Gene L Steinmeyer

I'm Not Irish - The Incredible Journey of Wilson Fitzpatrick Gene L Steinmeyer

Wilson Fitzpatrick will tell you he isn't a Martin Luther King. You can tell he admires what Rosa Parks did by simply not giving up her bus seat, but Wilson says he is no civil rights activist. In fact, Wilson may be a reluctant civil rights activist, but make no mistake, by leading with humility and example, he promoted equality for African Americans in the smallest of rural settings. This is the journey of Wilson Fitzpatrick. It begins in Kansas City, Kansas where he was born during the depression. He had strong parents, but Marshall did not give equal rights to African Americans. In order to get an education, he had to board a bus for a 30 mile ride to an all-black high school. His athletic skills gave him opportunities in the Air Force and at the University of Nebraska. He found that Papillion was not ready for a black coach, but he found acceptance in the small, rural community of Lewiston. His journey continues to this day. Listen to the stories his grateful students tell. All these years later, they still celebrate this outstanding educator and civil rights activist.