Rising in the Ranks: The ascent of African American law enforcement leaders and their impact 

On February 13, 2020, this evening program recognized the achievements of Black officers in law enforcement and the legacy of Sheriff Lucius D. Amerson. The late Sheriff Amerson was the first African American elected sheriff in the deep south since Reconstruction. His is an inspiring story of a law enforcement pioneer known for enforcing the law fairly and equally among citizens of racially segregated Macon County, Alabama, in 1966.
The program was followed by a panel discussion on the impact of Black officers within law enforcement and their community and the recent swell of elected and appointed black sheriffs, police officers, and other law enforcement professionals.
Moderator: Anthony E. Amerson, son of Sheriff Amerson
Panelists included:
• Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, Earl L. Harrison Minister of Social Justice, Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, DC
• Sheriff Paula Dance, First African American Woman Sheriff in North Carolina (Pitt County)
• Frank Lee, Director, Emergency Management Agency, Macon County, Alabama
• Captain Sonia Pruitt, Montgomery County Police Department, Chairperson of the National Black Police Association