we we hold true to that I don’t care when you drilled who you drilled with if you were fren Duke you are a French Duke so Grant you want to
Share I join the drill team to uh travel you know was my my way of getting out of an arbor nip Salan and I got went to New York Washington um I went with a group that went to uh Richard Nixon’s inauguration parade that was a cold January
But it was you know it was just fantastic enjoyed it for me it was just growing up in the neighborhood it gave you a sense of Pride being a French Duke I mean people look at you different M and you knew the camaraderie of the other folks in the group with
You it was tight it was really tight and we all enjoyed doing things together and coming up to the farmers market every day we’d be there doing them steps left right left right double to the rear French Duke special all of them triple to the rear and don’t forget that right [Laughter] [Applause]
Flame it was there and everybody was doing it they wanted to learn and they wanted to get it right and and we got it right and I really enjoyed it what what I loved is when y’all CED the [Applause] lean Carl you hi my name is Carl Johnson
I I joined the Dukes in 63 um my experience was that I wanted the at this the time the stepping was going on with the sororities and fraternities and the Dukes were like making them look really bad so that’s why I joined the Dukes uh and one good thing about the French
Dukes I went in the military and I got out of Vietnam six months early because I had experience on a drill team and they were looking for people to come in the Navy to join their drill team so I’ve been really the Dukes have really blessed me with uh my life because they
It got me out of uh Vietnam wonderful okay so I’ll ask the next question what did you learn and what did you use um and what did you use from the experience and we’re going to give everyone one more one opportunity to share that and then we’re going to show
A video of the French Dukes well I don’t mind being first I I really I I got to say I learned how to have respect I learned how to um discipline I learned how to self-discipline myself control my anger it done a lot for me it kept me humble
And it kept me grounded it kept me focused it it was really an impact in my life that it really um it shows today because uh if it hadn’t been for the friend do I know tell him where I be but am I give it all to God I know was the
Grace of God because you know the these opportunities come for a reason and God has always been in my life and and being a part of this drill team has really brought me out of myself you know being shy and not being I mean it just it just
Was a great experience and I just love it now thank God for it yeah love these guys thank you for uh for me it was teamwork uh everybody had to work together uh like each column uh had to you know you had to work together you
Had to know the steps you had to know when to do your left your right your about face uh you had to do it all together as a team uh so that’s that’s one thing I got out of it team work excellent that’s a very valuable skill
These are very valuable skills as you go into your professions and throughout your life well I I knew I could do it uh I was always a dancer um I growing up I was I had a couple awards for you know dance contests uh at foresight and stuff like that so I had
Rhythm but to see a bunch of fellas in a group or organized group that look like me and and people applauding them and finding out that they get a chance to travel to to other places and people would ask for autographs and applaud them and just to me it just it warmed my
Heart and I said when I get older I want to be a part of that and that’s what I did great anyone else want to share what they’ve learned what they learned while they were dukes and how that’s carried you forward in life well I add one more
Thing make it quick make it real quick this something that always remember that really uh stick with me like I was talking about Canada when we drill at Canada emancipation mation that’s right that’s right I stepped off that bus and they grabed just just grabbed me I had
Two one female on this side one on this side and I just like what is going on here you know he I was shy but I had these folks fighting over me and I just didn’t I’m like what’s going on that always stuck with me and I’ve been
Proud about that ever since and I owe it all to you I learned discipline and family it just wasn’t like being in a Boy Scout organization yes or I would even say church cuz some some went to church some didn’t go to church but you we could walk anywhere be
Anywhere in an arbor either on school um downtown and see your French Duke and it was you know we were family um like Closer Than Brothers so to speak that’s what I enjoyed about it I enjoyed the things that we tried to do and did some of
Us as we saw our members pass get together at their funerals and stand before the caskets and salute them out on their way and that was a real good thing and just the experience of being a Duke and Drilling and the camaraderie and the love we had for each other was a great
