Local civil rights activist and former county supervisor Herman Leach passed away last weekend, following a fire at his Jonestown home.
Assistant Fire Chief Kenny Washington said the fire was reported during the late hours of Jan. 13 and continued until the early morning hours of Jan. 14 at Leach’s home, located at 902 White Lane.
“The state came and assisted me Sunday morning, and the fire appears to have been accidental,” Washington said. “We do not detect any foul play. There were a lot of electrical heaters in the home, and we believe this was an unfortunate accident. By the time we got there, the house was about 75 percent fully involved.”
Washington said Leach was alone in the home at the time of the fire.
Leach was the first African American to be elected as a county supervisor in 1979. He served as supervisor of District 5 for about seven years before moving over into District 3, following redistricting. He served as supervisor for District 5 in 1979 and 1983 and was elected in 1987 for District 3. He served on the county board for several years within those roles.
Wardell Leach, Herman’s brother, said Leach was a trailblazer within the local political circuit. His mentorship inspired Wardell to enter politics and would later be elected the first African American mayor of Yazoo City.
“People are always looking for mentors, and I had my own mentor in my own house,” Wardell said. “He truly was a trailblazer.”
Leach graduated from Yazoo High School and later earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Jackson State University. He also completed some graduate work at Alcorn State University. He was a long-time teacher and coach. And he served as a Right-of-Way appraisal agent for the Mississippi State Highway Department and the Neighborhood Youth Corporation Coordinator for the Yazoo Community Action Agency.
Leach was also a civil rights activist within the local community and beyond. Wardell said their family have received several phone calls from all over the country to reflect on Herman’s accomplishments.
“Herman went to Chicago for about a year, and he even sent me my prom suit back home,” Wardell said. “When he came back, he went to Jackson, and I followed him. I was going to join the Army, but I decided to follow Herman. We were college roommates as well. We were brought up extremely poor. Had it not been for sports, we wouldn’t have been able to go to college. While we were at college, we even wore the same clothes.”
Sports was an instrumental element within the Leach home. Leach enjoyed playing basketball, baseball and softball. Aside from athletics, he was also an avid chess player and enjoyed hunting and camping.
“Ruby Wallace told me while Herman was teaching at St. Francis, he even talked about square dancing,” Wardell said, with a laugh.
“To me, Herman was like that Frank Sinatra song,” Wardell continued. “He did things his way, but he really was a genuine, good guy. He helped people. And although he didn’t go to church regularly, he lived the church. He showed love and helped so many people.”
Wardell said Herman had a soft side that not many people may have been aware of.
“We thought of things the same way, but we had different ways to go about it,” Wardell said. “He didn’t sugarcoat anything. He was may have appeared to be a hardcore guy on the surface, but he had a soft side. I know how he loved and treated people.”
“It bothers me the way he had to go,” Wardell added. “But the Lord knows what He has planned for us. God put Herman on this earth, and he lived the life God wanted him to live. I will always remember him.”
