Cecil Cohen
died Sept. 5, 1995
Cecil Rice Cohen remembers the years he spent as a child in Danville's black
community. Cohen, 66, who lives at 225 E. Broadway, attended Junction City Elementary and
Bate schools. He worked as a pressman at The Advocate-Messenger and served on the Danville
City Commission under Mayor Roy Arnold for two terms. The son of Carrie Ann Gilbert and
Sam Joe Cohen, he is married to Marjorie Wright Cohen.
I went to Junction City Elementary School for about six years. My mother
was anxious to get me enrolled at Bate School and under Mrs. Malinda Doneghy, who taught
the seventh- and eighth-grade classes. She was a wonderful, dedicated teacher, as was Mrs.
Gertrude Sledd and the other high school teachers.
You had to be a resident of the school district, so I stayed in Danville
with my Aunt Lena Jefferson so that I could attend Bate School.
I graduated from Bate High School in 1944 and entered the service in
July. After being discharged, I came home and as were many others, I was looking for work.
I had been a surveyor in the Army and wanted to pursue that career in civilian life. But
when I went to the state Highway Department seeking a job, I was disappointed. I was told
that the Highway Department did not use any black surveyors at that time.
While trying to decide what to do next, I was offered a job at the
Advocate-Messenger by Mr. Enos Swain, the editor. At first it was just a job. But after
about a month, Mr. Swain asked me if I would like to be a printer and take training under
the G.I. Bill.
My dream of being a surveyor had vanished. During the next two years, I
learned all phases of making up a newspaper, and then one day in 1948 the head pressman
became ill and had to be relieved of his duties. Mr. Swain offered the job to me and I
continued as head pressman for 28 years.
During my 34 years at The Advocate-Messenger, I remember many
experiences. Two in particular stand out in my mind.
One day, a salesman came in with a line of products for use on a press,
but when he saw I was black he refused to talk to me.
Another experience I recall does not seem possible now. At that time,
blacks were not allowed in any restaurant except in designated areas. At the newspaper
office, some of the workers would ask me to go across the street for soft drinks. Because
I was not allowed to stand at the counter, this was quite an embarrassment. I went out and
bought my own soft drink machine which was used at The Advocate-Messenger for over 15
years. My brother Howard worked at the newspaper in the mailroom in later years.
(A8)