Experience what does everyone speak real quick okay okay uh we had mentioned earlier before that we were in uh the Dukes were in the Nixon’s inaugural parade in’ 69 was it 69 6869 the reason being okay now at that time back in the 60s uh you know you see
A a a group of black men togethering combat boots uh you know everybody thought we were part of the Black Panthers so so so what was happening okay I guess someone had uh had vide videotaped us uh you know hey let’s let’s uh you know let’s let’s see what
This group is about and and from those videotapes they show Nixon or somebody say hey these guys are pretty good they aren’t Black Panthers they’re not trying to tear down anything let’s have them in our parade so that’s how the Fran Duke’s got to be in Nixon’s inaugural parade
Awesome awesome thank you all so we’re going to show the uh video but I also want to note that there was a in in 20202 the French Dukes Precision drill team received a proclamation from uh John H I can’t remember how to say his name the former mayor he
Heath he you all heard and and there’s a a proclamation here I will not read it but please know that this is one of many Honors that they received and and after so many years of being a credit to and a uh the pride of an arbor it was recognized in 2022 by
The mayor so congratulations and we’re going to put up the video [Applause] now mhm discipline earning respect and building Pride that’s what an African-American Precision drill team known as the French Dukes instilled and its members back in the 60s 70s and 80s and this group from an arbor was so good
That they started drawing crowds on the local level and then grew to receive national attention and now they’re reuniting 7 Ac news reporter Alicia Smith has their story from an arbor get get on who St from their beray to their bootstraps the French Duke still got
It yes they’re a few decades older but check out their military precision and dynamic moves we caught up with them practicing at the ant Arbor Farmers Market they’re back together again after about a 30-year Hiatus thanks to Lisa Jones my father was a French dude Jimmy
Jones and as a child we used to be right here we used to walk to Market and watch them drill and they have haven’t been together in so many years and I thought these guys need to be recognized the oldest participating French Duke to come back to drill is 60-year-old Michael
Bridges who remembers how it all started two young men from Ann Arbor their mother took him to the Emancipation from uh parade in Canada and they saw another team drilling they came home and said they could do that and so they got uh a sponsor by the Elks and they started um
Stepping in competition and parades and an arbert talent shows and it just took took off from there Jerry ginyard is the vice Commander calling the steps he joined when he was 13 and continued stepping until he was 22 how did this help you as a teenager well it helped me as a
Teenager to uh get out of the drug business you know uh and the fighting and the stealing and the robbing it helped me get out of all that and it kept me out of jail the group’s name was inspired by the French tambouret they wore and a popular song of the day Jean
Chandler’s Duke of Earl but they could sure stop traffic every parade we went to when people would leave their seats and follow us and when we got in front of the grand stands that the the people at the Grand stands would ask us to do they want to
See every step we did one of their signature moves was the French Duke special we kind of double time and we do a whole different routine our flag Boy comes to the middle twirling the flags and we kind of salute the people and they just teared us along every time we
Did crowds still cheer them on but these men will never forget being cheered on by a president I Richard Nixon do after Richard Nixon saw them perform during a visit to Michigan he invited them to perform in the parade for his second inauguration we saluted the president
And he saluted us back while he was up in his little box you know and then we went on uh but we were invited there we didn’t ask to come but he wanted us weren’t you invited to be in the Ed show yes we were yes we were but we didn’t
Raise enough money to get there Ed Sullivan didn’t want to pay he wanted us there but he didn’t want to f 1 two 3 four well Ed Sullivan missed out look at him now and they hope to draw new recruits so you think you’ll F in their
Footsteps yes why is that because I like how they the footwork it’s pretty sharp a it yes they’re hoping to pass on the tradition to a new generation boys ages 10 and if you know of somebody who’d be a great French Duke you can click on our
Link on this story on the website wxyz.com in an arbor Alicia Smith 7 Action News in addition to the French Dukes they’re also looking for young girls who’ like to be Duke X yeah you can catch the French Dukes by the way August 17th at the Heritage Festival in
IPS saland and by the way they drilled for us last Tuesday you may remember that was the hottest day of the year so an extra note of thanks to them for doing that for us that’s for sure wow wow Scotty and I were over there reminiscing and feeling proud and
