Desire to make a change led Grogan to politics

Rodney Grogan never saw himself as a politician. He had his sights set on being the next Luther Vandross.

But the call to public service was one even he could not refuse to answer.

Grogan was elected in 2010 as Patterson’s first African-American mayor. He is also the youngest to serve in the position.

Around 1988, Grogan decided to return home to Patterson after he graduated from LSU. He wanted to make in a difference in the community by teaching special education.

His degree of studies was public relations while attending LSU. He received a teaching certificate to teach special education through Nicholls State and LSU.

“I decided then I wanted to make a change, try to make a change,” Grogan said.

“After graduating I started to get involved with the youth, at-risk youth, those that people had actually counted out and so forth.”

Grogan worked as a special education teacher for 20 years in St. Mary Parish schools. His last two years, he was a behavior interventionist.

Grogan was influenced by his uncle, Lazarus Grogan Jr., to pursue a political position in Patterson. His uncle served as an elected city councilman for 12 years in Patterson.

He saw a lot through his uncle’s experience as a councilman , both positive and negative.

Before the death of his uncle, Rodney was summoned to his bedside at the nursing home. It was there he made his uncle a promise.

“I promised him I would keep his legacy alive,” Grogan said. “I decided to enter politics.”

Also during that time, his mother, Celia “Elaine” Grogan, was experiencing renal failure. She passed away in 2003.

Grogan was elected for a city council position in 2006. He took office in 2007.

Unsatisfied with the progress being made at the city council, he aspired to run for another position.

“When I got into politics, I realized that it wasn’t what I thought it would be,” Grogan said. “I was like, ‘What changes are we going to make?’ I was like, ‘None.’ Meetings were only 15 minutes.”

From 1999 to 2010, Grogan would take youth groups to visit different places around the United States, specifically places he saw while traveling with the LSU marching band.

Grogan played the tuba in LSU’s marching band from 1983-87.

While visiting Washington, D.C., in June 2010, Grogan had a spiritual encounter never experienced before as he was sitting on the charter bus.

“A force pinned me. It’s something I’ve never felt before. I could hear this voice as loud as day. ‘I’m going to give you the power but you shall not abuse it. You shall not lean to the right nor the left. The road is not going to be easy.’

“And then my body was released from the seat. I was turning around looking on the bus like, ‘Did you all hear that?’”

On the charter bus that day, Grogan announced that he was going to run for mayor as soon as they got back to Patterson.

It was a long and emotionally disappointing process for Grogan.

He qualified in July. The election was in October.

Grogan discovered who his real friends and supporters were during that time.

“It was an eye-opener,” Grogan said. “A lot of people that I thought were my friends showed me their true image.”

Older people whom he respected greatly disappointed him. They would tell Grogan to wait and give his predecessor four more years.

“But the Lord said, I told you to run now,” Grogan said.

Grogan won the election with 54 percent of the vote.

He is now serving a second term as mayor of Patterson.

Grogan organized the first African-American krewe in Patterson, the Krewe of Amani, in 1999.

Grogan is also a graduate of Patterson High School. He was the first African-American head drum major at Patterson High.

Grogan has one daughter, Derrasia Williams, 18. She is a senior at Patterson High School. He has raised her since birth.

His father is Andrew Grogan.