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In 1968, I was at the Georgia State Capitol with buddy Mike Egan, whose state-senator father sponsored us as pages. Suddenly, the board flashed. I was selected to deliver a legislative document.
I ran down the aisle, looked up and handed the document to … Julian Bond. Fellow legislators banned him two years earlier due to his Vietnam War opposition. The U.S. Supreme Court had just reinstated him. He was famous and I – at 11 – froze. He was puzzled to find me still there. His seatmate nudged him: “Aw, Julian, tip the boy!”
I kept his 35 cents for years.
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You were certainly a socially and politically aware 11-year-old to be rightfully in awe of Julian Bond when you encountered him! I just had to share another story of an unforgettable encounter with Mr. Bond. At the age of 21, I had just moved to Atlanta after graduating in Journalism from UGA and working for a short stint as editor of the newly established Plains Monitor newspaper — begun the fall of 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected president. A friend that I made while working in Plains, Jeff Prough, then bureau chief for the LA Times, invited me to have dinner with him and Julian Bond one night. Fortunately, I accepted, and we met at the Country Place restaurant at Colony Square. I really didn’t know what to expect, was a bit nervous and had plenty of questions jotted down in my purse to ask Mr. Bond, in case I went mute.
OMG — I have never been as star-struck by anyone in my life! He was the most brilliant person I had encountered in my tender 21 years. Brilliant and humanistic, so articulate and kind. He left a lasting impression on me and one that influenced the way I observe and ponder things to this day. So thankful for Julian Bond and his understated and ego-less approach to changing the world for the better.
Another one of Georgia’s tallest pines has fallen…The Honorable and legendary Julian Bond died over the weekend. I met him in the fall of 1980 as a sophomore while attending North Carolina Central University. At the time, he was a State Senator from Georgia. I will never forget that day. As a guest lecture on campus, he was summons from the class room because of the acquittal that day of several klansman who shot and killed 5 protesters at a rally on November 3, 1979 in Greensboro, NC. It was called the Greensboro Massacre! Bond lead a peaceful demonstration and march of young college kids from the campus to downtown Durham’s city Hall. I marched shoulder to shoulder with him. He gave an arrousing speech. The next day front page of the Durham Herald was a picture of him with me ajacent. It was my first march and introduction to pursue public office. There I felt I could make legislative changes to public policy! It was also the first time I appeared in any newspaper. Boy, if I knew then what I know now about some in the press…$¥%*#, at any rate, little did I know then at 19 years old, 10 years later I would be running as a candidate, then later elected Georgia House of Representatives. The same chamber where he was elected initially, whereas state refused to swear him in because he opposed the Vietnam War! It’s not GOD a game changer! Denying him opened the door for me. And for that I’m grateful to Julian Bond, the Man! My prayers are with his son Atlanta City a councilman Michael Bond and his family!