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Special to the News

Dr. LaWanda Black- Finney doesn’t get involved in hate because that’s not her purpose.

“That’s not my mission. I’m on a mission of love, and I will be on it till the day I die,” Finney said

On Monday January 20, 2025, the nation celebrated and honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all the critical work he did for this country. The Martin Luther King Jr. Support Group of Southeast Texas held their 39th Annual ‘I Have A Dream’ brunch and celebration at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur where they announced their Woman of the Year — Dr. LaWanda Black- Finney.

During the height of racial segregation in the 1960s, Dr. King envisioned a world where his children would not be judged by the color of their skin. His ‘I Have a Dream’ speech is now one of the most famous in the world and one of the pillars of the Civil Rights Movement.

Dr. Lawanda Black-Finney, of Port Arthur, continues the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in her belief in strongly supporting and serving the community.

She is a Certified Lay Speaker at the United Methodist Church, a former Chairperson of Publicity, Association of Compensatory Educators of Texas (ACET), a former member of the Education Committee, Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce and a former member of the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission.

“If you go back to history, and you look at all the marches, you’re not just going to see just black people, you’re going to see white people, too,” she said. “You’re going to see every race of people. And the reason he (MLK Jr.) got the movement, and the laws passed were not just because of our black people. It was because of those whites in power, because blacks had no power, and they could not pass the Civil Rights. They couldn’t even do this, but white people could do anything.

She said her mother taught her children to love, to not ever be a part of the racism.

“We were taught love,” she said. “And my mother and father died loving, and that’s what they taught us. They said, ‘Now get your history, correct. When you’re researching Martin Luther King Jr., just talking about the things that he did, you’ve missed it.’ What he did, he had support. The people that helped him to get the movement passed were white people in power. So, the mother told us, ‘You’ve got to love baby.’ He couldn’t have done it without them. So, she taught us love and not to ever let anyone talk us out of love.”

Dr. LaWanda Black Finney is a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Port Arthur.  

Finney graduated from Dickinson High School in 1977 and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1980 from a Historically Black College, Huston Tillotson College (now University) in Austin, Texas. She later obtained her Master of Education from Lamar University, Beaumont, TX and a Doctor of Educational Leadership from NOVA Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Finney served 40 years in different capacities as an educator including the PAISD Parent Involvement Coordinator.

“I am especially proud to have a proposal that she brought to Port Arthur Independent School District entitled ‘The Port Arthur Goes Back to School initiative’ (which was the Port Arthur Goes Back to School Expo) in 1996 accepted and approved by the Superintendent and his Executive Staff.”

This was a spin-off of the National incentive ‘America Goes Back to School’ which included all community stakeholders.

“I invited the then U. S Secretary of Education to attend the event and he graciously responded and sent his assistant which was an honor,” she said.

Finney worked closely with the PAISD Director of Communications, school leaders and community stakeholders for this yearly event to be successful.

Finney, who also served as coordinator of the district’s staff development and program evaluation, has presented numerous occasions at the local Region 5 ESC as well as at state and out-of-state conferences.

She recently presented, accompanied by her daughters, Jannie Nelson and Chaunte’ Hardy, to aspiring Superintendents at Lamar University, for their EDLD 5371 School District/Community Relations Class, “The Value of Parent/Community Engagement.”

“As a certified lay speaker, through the years, I have also served on many occasions as the guest speaker for the Sunday Morning worship at my church and served as guest speaker for many community events.”

Through her tenure, she has been honored to receive recognitions such as (partial list) Teacher of the Year, Lee Elementary, Port Arthur ISD, 1995-1996; Special Recognition Award, Texas Education Agency, Office of Parent Involvement and Community Empowerment, Corpus Christi, TX, 2001; Academic Achievement Award, Huston-Tillotson College, International Alumni Association, 2004; Award of Appreciation, Association of Compensatory Educators of Texas (ACET), 2008-2020, Outstanding 2013 Texan Award presented by African American Legislative Summit, Austin, TX, Honoree, 2018, Leading Ladies, Diamond Conference, Port Arthur, TX , Honoree, 2024 Top in Education, Port Arthur Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., Amos Evans Honoree from the Port Arthur Branch of NAACP and Texas Christian Professional Women’s Network 2024 Phenomenal Woman Award for Educational Leadership and Community Collaboration Award.

If you want to keep up with Finney, follow her on www.Facebook.com/ Dr-LaWanda Black-Finney.