(Sept. 28, 2017) Former Worcester County Commissioner James Lee Purnell Jr. will be signing copies of his recently-released book, which delves into Eastern Shore race relations, at the Germantown School Community Heritage Center in Berlin, this Saturday at 5 p.m.
The new work, “Memories of Struggles and Progress in a Segregated Worcester County, Maryland,” was co-authored with Kimberly Chase and traces Purnell’s roots back to his birth.
“I was born in Worcester County and I live less than a quarter mile from where I was born, right now,” he said.
Born in July 1937 to James L. Purnell Sr. and Hulda Purnell, he was raised on the Purnell Dairy Farm in what was then called Briddletown.
In more recent times, the stalwart community member served five terms as a county commissioner from 1994-2014, and was also president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Worcester County branch. He was also a member of the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and a member of the county Board of Health for a decade.
For the last several years, Purnell said numerous old cohorts have urged him to compile a memoir.
“My response was I probably will in due time,” he said. “I’m the type of person that you’re not going to make me do something if it’s not in my heart.”
Keeping it under wraps, Purnell said few, if any, of those who encouraged the literary pursuit knew the volume was forthcoming.
“No one knew the book was even being worked on until it came out,” he said. “Then people asked when did you start it and why did you write a book?”
As evidenced by the books title, Purnell sought to author a work that encompassed the cultural struggles that have occurred in his lifetime.
“I was the type of person that never blabbed about what I achieved and never blabbed about what I was doing,” he said. “This book is not all about me because we as a people … endured a lot of ill treatment by others.”
Appreciating his position as an elder statesman for the African-American community on the shore, Purnell said enlightening today’s youth with a reality-based narrative about race relations was another primary motivator.
“I hope it reaches out to the young people in Worcester County and young people beyond,” he said. “It’s something that some [older] people who read the book will know about because some of the people went through it. They didn’t dream about it, they witnessed it.”
Recalling a lifetime filled with troubling memories wasn’t difficult for Purnell.
“You have to realize, it wasn’t hard to document it in your mind back then,” he said. “When you lived through some of the racism and issues it would be very hard to forget it.”
As a devout member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Berlin, Purnell’s faith has provided insight on approaching issues laden with emotion.
“To talk about this racism and write about it you have to do it without hatred in your heart,” he said. “If too much hate wheels in then you’ll get off in left field.”
Although residual anger could be understandable, Purnell looks back on more than half a century of struggling for equality with an inner peace derived from scripture.
“We had every reason to have hate in our hearts for our enemy but then my enemy became my footstool,” he said. “The Bible [Luke 20:43] said that, your enemy may become your footstool.”
During his lifetime, Purnell has been a political trailblazer for the local African-American community.
“When I was elected county commissioner there had never been a black county commissioner in the county in over 275 years,” he said.
In addition to earning the respect of constituents, in time Purnell gained the trust of fellow commissioners, regardless of racial distinction.
“[In 2005] I became the first black president of the county commissioners in its history,” he said. “For me to gain the trust of six other commissioners, to become their president and run this county, it didn’t happen overnight.”
Previous involvement campaigning for racial equality related to job opportunities and school hiring practices helped Purnell learn how to build consensus among his peers.
“It happened because of my ability and willingness to work with others,” he said. “There were times we didn’t see eye to eye, but the bottom line is we all worked together.”
To open Saturday’s book signing, Purnell will make a brief speech to, among other things, address the importance of selecting the Germantown School for the occasion.
For now, Purnell is remaining elusive on many of the topics covered in his new volume.
“I want this book to be like a mystery,” he said. “Once people purchase it and read it they’ll find out, it’s not a mystery, this is reality that was lived and acted upon from way back when.”
Purnell’s first book signing begins at 5 p.m. at the Germantown School, 10223 Trappe Road in Berlin. Limited copies of the hardcover, $24, and softcover, $15, will be available for purchase. Pre-ordering books at Ancestorybook.com/books-for-sale is recommended.
The new work, “Memories of Struggles and Progress in a Segregated Worcester County, Maryland,” was co-authored with Kimberly Chase and traces Purnell’s roots back to his birth.
“I was born in Worcester County and I live less than a quarter mile from where I was born, right now,” he said.
Born in July 1937 to James L. Purnell Sr. and Hulda Purnell, he was raised on the Purnell Dairy Farm in what was then called Briddletown.
In more recent times, the stalwart community member served five terms as a county commissioner from 1994-2014, and was also president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Worcester County branch. He was also a member of the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and a member of the county Board of Health for a decade.
For the last several years, Purnell said numerous old cohorts have urged him to compile a memoir.
“My response was I probably will in due time,” he said. “I’m the type of person that you’re not going to make me do something if it’s not in my heart.”
Keeping it under wraps, Purnell said few, if any, of those who encouraged the literary pursuit knew the volume was forthcoming.
“No one knew the book was even being worked on until it came out,” he said. “Then people asked when did you start it and why did you write a book?”
As evidenced by the books title, Purnell sought to author a work that encompassed the cultural struggles that have occurred in his lifetime.
“I was the type of person that never blabbed about what I achieved and never blabbed about what I was doing,” he said. “This book is not all about me because we as a people … endured a lot of ill treatment by others.”
Appreciating his position as an elder statesman for the African-American community on the shore, Purnell said enlightening today’s youth with a reality-based narrative about race relations was another primary motivator.
“I hope it reaches out to the young people in Worcester County and young people beyond,” he said. “It’s something that some [older] people who read the book will know about because some of the people went through it. They didn’t dream about it, they witnessed it.”
Recalling a lifetime filled with troubling memories wasn’t difficult for Purnell.
“You have to realize, it wasn’t hard to document it in your mind back then,” he said. “When you lived through some of the racism and issues it would be very hard to forget it.”
As a devout member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Berlin, Purnell’s faith has provided insight on approaching issues laden with emotion.
“To talk about this racism and write about it you have to do it without hatred in your heart,” he said. “If too much hate wheels in then you’ll get off in left field.”
Although residual anger could be understandable, Purnell looks back on more than half a century of struggling for equality with an inner peace derived from scripture.
“We had every reason to have hate in our hearts for our enemy but then my enemy became my footstool,” he said. “The Bible [Luke 20:43] said that, your enemy may become your footstool.”
During his lifetime, Purnell has been a political trailblazer for the local African-American community.
“When I was elected county commissioner there had never been a black county commissioner in the county in over 275 years,” he said.
In addition to earning the respect of constituents, in time Purnell gained the trust of fellow commissioners, regardless of racial distinction.
“[In 2005] I became the first black president of the county commissioners in its history,” he said. “For me to gain the trust of six other commissioners, to become their president and run this county, it didn’t happen overnight.”
Previous involvement campaigning for racial equality related to job opportunities and school hiring practices helped Purnell learn how to build consensus among his peers.
“It happened because of my ability and willingness to work with others,” he said. “There were times we didn’t see eye to eye, but the bottom line is we all worked together.”
To open Saturday’s book signing, Purnell will make a brief speech to, among other things, address the importance of selecting the Germantown School for the occasion.
For now, Purnell is remaining elusive on many of the topics covered in his new volume.
“I want this book to be like a mystery,” he said. “Once people purchase it and read it they’ll find out, it’s not a mystery, this is reality that was lived and acted upon from way back when.”
Purnell’s first book signing begins at 5 p.m. at the Germantown School, 10223 Trappe Road in Berlin. Limited copies of the hardcover, $24, and softcover, $15, will be available for purchase. Pre-ordering books at Ancestorybook.com/books-for-sale is recommended.