Dr. Myrtle Hightower: A Towering Tribute

My Day
By Dr. J. Ester Davis

At the Plano City Council this week Mayor Harry LaRosiliere presented the “Key to the City” to a beloved community citizen amid a resounding standing ovation from all neighborhoods. By her side upon acceptance of the Key-to-the-City was longtime friend, Drew Pearson, former Dallas Cowboy Great, who grew up with the honoree.  The forever key was proudly accepted by Dr. Myrtle Hightower, as a Plano Citizen Extraordinaire, a longtime resident serving on countless committees, boards, civic organizations with boundless innovation energy. Her honors, awards, educational achievements are too lengthy an accounting.  A school is named after she and her husband, Professor Hightower, Hightower Elementary School, Collin College Foundation is one of her legacy missions and she reacts with a jubilant smile when her honor as one of Plano’s 100 Heroes is mentioned.  Dr. Hightower was born in 1924 and is a vibrant active ninety-six (96) year old celebrity.

Can you imagine the year 1924?  What was America like back then? What was Black America saying?  The Harlem Renaissance was still in bloom.  More black colleges were alive then than now. The year of Dr. Hightower’s birth in Oklahoma, the Indian Citizenship Act was signed granting citizenships to all Native Americans within the territorial limits of the United States. J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, seven (7) successful ‘Negro Major Leagues’ emerged and Sarah Vaughn was born in Newark.  As a child she thought about being a doctor because she was injured while playing as a child on the family’s 200 acre farm.     The family had to wait a week for care of the injury because that’s when the black doctor was coming to town. On the subject of race, Dr. Hightower is noted with countless efforts supporting inclusion.

Dr. Hightower’s Spirit of Excellence in Education was inspired by a professor at Morehouse College who said, “we started in this race behind.  It is incumbent on us to run fast in order to catch up’.  And her steps toward her goals have been measured in leaps, hurdles and high marks. When asked why she settled in Plano, the ready answer was from Booker T. Washington, “Cast down your bucket where you are”.  After thinking about it, she has watched Plano, Texas, grow into one of the most desired cities to live.  Plano enjoys the reputation as one of the “Safest Cities” and “Best Run Cities” in America.

Thank you Dr. Hightower for your legacy of inspiration.

Ester Davis
CFN. Channel9Tv.com
Esterdavis2000@gmail.com
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