El Dorado Memories

I’m proud to be part of the history and legacy of our great city, home of the El Dorado Promise.

I was born in El Dorado in 1953 to James and Corine Taylor. My mother was one of the first black cooks at Union Memorial Hospital, which is now Medical Center of South Arkansas. My father worked at El Dorado High School in the early 1960s as a custodian in the gymnasium. During a time of legalized segregation, my father had a dream that one day his children would be able to go to the white school because he saw the difference in the quality of education afforded to the white students.

In 1969, Mr. Taylor’s dream came true. It so happened that in 1969 Booker T. Washington High School and El Dorado High School would be integrated.

I was the first black football player to make the All State Team for three consecutive years during his sophomore, junior and senior years. Even though I was the shortest linebacker in the state at 5 feet 7 inches, I was the leading tackler in the state of Arkansas. During my senior year in 1972, I was named to the All Star Team. Because of my outstanding performance, I was awarded the best performer of the game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

When I graduated from EHS, I attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. Later I transferred from Wiley to Texas Southern University in Houston in 1977, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in psychology. Ialso earned a lifetime teacher’s certificate. I furthered my education at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where I received certification in anti-safety devices.

I want to give thanks to God for my understanding; to the late L.C. Ross, who first introduced me to the game of football; to my main man Coach James Pettit, the greatest defensive coach to ever coach at EHS; and last, but not least, my two oldest brothers who paved the way for me, Roy and Melvin Walter. Roy graduated from Arkansas AM&N, now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Melvin was the chief chef at the University of Detroit.

Congratulations to my best friend Rickey Jackson, who played for the New Orleans

Saints and got his Super Bowl ring with the San Francisco 49ers. Rickey was recently inducted into the Football Hall of Fame.

I give special thanks to Momma Lillie, who is 98 years old, Bishop George Calloway and Brother Larry Andrews.

I cannot forget my teammates, James (Bimbo) Edwards, Victor (Mature) Jackson, Albert Deacon Jones, Ronald (Kill Baby) Kilpatrick and last but not least, Bill (White Shoes) Johnson.