Before becoming an attorney and opening his practice, Gaven Norris was already considered a rising star.
During the annual Evening with the Stars event in 2003, the Black Cultural Council of Odessa recognized Norris and other students for their academic excellence, awarding them scholarships.
After graduating from the University of Texas Permian Basin with an undergraduate degree in political science and government, Norris got his law degree from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
Before leaving for law school, Norris recalled how Jo Ann Davenport Littleton and members of the Black Cultural Council of Odessa, which he has been involved with for as long as he can remember, threw him a party and raised funds, helping him pay for his first year’s tuition.
“That was something that made a difference,” Norris said. “The scholarship for first-generation students who would not otherwise be able to go to school is one of the most important things that can happen. It’s also comforting knowing you have the community’s support behind you.”
With a mission of educating and sharing Black history with the community, the Black Cultural Council of Odessa is celebrating 25 years of operating in Odessa.
In addition to Evening with the Stars, the organization hosts two other major events: the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast and Freedom March, and the annual Juneteenth celebration. Both events, Littleton said, continue to see growth.
“Our MLK event this year is very diverse,” she said. “We have so many young people that want to be a part of it and spread that message of togetherness, and that’s what it’s all about.”
STEPPING UP WHEN NEEDED
In 1999, Littleton was approached by then Executive Director of the Odessa Council for the Arts and Humanities Carla Bryant to let her know the arts council, which then hosted the annual Juneteenth celebration, would no longer be doing so.
A member of the Odessa City Council from 1990 to 1998, Littleton said Juneteenth was too critical of an event not to host. The day celebrates June 19, 1865, when the announcement of General Order No. 3, which transmitted news of the Emancipation Proclamation, was made in Galveston proclaiming the end of slavery in Texas.
Juneteenth was made a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.
As the largest organized Juneteenth in Texas, Odessa hosts a three- or four-day celebration that includes live music, games, dancing and an organized basketball tournament while also sharing the holiday’s history. People from around the country visit Odessa to participate, Littleton said.
Reaching out to community members, Littleton said the group hosted the event, and took steps to ensure there would always be a way to celebrate.
“Being a community with a rich history, there was no way we could not have a Juneteenth celebration,” Littleton said. “To prevent that from happening again, we met, organized, incorporated, got bylaws, and that was the start of it.”
The Council’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration will begin with the Fifth Annual MLK Showcase Basketball tournament on Saturday. A gospel celebration is scheduled to start at 3 p.m., Jan. 14, at the Odessa High School Performing Arts Center.
The King Brunch is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon, on Jan. 15, at Woodson Community Center, followed by the Freedom March at 1 p.m., starting at the Southside Senior Center.
Putting on the events, Littleton said, can be challenging. As a nonprofit, the Council relies on funds from supporters, sponsors and the Community Development Block Grant issued by the Odessa City Council. The budget fluctuates, but that has never been a reason to cancel.
“They do a lot of good for our community, and they have done so through their 25 years,” said former District 5 Odessa Councilwoman Mari Spivey Willis. “They do an extraordinary amount of work with very few people, sometimes little money, but they involve the whole community and that takes some engineering to do, and they do it well.”
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
More than 20 years after receiving a star during the Evening with the Stars banquet, Norris said his award is prominently displayed to remind him of his upbringing and the people who encouraged him.
For many first-generation college students, the event is sometimes the first recognition of their academic achievements.
“It was a big deal,” Norris, who continues to volunteer time and donate monetarily, said. “As one of the few African Americans to go to law school … I don’t mind giving back because they have given so much.”
The American Bar Association states only 5 percent of lawyers in the United States identify as Black.
In their existence, the Council has had people who have been vocal about its existence. But Willis said people of all races are welcome to events and members have always been open about sharing history with others.
“Someone in the community will say the events are just about Black history; but we’re a melting pot, and everybody’s history is intertwined,” Willis said. “To see Hispanics and Anglos coming out to help us and celebrate … we embrace it. I encourage people to get involved, no matter who you are.”
The Council has also, for the first time in its history, an official office in the Gertrude Bruce Historical Cultural Center.
With ups and downs over the past 25 years, Littleton said the Council will continue to host their events and look forward to seeing more people come out and celebrate.
“When you have community pride, that’s all it takes,” she said. “And over 25 years, we have a large volunteer base of people that believe in this community. When you work together, that makes a difference.”
If you go
- What: Fifth Annual MLK showcase basketball tournament.
- When: All day Jan. 13.
- Where: Woodson Boys and Girls Club, 1037 E. Murphy St.
- Cost: Children 5 and younger, $4; adults are $6.
- What: Gospel celebration.
- When: 3 p.m., Jan. 14.
- Where: Odessa High School Performing Arts Center, 1301 Dotsy Ave.
- The Rev. Reginald G. Reid Sr. and Gospel artist Joshua Rogers will be in attendance.
- Cost: Free.
- What: Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch.
- When: 10 a.m. to noon, Jan. 15.
- Where: Woodson Community Center at Woodson Park, 1010 E. Murphy St.
- Cost: Free.
- What: Freedom March.
- When: Line up begins at noon. March will begin at 1 p.m.
- Where: The march will begin at the Southside Senior Citizens Center, 900 S. Dixie Blvd., and will turn right on East Murphy Street and then right on Woodson Avenue before ending in front of Woodson Park.
