REMEMBERING THE LEGACY: THE NESBITT BROTHERS

There is a familiar African proverb which reads "We are standing on the shoulders of others." This proverb rings true in the story of five brothers which, myself as well as this generation, are proverbially standing on. Recently a person died who went to St. Luke C.M.E. Church when he was a child. His name was Rozell R. Nesbitt. The interesting legacy he left was that he was one of five Champaign born brothers who graduated from the University of Illinois during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The other brothers' names are Russell Nesbitt, George Nesbitt, Dr. Lendor Nesbitt, and Dr. Robert Nesbitt. This was a period when few African Americans went to the U of I, much less known to have graduated. These bothers went on to become a civil servant, a teacher, two doctors, and a lawyer.

In the Sunday, October 3, 1977 edition of the News-Gazette (pg. 46-C), the brothers were all featured. At that time the oldest brother was 68 and the youngest 57. They shared stories of their proud parents, the late Lucian and Christine Nesbitt; their difficulties of prejudice and bigotry which plagued our nation during that time; their medical disadvantages, ranging from pneumonia to ostoemyelitis, which could have hampered their chances of achievement; and their everyday struggles that can shift ones dreams to the point of despair. None of these obstacles stopped the brothers from their goal of graduating from the University.

Anderson Epps, a former boxing champion, wanted to do something to help some of the kids who had gotten into trouble at the Douglass Center with the law. After there had been a "brawl" (as Epps called it) at the Douglass Center, Epps took time off his job to go to court to talk to Judge G.R. Skillman. He spoke about offering a boxing program to these young men to show them there were other things to do besides getting into trouble. Judge Skillman agreed something needed to be done, and believed Epps deserved a chance to try to do something with the youths.

It is now a little over five decades since the Nesbitt brothers accomplished this feat. One of the five brothers is no longer living. But such a legacy must be shared with the younger generation who still face unwanted obstacles and challenges that can snuff out their dream to achieve not only academic excellence which results in accomplishing college degrees, but any other positive successes the world has yet to achieve.

Let the African proverb live in their hearts that "We are standing on the shoulders of others." May the lives of many African Americans in Champaign who through the years have taken what life and society has given them to leave a legacy many can be proud of and emulate, live on in the hearts and mind of all humanity today.

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