Just Zack

By Jack Sherman

Just Zack is the story of a black man born during the Depression, raised in the deep South, has fearlessly experienced the effects of segregation and Jim Crow but never having been understood or assimilated as the sociological term implies to it.
As an adult, I was the first member of my family to have received a college degree. I received a bachelors degree in Sociology from California State University in San Bernardino, hoping to unlock the mystery of Jim Crow. I did not. I identified with the black national movement of that time.
I was seventy-five when I became a newcomer to Christ and realized my redemption made me just. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). And it was at this point that I realized my earlier life impacted the man I had been until nownot all bad, not all good, no regrets, no bitterness.
I was just. I was Zack. I learned that my personality was influenced by my childhood, and my past weighed heavily on my future and was the basis of my marriage, which lasted for more than fifty years. This was not because my wife or I were virtuous, but that God had protected both of us from ourselves from the beginning.
Before writing this book, I prayed for God to guide me. God began to flood my mind with things that I had done in both my wifes and my life, things I could not have known and would not have known had I not become a Christian, studied the scriptures, and learned that God knew us both before our marriage and how our lives would be favored to serve his purpose. God knew us when we were in our mothers womb.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 19, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469199863

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Copyright © 2012 by Jack Sherman.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Rev. date: 07/13/2016

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CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

PREFACE

A MAJOR IMPACT

OUR 50TH ANNIVESARY WEDDING

THE BLACK HOUSE

LIVING IN BELTON

MY MOVE TO HOUSTON AT AGE 8

ZACK’S RETURN

THE EVENT

THE SECOND HALF OF MY ENLISTMENT

FROM COLORED PEOPLE TO AFRICAN AMERICAN

MAJOR LIFE CHANGES FOR DOCILLA

THE SEE AMERICA TOUR

THE WEDDING PLANNERS

MY FIRST AUDIBLE VOICE FROM GOD

The author has copyrighted fifty songs yet unpublished, but recently solicited by Hilltop records of Hollywood, the author has also began a new book. The author is a member of New Hope missionary Baptist church at 1575 w 17th St. San Bernardino CA 92411

Acknowledgements

Pastor Robert L Fairley and first lady Mrs. Mary A Fairley and assistant pastor Floyd Lofton and Mrs. Lofton. The author would like to honor all family members for their consideration, especially his wife of fifty five years Mrs. DORIS SHERMAN

FROM THE GREAT GRAND SON OF A FORMER SLAVE

TO WITNESS THE ELECTION OF THE FIRST BLACK MAN

AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

PROLOGUE

It is not the intention of the author to simply tell a story about a man, showing the trials and tribulations of his life. It is the author’s intention to paint a picture in vivid detail of America, through the eyes of a Black Man, A time gone by that could not be imagined today by simply thinking about the past.

This story is not to judge the events of black history or to place blame anywhere, rather it is to show that we go through stages of developments, from birth to death, In the book of proverbs ch 4 vs7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom though it cost all you have, get understanding. The scriptures teach that wisdom is not relegated to the elderly, but is available to anyone that is willing to listen to the word of god.

According to these scriptures we can have an unwise Idiot at age eighty, and a wise young one at age sixteen.

Therefore it should be understood that when looking back into history we may consider some of the conditions at that time as unbearable, The lack of running water, the lack of electricity, out door toilets, wide spread hunger, toiling from sun up to sunset for mere daily existence The amount of preparation required for survival at that time, The effects of Jim Crow on black people. But to those who lived it. It was normal.

Beside those things afore mentioned there is also much beauty and joy that we don’t bring into focus often enough. I like to hear the sound of a rooster crow in the morning, the sound of a train whistle, a dog barking in a distance, or sometime to rise in the morning and hear absolutely nothing, To see a beautiful sunrise, or to see a sunset that is so magnificent and picturesque that it is greater than anything an artist can capture and many have tried. The silence is golden and hard to find today in some places.

From the state of Texas to the state of Washington there is un speak able beauty that is so grand that we can only think of God when we see it.

