The FOHC -Friends of Historic Claflin

Disney Honors Imagineer Lanny Smoot, Owner Of Over 100 Patents, The Most Of Any Disney Employee He’s behind all the magic! Disney honored imagineer Lanny Smoot, the owner of more than 100 patents, the most of any Disney employee. According to Disney Parks, Smoot has been with the company for more than two decades, his passion for creating and inventions inspired by his father. “Growing up,...

I graduated as the valedictorian of Avondale High School in 1991. Like most Georgia valedictorians, I was invited to meet the Governor of Georgia at the mansion.

It was a big deal for my family. That morning, I got up and put on my Sunday best. My parents and I boarded the MARTA bus with the domestic workers and mechanics who, like us, could not afford a car.

We took MARTA all the way from Dekalb to Buckhead, got off at West Paces Ferry Road, and walked up the long driveway to the big black gates around the property. When we got to the guard station, the guard looked at my parents, then he looked at me, and he said, “This is a private event, you don’t belong here.”

He looked over our shoulder at the MARTA bus driving away and he told himself a story about who would be on that bus – and in his story, they did not belong in the Governor’s mansion.

My parents pushed back, and I got in. But looking back on that day, I don’t remember meeting the Governor of Georgia. I don’t even remember celebrating my accomplishments with valedictorians from 159 counties and 180 school districts. The only thing I remember is a man blocking the gates of the most powerful place in Georgia, telling me that I did not belong.

With your help, on November 6th, we will open those gates wide and we will change the face of leadership in Georgia.

But I need your vote on Tuesday and your volunteer shifts TODAY to get us there: bit.ly/GOTVGA