If you’ve ever been in Frenchtown, you may have seen a statue at the corner of Macomb and Georgia Streets that shows a man and two children. That man is Fred Lee, the first Black police officer in Leon County, Florida. Tallahassee is known to many for being Florida’s state capital and a thriving college town. Although its modern sites are part of what make Tallahassee great, so much of its rich history, including important people, may be overlooked. This Black History Month, I thought it would be the perfect time to share the story of a man who actively took part in history being made. I had the honor of having a conversation with Tallahassee resident, Fred Lee Jr., whose family has a special connection to Tallahassee’s history.
Her Campus (HC): What led your father to join the Leon County police department? Had he always wanted to join?
Fred Lee Jr (FLJ): No; in fact, he didn’t want to be a policeman. Back in the late forties, the people leading in the black community began petitioning the police department over their hiring practices. They demanded that the city hire Black police officers. Around 1951, civil rights leaders Reverend C.K Steele and Father David Henry Brooks tried to talk him into becoming a police officer, but my father turned them down every time. They were persistent with my father because they needed to find someone who had his character and strength, somebody who they thought would represent the community well and would be respected. He eventually agreed and became the first Black police officer in Tallahassee. In 1952, they hired and trained him and two other Black police officers, Clarence Mitchells and Freddy “Jack” Golden.
HC: What types of challenges did he face in this role?
FLJ: Being a Black man at the time came with many challenges; it was just the way it was. He trained many white men who joined and later got promoted above him. Even though he had the knowledge and skills, they held him back and kept him from a higher position. He rose through the ranks of the police department in Tallahassee only to be a sergeant at the time of his death in 1973. Even though all of this, he always stayed humble.
FLJ: My father was one of those people who fought quietly in his own community and did his part for the movement. He had quite a reputation in this town. His relationship with the community was excellent. He had the reputation of a guy that could stand in the middle of a knife fight and tell guys to stop and they would listen to him. He used community policing. He worked with the community and got to know the people. When he caught members of the community in trouble, instead of arresting them and putting them in jail, he would call them a taxicab home and pay for it himself. When things happened, they could be de-escalated more easily because he had a relationship with the people. He did not have to talk much, but his words carried a lot of weight. Everyone loved and respected him. Everywhere he went he was a serious-minded guy who carried himself well; he was a man of high character.
HC: Did you ever receive backlash from others because your father served as a police officer?
FLJ: When I was younger, I would face backlash because people would make assumptions about me and wait for me to do something wrong. My mother told me that a lot of people are going to say things about you no matter what you do, so you have to be prepared to deal with it.
HC: How has Tallahassee changed from the time of your childhood to now?
FLJ: Back when I was in high school, the population of Tallahassee must have been 47,000 people. There were only two high schools: one white, and one Black. Now the city has grown a great amount and many people come down here for school. Tallahassee, for me, is a great place. It’s relatively small but still larger than people realize. You can have a small, college-town feel, and I like that. It’s a good place to retire and come back home to.
HC: What are some things that are important to you?
FLJ: I have moved around and lived in many places; I have lived in Detroit, Jacksonville and Memphis. These are all great places, but Tallahassee is my home. Since I have been back in town, I enjoy what Tallahassee has to offer and stay involved. I like college football and college basketball, and I go to a lot of baseball games. I am a vocalist and am involved in music and community theatre. I just finished a dramatic reading last weekend at the Florida A&M University (FAMU) theatre about the life of activist Paul Robeson. I like that I can share my music and am able to perform alongside many phenomenal musicians. Doing the things I enjoy keeps me going and lets me stay active within the community.
I would like to thank Fred Lee Jr. for his time and willingness to share his story, and his family for their contribution to the city of Tallahassee.
Next time you go by the corner of Macomb and Georgia Streets, you may want to take an extra moment to reflect on the life of Fred Lee and other influential people who have helped shape Tallahassee into what it is now. I encourage you to look into your community’s history and see what impactful stories you will find. Hearing from Fred Lee Jr. allowed me to gain insight on the contributions of an important man and learn about a valuable piece of Tallahassee history.
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