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MINDEN BLACK CULTURE WALL OF FAME NOW
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MINDEN BLACK WALL OF FAME
THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED
IN HONOR OF FRED SIMS
MY SECOND OLDEST BROTHER
2nd born of HATTIE & HARVEY SIMS, SR
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The MINDEN BLACK WALL OF FAME is dedicated in honor of of my second oldest brother, FRED SIMS, the first in the SIMS FAMILY to become a professional
Recording Artist. After FRED got out of the ARMY in 1949 and went to Los Angeles,
CA in 1951, he sang and recorded professionally with The Chosen Gospel Singers
of Los Angeles during the late 1950's on the SPECIALTY RECORDS Label, which
was one of the largest records companies in the country at that time. He and the
LATE LOU RAWLS both were members of the group together during those
recordings. Also, there was a period of time when the later years Blues Singer, TED TAYLOR "Be Ever Wonderful", was a member of the group with him. FRED SIMS
later moved back to his homwtown of MINDEN, LA in 1975 and remained until his death in 1992. He walked and drove around MINDEN without people knowing that
he had ever been a celebrity professional GOSPEL SINGER. One of the songs which he recorded as lead singer of the group, "ONE , TWO, THREE", was a #1 hit on Gospel Radio Stations across the nation in 1957/58.
Sept 12, 1940 - Sept 26, 2021
The MINDEN BLACK WALL OF FAME consists of individuals from MINDEN, LA & SURROUNDING AREAS that are considered to be famous on a level of STATE WIDE, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL and/or WORLD FAME from all walks of life. SCROLL the entire page to see the ENTIRE WALL OF FAME.
PERCY MAYFIELD
PERCY MAYFIELD - Class of 1935 - Entertainer - Recording Artist - Song Writer -
Member Of THE LOUISIANA MUSIC HALL OF FAME -
Minden's FIRST BLACK nationally known Recording Artist and one of the pioneer BLACK Recording
Artist in the country. He is famously known for
his big hit "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and also for writing Ray Charles' chartbuster "Hit The Road Jack". Percy was in a 1952 automobile accident and was pronounced dead at the scene but recovered to live with permanent face
damage and did not return to performing until after 2 years of convalescent.
WRECIA MAE FORD -
Class Of 1954 - Entertainer -
Recording Artist - Vocalist -
Keyboard - Song Writer
Famously known as
DEE DEE FORD
WRECIA HOLLOWAY (married name) - Although a recording artist on her own, she gained notoriety after teaming up and becoming DON GARDNER & DEE DEE FORD. They became most famous for their #1 hit in 1962 with the song " I NEED YOUR LOVING". She wrote and composed many songs and wrote Bettye LaVette's big hit song "LET ME DOWN EASY".
PERSONAL NOTE BY THE WEBSITE BUILDER - I was fortunate to catch DEE DEE in a live performance of their #1 hit song in 1962 at The HOWARD THEATER in Washington, D.C. My wife, in-arms baby daughter and I went back stage to talk to her. We had her over to our house the next day for dinner. It was a special treat and a wonderful WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL Reunion for us.
DEE DEE FORD
JESSIE N. STONE
CLYDE WILLIAMS
LOU DUNBAR
WILBERT FRAZIER
LAVERNE BUTLER
DOROTHY BROWN
EARL TIMS
JIMMY SIMS
ARTHUR THOMPSON
JEFFIE DEAN ROBINSON
PATRICIA VANCE
COACH ROBERT "TONY" RHODES - Class Of 1958, Webster High School
COACH ROBERT "TONY" RHODES, in memory of his outstanding contributions to the LEGACY of our class and the LEGACY of WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL. As classmates we knew that TONY would excel and make worthy contributions to society and particularly to the sports world. However, his accomplishments and special recognitions reached heights of excellence and FAME beyond our dreams and imaginations.
Immediately after COACH RHODES passed away, Huntington High School, Shreveport, LA (where he last coached) informed the family of their decision to name the football field in his honor. That ceremony took place in January of 2022 (See VIDEO of the Unveiling Ceremony - BUTTONS #4 & #5 below). ALSO, I have been informed that the city of Shreveport will name the street where he lived in his honor. I will update when that takes place.
TONY RHODES
REV. DR. JERRY A. MOORE, JR. - Class of 1936 - Pastor of 19th Street Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. for
50 years. He was a Republican politician and was a
District Councilman in Washington, D.C. for 10 years. He was also Ambassador to Lesotho, appointed by President Bush in 1989). Jerry A. Moore Elementary School in Minden, LA was named in honor of Dr. Moore, Jr. in 1955, long before his death.
JERERY A MOORE
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