NAACP sets banquet Sat.

The St. Mary Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold its annual banquet on Saturday at the Patterson Civic Center, 116 Cotton Road.
The evening begins with a social gathering at 6 p.m., followed by the banquet dinner and awards at 7 p.m. The theme for this year is: “Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injustice.”
NAACP was founded February 1909 and is the largest and widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. The vision of the NAACP is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.
The keynote speaker for the event is Attorney Lloyd Dangerfield. Dangerfield is a native of Thibodaux and a 1973 graduate of Thibodaux High School. He attended Dillard University of New Orleans where he graduated with honors in 1977 in Political Science with a minor in Mathematics. Thereafter, he attended LSU Law School in Baton Rouge and received his J.D. in 1981 and was licensed to practice the same year. He began his law practice in Lafayette in 1982. He and his wife attorney Desiree Guidry Dangerfield practice out of the same office but maintain separate practices. Currently, Dangerfield practices civil law, handling personal injury, property matters, business matters, family law, criminal law and juvenile law.
Dangerfield’s initial accomplishment in the field of law was to be the first African-American law clerk in Crowley, where he worked for former Judge Bradford Ware in Crowley, Abbeville and Lafayette. In a landmark case, he was one of the plaintiffs that made it possible for African-Americans to be elected judges throughout the State of Louisiana. As a result of that landmark case, he became a candidate for district judge in 1992; however, he was not successful in winning the seat. Dangerfield was the attorney for the plaintiffs in the desegregation case against the Lafayette Parish School Board, working along with the Legal Defense Fund. The case was brought to insure that children of all races have an opportunity to learn from each other and have the same opportunity to obtain a good quality education. As a result of his involvement in the case, Dangerfield was awarded the Outstanding Public Service Award by the Southwest Lawyers Association in 2000 and the NAACP Foot Soldier’s Award in 2001. Since 1999, he has been an assistant bar examiner responsible for grading examinations of law school graduates who have taken the bar exam.
angerfield’s community involvement include serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Acadiana Legal Service Corp. for more than 25 years; serving on the boards of Lafayette Volunteer Lawyers, Lafayette Parish Bar Association; served as treasurer and vice-president of the former Southwest Louisiana Lawyers Association (now the Louis A. Martinet Society); and the former Faith in Action.
The Dangerfields are the parents of Erica Warner of Houston, and Aaron of Dallas. They are the proud grandparents of two grandchildren. Dangerfield and his wife are active members of Progressive Baptist Church in Lafayette. They are both students at United Theological Seminary and Bible College where they anticipate graduating this year.
The St. Mary Parish Branch NAACP will recognize outstanding community, business and civic leaders for their contributions to the communities of St. Mary Parish. Recipients who will be recognized for their contributions are Dr. Keidra Welch-Spencer, Edward Jacquet Sr.; Medical and Health Award; Almetra Franklin, Marion Perry Education Award; Albert Foulard, William Bradford Sr., Politics and Government Award; Gail McDaniel, NAACP Law Enforcement Award; Rev. Allen Randle Sr., DeForest Brown Religious Service Award; Edward Campbell, Hebert Joseph Business/Entrepreneur Award; Joshua Singleton and Diane Wiltz, Hillard Buckner Media and Journalism Award; Larry Guilbeau, Roberta Brown Community Service Award
Tickets for the banquet are $25 per person. For ticket information please contact Alfreida Edwards at 985-397-1096 or Gale Thomas at 985-221-7239.
The St. Mary Branch NAACP meets the fourth Monday of each month. For information on becoming a member contact President Willie Peters at 337-828-4760.