Excited and we remember this we remember so we’re gonna um Carl did you want to say something did you want to say something yeah here let me give you okay he said it made him really feel black and proud and that was so important especially here in Ann aror
Because we didn’t always feel that so that’s why the French Dukes meant so much to us because they did make us feel black and proud and seen okay so questions from the audience we have just a few minutes for a couple questions I I can’t we we we have a Next
Generation we the Next Generation coming up in a few minutes in the back here neighborh neighbor thank I didn’t know folks in the other neighborhoods work idolized you guys too that’s great that’s the uh the butcher at the Kroger on Carpenter still recognizes me at as a French dude because he used to
Watch them [Applause] colan alling together together nobody got shot nobody got killed everybody body went home in 1968 people yeah so my question to you is having come from that era what do you say to our young people now because I still work in the school system you guys yep waving the white
Flag over here but what do you say to our young people now where we don’t we don’t see that many black men just being all together in unison Marching In Peace together what what advice do you have to our young people now given the state of America I’m GNA say something first of
All it begins at home and you need to respect teach your kids to respect everyone no matter who they are no matter what they are colors didn’t make any difference definitely should respect your elders but have respect for yourself also so that’s why I said starts with at home
And it starts with within with you um we see elderly people and sometimes people look past them uh I’m I don’t even I’m SE I will be Lord continues to bless me I’ll be 71 this year but I don’t feel like a senior citizen cuz I get around just great and
I can do steps and and all that but there Comes A Time the body does get worn and everybody ages differently but when the kids see an organized group of folks that they can identify with because you had the French Dukes you had the Continental Dukes you had younger
Organiz younger groups okay and kids like to identify with things they see just like we see on on on the tube and on the on when you pull out your phone online and all that kind of stuff people do like to belong to something they like
To be a part of something and to be a part of something that’s positive hey that you couldn’t ask anything better than that and so I said you know as you see these young people keep them encouraged let them know that they’re not alone that people want to
See them out there and succeeding in life no matter what they do to succeed in life and help someone else along the way if you got a chance to help somebody else hold out your hand be a part of a fun drive whatever the case may be
However you want to put your part in even if it’s just a minute part that’s okay cuz some people not everybody’s not on the on the able list to do and so just keep that in mind yes and I I do want to also thank you Larry I do want
To recognize that there were duetts as well so that there there were young women that were drilling as well so we’re going to um let have one quick comment and then we’re gonna uh transition I’m going to pass the mic to L actually Larry why don’t you come up
Because I’mma pass the mic to you anyway to introduce the salt of the earth well I want to address that that question about what we tell our kids I um I’m I’m a laborer I this this part here is not really what I do I just like to work at
What I do and when I I shared with y’all earlier how it gave me the opportunity to travel that was important to me because we didn’t have the money you know my we didn’t have the opportuni to go and travel and do things but when I
Became a part of the French Dukes I was traveling I was going places that I would not been able to go and that always been an impact for me and that’s why I I passed that on to these young folks that here today but one thing I
Wanted to say is what what I’ve learned about the French Dudes it don’t matter what neighborhood you came from it doesn’t matter where you come from we all one generation and it does take a a a village to bring them up and that’s why I’m doing this today with the SW of the
Earth and I thank God because most of these people up here has contribute in helping me with these young folks today that I’m about to bring up and I thank God for my church family Brown Chapel they have really been in support with me with this drill team you know
Um when when when I started out I had my van I was working construction and I used to get off of work didn’t even have time to go change I had to go start picking kids up gather them up I had pick them up in my van and one of
The parents told me she said you know what when I see your van I know my kids are in good hands I know you know I I a lot of folks will say let them catch the bus why you doing all that work let them get this but these parents had security knowing
