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By: Cheryl Smith
January 3, 2007
The first day of the new year, a day of new beginnings and a number of firsts in Dallas County.
Hundreds showed up at the Frank Crowley Court Building for the 9:00 a.m. swearing-in of Craig Watkins as the district attorney for Dallas County and even more showed up for the breakfast immediately following at the Adolphus Hotel.
Sen. Royce West, D-Texas, said it was a “historic day in Dallas County” and Friendship West Baptist Church Pastor Frederick D. Haynes III referred to the occasion as one of ushering in “this new era.”
In his second attempt, this David W. Carter High School graduate, Prairie View A&M University alum, husband, father of three and attorney made a giant, bodacious leap into the history books becoming not only the first African American district attorney for Dallas County, but also the state of Texas.
Of note was the person selected to officiate the swearing-in ceremony, Attorney L. A. Bedford, who was Dallas’ first Black judge. Referencing many trailblazing attorneys who laid the foundation in Dallas County, Judge Bedford offered encouraging words to Mr. Watkins, telling him that he was standing on the shoulders of those giants and that he had “the stamina, friends, love and family.”
An emotional Mr. Watkins said the day was one he and his wife, Tanya (also a Prairie View A&M alum), had “been looking forward to” for a long time. As he promised to do a good job, he also pledged that, “We’re going to turn this county around.”
There was a cross section of support, although for the most part the audience was African American. A number of elected officials (past and present) celebrated Mr. Watkins’ victory, including former Mayor Ron Kirk, school board trustees Lew Blackburn and Ron Price, former trustee Hollis Brashear, Dallas City Council Members Maxine Thornton Reese and Don Hill and former councilman Larry Duncan.
Candice Wicks said the “Craig Watkins era” marks the beginning of new opportunities for minorities and particularly African American lawyers and politicians to “step into the political offices” that were once elusive.
“This is really a dream come true,” she continued. “He’s going to be a pathmaker.” Also celebrating the election of Valencia Nash to a Justice of the Peace seat, Ms. Wicks said that with Ms. Nash as the first African American female JP, there would more opportunities for Black women.
“We are seeing true diversity in the judicial system in Dallas County,” she added. And this was the sentiment throughout as the “seriousness” of the times was echoed by many including community activist dianne gibson.
“This is a serious time in Dallas,” she said. “This is history in the making.”
In introducing Mr. Watkins, Sen. West, who was the Democratic candidate for the seat in 1986 and who Mr. Watkins calls a mentor, talked about the need to have a district attorney who is both fair and firm.
“Craig Watkins is such a person,” Sen. West said. “He represents new leadership in Dallas County. Now we have a chance to be a part of the solution.”
Reflecting on his race four years ago, Mr. Watkins told of how he met with a lot of naysayers.
“A lot of folks thought I was crazy,” he said. “But they didn’t understand my ancestry.” Laughter erupted as he pointed out that along with himself and Judge Bedford, Dallas County’s first African American Judge Berlained Brashear is also from Prairie View A&M. “It only makes sense that the first African American district attorney comes from Prairie View!”
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