Historically this story is about a little nappy headed colored boy during the great depression to the election of an African American President in our current time and many significant events in between.

PREFACE

Just Zack is the story of a black man born during the depression, raised in the deep south, fearlessly experienced the effects of segregation, and Jim crow but never understood or assimilated as the sociological term implies, to it.

As an adult he was the first member of his family to receive a college degree. He received a bachelors degree in Sociology, from California state University San Bernardino, hoping to unlock the mystery of why Jim Crow. It did not. He Identified with the black national movement of that time.

He was at the age of seventy five when he became a new comer to Christ that he realized his redemption made him just. Galatians 3:24 so the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. And it was at this point that he realized his earlier life impacted the man he had been until now, not all bad, not all good, no regrets, not bitter.

He was just, He was Zack. He learned that his personality was influenced by His childhood, And his past weighed heavy on his future and was the basis of his marriage lasting more than 50 years, not because he or his wife were virtuous, but that god had protected them both from them self, From the beginning.

Before writing this manuscript for this book he prayed for God to guide him. god began to flood his mind with things that he had done in both their lives. his wife and he, Things he could not have known and would not have known had he not become a Christian and study the scriptures, and learned that god knew them both before their marriage and how their lives would be favored to serve his purpose. God knew them when they were in their mother’s womb.

A MAJOR IMPACT

At age 19 while serving in the military, one Sunday morning Zack and two of his GI buddies decided to go to church before returning to the base. So dressed in military uniform they went to this large new church in Los Angeles down on Jefferson street. The three were seated high up looking down on the stage there was a row of ministers and deacons, and one was preaching, and he said there are three people in here that aint got but a dollar and god told me to tell you to give that dollar and he’ll bless ya We each knew that we only had a dollar each. And on the way out he planned to give fifty cent and get a hot dog and soda with the other fifty Cent. so on his way out he would not put the dollar in the basket but in the hand of the usher/deacon requesting 50 cent change, then there was, brother Roy you got 50 cent, no, brother john got 50 cent naw, who want 50 cent? then there was a point down to jack. finally there was a 50 cent Located in the whole church, and when he received it there was not a thank you god will bless you, it was pushed into his hand with a dirty look that said you are in the wrong place.

When he did reach the out side he realized that the church was surrounded with luxury cars and his 1942 chevy did appear to be out of place.

OUR 50TH ANNIVESARY WEDDING

On March first 2008 ZACK and DOCILLA celebrated their 50thanniversary, they renewed their marriage vows and became a new comers to Christ on that day.

Prior to that time he had Practiced the religion of Islam for the past Thirty years or more.

Being born in the deep south during the great depression of the Nineteen thirties and raised there from birth to a young adult, gives rise To question why would he accept the Islam religion.

To Begin the author would like for this book to capture the attention of the righteous as well as the unrighteous. so I ask the question, is there one thing that every human has in common and is of interest to all?. My thought is Human existence, but may not necessarily be the answer.

We have witnessed in recent month events around the world pertaining to human conditions, The occupy movements across the country with people unsatisfied with their government, The rise and fall of Governments through out the middle east the fall of dictators and the rise of democracies.

Since the civil rights legislation of 1965 until today there have been Forums on the state of the black family, black caucuses, the church has been blamed, the family structure has been blamed, the economy, failure of the school system, and the like.

One answer has been to build more jails and prisons. And the three strikes you’re out law.

In the recent republican debate in Iowa the presidential candidate Ron Paul stated. The Justice system has not served minorities in America.

Some say the melting pot has not melted, If that be the case would melting of the pot create a homogenous society and if so then what. There are laws that parents cant discipline their children, children cant pray in school, civil liberties, freedom of speech, Fathers cant punish men who Dishonor their daughters.

Of all the things mentioned so far, it is my opinion that the judicial system of today does the most damage to the black family, It oppresses, profiles castigates and dispenses harsh and unfair punishment, and contributes to lack in the black family. It offers none of those things that god intended for the down trodden to have.

The Justice system is controlled by the judicial system