2010 Promised Land Community Center Top 50 Difference Makers in America.
Tom Livsey has created the "Promised Land Difference Maker Awards", that acknowledge Americans of all races who are visionaries too. People who are keeping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, alive. Not for fanfare or community recognition, but merely, by the way they choose to make a difference, one person at a time.
Part of the Promised Land plantation Livsey's grandfather purchased in 1920, the community includes the original 1820 Thomas Maguire house that survived General Sherman's March through Georgia (www.gwinnetths.org/Tour/) and is home to many members of the extended Livsey family. The Promised Land community is located off Centerville Highway & Lee Rd., south of Snellville,Ga.
"We are the Livseys. ... For the first time three summers ago, the white and black Livseys celebrated a family reunion together after over 170 years apart. It was a wonderful occasion. "No one owed no one an explanation or excuse for the past. No animosity. No guilt. The only thing each and everyone left with was a whole new family tree. How about that? Since then, we have become one family.", exclaims Tom Livsey. The Livseys were one of the first families to settle in Gwinnett County in 1840.
Four years ago, his parents, Thomas and Dorethia Livsey, received a lifetime achievement award from the Gwinnett Chapter of the NAACP for their service in the community. He and his father learned about the many branches on their family tree from their white cousin, Annette Livsey Merritt of Decatur. She and her sister Avis, accompanied father and son to the National Archives in East Point a couple of years ago, to help patch up holes in their family research", he said.
Dr King's, infamous last public speech, made strong inferences to this historic Promised Land, once a large plantation during the Civil War, that he discovered from the mountaintop of Stone Mountain, once an exclusive site for the KKK rallies, seven miles away, and no black man was allowed to climb. "Mine eyes have seen the fertile land of promise", as illustrated by the last paragraph of his speech,( no recorded evidence though).
Dr. King's famous last public speech:
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now.
I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you.
But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord"
source: ( http://www.afscme.org/about/1549.cfm)
* The Following Is In A Random List Order:
1. General & Mrs. Bill Livsey
2. The Snell Family
3 .The Whole Livsey Family-(Worldwide)
4. Mrs Avis Livsey Hanna
5. Mr.Wayne Mason
6. President & Mrs. Obama
7. Sen.Max Cleland
8. Mrs Opera Winfrey
9. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue
10. Mrs. Louise Radloff-GBOE
11. Mrs. Annette Livsey Merritt
12. Mayor Andrew Young
13. Mr/Mrs.Thomas & Dorethia Livsey
14. Mr./Mrs. Arthur & Betty Chaney
15. Mrs. Clayton-Trumpet Awards
16. Judge Clarke
17. Chef Paula Ballard
18. Mrs. Enid Britton
19. Mrs. Rogers- Language Arts-Snellville Middle
20. Dr. Mary Kay Murphy-GBOE
21. Mr.& Mrs. Jim Tuggle
22. Mrs. Carol Meinhart-OurTown Media
23. Atty. Alan Mullinite- Reknowned Gwinnett Co. Attorney
24. Mr. Daniel Seckinger-GBOE
25. .Dr. & Mrs. Coletti
26. Mrs. Jeanne Cyriaque
27. Mike Moore-Image Marketers
28. Dr. Robert McClure-GBOE
29. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Livsey
30. Mr. Jim Steele- Gwinnett Public Schools
31. Mrs. Rooker-Music-Snellville Middle
32. Mrs.Maureen Hill-Ga. Nat'l Archieves
33. .Mrs. Tammy Gibson-Gwinnett Parks
34. Dr. Davis-GBOE
35. Mr./Mrs. Mark & Susan Waits
36. Mrs. Carole Boyce-GBOE
37. Mr. Michael Boddie
38. Chris Burnett-OurTown Media
39. Mr. Willie Anderson & Mrs Karen Anderson Archer,(Daughter)
40. Mr. Pat Fox-AJC
41. Atty. Dwight Thomas- Celebrity Lawyer
42. Dr. Kim Livsey
43. Mr. Jamie Britt- Britt Home Furnishing
44. Former President Jimmy Carter
45. Allan Quino-Supportrix
46. Mrs. Bettye Echols
47. Mrs. Darlene P.-Tagged Friend
48. Mr. Jack Cupp-Magic Power Coffee
49. Mr. Elliott Brack
50. Mr. Mike Coskrey
To be sure, this list is not meant to be a complete list of those who have made a difference this past year. However, it is to shine a light on those who have lit a torch in others, when the light in their lives were none existing.
We challenge all of you, no matter your race or complexion, to take this Black History Month to make a difference in your own community. There are so many young people who have dark caves where a heart should be. They need someone to light their individual torch of life in them. Please take several books of matches, and light as many torches in the coming year, so they can find their life's purpose.
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