That see if they tell their child go to practice send them out that door you don’t know where they going but when I come pick them up at their house they see that van and they know their kids are in good hands and they they not have
To worry about where they at what trouble they getting into and that’s why I I love these kids today these kids come they volunteer they volunteer they I don’t force them to come they come because they love it and I want them to know not only that we are all in one big
Family I’m I’m what I’m doing is is bringing washingon County together ipsan rer Run Ann Arbor Belleville we all when we leave our schools when we leave our neighborhoods we go to jobs where we work along with other folks and if you can’t get along with your neighbor how
You you know what I’m saying and I just teach these kids it’s it’s so important that we have that discipline for each other and that we have that Unity for each other and they learn that and I want to also if if it had not been for the
Samaritan way who has been really instrumental in in helping me continue this cause I’m just thanking God for all he has done for me because if it had not have been where would I be and I just thank God for Reverend Cheryl Reverend Willams uh pastor Pastor Donald Phillips he was here
Now I’m I’m thanking them today but these guys right here if it hadn’t been for them I wouldn’t have made that travel so this break my opportunity SED Earth drill team litting up let’s go PA in now these kids here only practice once a
Week and as you see we got a lot of new new faces but I am so proud of them L up L up call in dress it up dress it up dress right dress dress right dress let let me come down up your now this young lady I can count her on any
R [Applause] 3 4 1 2 3 4 you Lou Together now I’ve been teaching the Kids I got to say this this young lady joined the drill team recently and she’s already commanding [Applause] so [Applause] [Applause] Back cross [Applause] okay this was the first time commanding so they they’re they’re kind of nervous but I just I just I’m I want to tell you guys in front of everybody how proud I am of you guys we only practice once a week now I want to share this CU you you
Know we are the French duudes we practice every day but today in today world you don’t have that opportunity so we got blessed that we can get once a week out of these kids and I’m telling you that’s why I’m so proud of them because what we done was every day they
Only do it once a week and they remember their steps I’m just proud of them because we just got together and we’re we’re working at it and you will see them in the Fourth of July parade and you’re going to see them a lot more in
An Al MC roller run event so I want to salute you guys and I just thank you guys for being part of my drill team and we have more coming and I want to ask something Terry Jackson that was my commanded when I first started the drill
Team we have members of the French Dukes that are here and uh those who remember who who used to come to the to the to practices the market yeah yes yes raise our raise your hands if you were in the French Dukes or if you watched the French Dukes at the market
On Wednesday nights Thursday nights yes thank you thank you thank you to the salt of the earth we’re we’re going to just take a minute and run have a little Memorial slide to recognize the uh French Dukes who have gone on can I add one more thing oh I’m sorry
I know I talk a lot but I I this I could not be happy if I had not appreciate Debbie Debbie Taylor I know she’s over there hiding but yes I love you you guys have been very I tell you it’s just I can’t express how much I
Appreciate you in taking a notice in what we do and and what the drill team is about so I really appreciate you all bringing the light back on the French dukes and we’re going to going to continue it on thank you I made him say that because I was his
Babysitter okay we’re going to do the memorial slide we’ll slide it okay in the air so if I don’t know if any want to read the names but see everybody’s names and nicknames we’re just going to let them uh y are there more pages I think it’s just the one we go I
Step It Up French Duke step it up so I’d like to give Erin the final final word but thank you all for coming I want to thank the panelists thank you Reverend Dr Debbie Mel cumington and thank my husband Charles Taylor who’s been with me through this entire Journey
Uh this book was dedicated to my son-in-law Alexander goto Welden and my grandson AC Edward Welden but is also meant to honor French Duke’s past present and future thank you very [Applause] much I just want to make sure that all of you get your copies of the book
Signed by Debbie Taylor over at the table over there if you haven’t bought one yet please say hello and give her a welcome so thank you so much this was an amazing amazing afternoon thank you to everybody for sharing all of your stories and thank you again for coming
Out can I say one one more thing never Larry listen I just wanted to thank Larry for stay never let it never let it he be in one count one year County kids everywhere be careful I’m Larry right
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