By Tony Jones
For my money, Lucille Mack-Catron is the most compelling story of the 2023 election. After inheriting the mantle of Executive Director of the Beale Street Development Corporation (BSDC) following the death of her husband Randle Catron in 2015, she has since grown into a dearly beloved public figure seen as the very personification of black dignity and strength.
Of course, these qualities are not enough to guarantee a seat on the council. There are six others vying for the seat, including a former councilman and others that may have built a winning strategy, but whomever wins should take up the cause she is advancing as part of their seated mission.
Many of today’s emergant young activists greet her reverently and it would be wonderful to see these voices coalesce to demand a federal inquiry into BSDC’s history. Just as the bombing of Tulsa, Oklahoma and other more widely known Black economic advancements are kept alive through retelling, seemingly only the full weight of a congressional inquiry is necessary to unravel the mountainous legal web entangling the full truth of the non-profit’s story in its role as the fulcrum that led to the re-creation of Beale Street.
According to the record, the Beale Street Development Corporation is the non-profit that was formed, successfully lobbied for and was award the master lease to revive Beale Street and has held it for 52 years. Upon Randle Catron’s death in 2015, the Commercial Appeal reported “Mr. Catron was part of a long, involved battle over the future of the street, arguing for decades that Performa, the entity formerly charged with managing Beale’s day-to-day operations, wasn’t paying money it owed. Mr. Catron did not win that battle, and after years of legal wrangling (edit), the city ultimately regained control of the street.”
Catron confirmed a fact that the case is still on court and the next court date is set for December 15th, 2023.
Ably, she has stood for years on an issue ably reported by WMCTV5’s Kontji Anthony “However, the city does not recognize Catron’s claims because of one document: “Exhibit F” in her lawsuit. The February 3, 2015 settlement surrenders Catron’s master lease to City of Memphis. The settlement appears to have Randle Catron’s signature…”With doctors’ statements, medical records, he was on his death bed and they said we had a settlement on that day with Randle Catron,” Catron claimed…”Catron’s suit alleges her husband was in such bad shape, he did not have the capacity to sign anything that day. Her handwriting analyst claims in the lawsuit that the signature is forged. She said she doesn’t know who put her husband’s signature on the settlement.”
Through it all Lucille Catron has become stronger. She has owned and operated Lucille’s Boutique in the heart of Orange Mound on Lamar for decades, keeps the Old Daisy Theatre on Beale Street in full operation, frequents city hall in support of many causes and fights the federal suit concerning BSDC. Such is a path not chosen.
And to honor this well rounded real lady earning the title “queen”, I will share a strong secret with our readers. You can hear her often on WDIA calling in either to Stan Bell or Bev Johnson’s talk shows with something powerful to say, in a voice as bright and cheerful as the smile that graces those razor sharp outfits she wears while advancing a fight that should long be too old in America but is yet before us.