Johnnie Carr guest speaker

By Deborah Goodwin

The Selma Times-Journal

An inspiration. That’s what you call a person who constantly gives to others asking little or nothing in return.

Johnnie R. Carr is such

a person. Carr will be the guest speaker at the Shady Grove District Association’s Banquet tonight. The banquet will take place at

Ebeneezer Baptist Church, 1548 LeGrande St., at 7 p.m.

Carr has spent the majority of her 96 years working to make her community, our community, our world, a better place in which to live.

Carr has devoted numerous years of her life in public service supporting the cause of civil rights.

Carr has walked and worked alongside Rosa Parks and Selma’s own civil rights activist, the Rev. F.D. Reese who serves as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Carr has a long list of credentials &045;to say the least.

1930’s &045; active member of the NAACP

1956 &045; participant in Montgomery bus boycott

1970 &045; Woman of the year, National Business and Professional Women’s Club

1979 &045; International &8220;Who’s Who in Community Service&8221; Cambridge, England

1990 &045; Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Selma University

1995 &045; Senior of Achievement, Montgomery Area Council on Aging

Of course this doesn’t even scratch the surface,but lends itself to Carr’s dedication to mankind.

Carr even has a street named in her honor.

Hall Street in

Montgomery was renamed Johnnie R. Carr Boulevard.

Charles Johnson of Ebenezer Baptist Church described Carr as &8220;amazing.&8221; Given her age and track record, &8220;amazing&8221; is befitting.