DALLAS — Kimberly Lacy Patman was just 6 years old the day she entered into a classroom where she was the only Black student.
She remembers what she calls one of the scariest memories of her life as she cried most of the day. To make matters worse, not a single classmate or teacher consoled her.
It was 1972 and Patman’s family had just made the move from Dallas to Cedar Hill. Her parents, Albert and Emily Lacy, moved their four kids - Albert Jr, Dana, Shannon, and Kimberly - about a 30-minute drive to the southwest of Dallas.
Mr. Lacy bought a house in the small city to be closer to his job and believed the move would be best for his growing family. He installed marble into new homes in Cedar Hill, which had 2,610 citizens at the time. Current estimates have the city’s population at 47,182.
The Lacys knew few Black families lived in Cedar Hill. They realized prejudices from people in what was then a predominantly a white rural community might occur. However, the promise of a larger house and a yard with more space was exciting for Kimberly and her siblings.
When Mr. and Mrs. Lacy enrolled their children in Cedar Hill Independent School District (CHISD) the four became the district's first Black family. Texas schools had desegregated seven years earlier, in 1965.
Patman was nervous about her first day in the first grade at Bray Elementary.
“I was upset because nobody looked like me, they were all white,” said Patman
She remembers being in a state of fear and tears until recess. On the playground another first-grader from a different class would change Patman’s life forever.
“Finally, a little girl tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘What’s the matter?’ I said, ‘I’m scared.’ She said, ‘Don’t be scared. I’ll be your friend.'”
Her name is LeeAnn Polster, and her kind act made her Patman’s first white friend at the new school.
“She saved me,” said Patman
Their friendship has been growing strong ever since. The two had fun being Brownies together as Girl Scouts and over the years Patman’s friendship with Polster led to additional friendships. She now has five best friends, all of whom were classmates when she graduated from Cedar Hill High School in 1984.
Now, 49 years later, Patman and Polster still crack up laughing like schoolgirls at recess when they see each other.
“We’re still best friends. It’s amazing to be so afraid at the beginning and then to meet people who were open, caring and accepting.”
Polster said she loves Patman like a sister. She has fond memories of their middle school years and remembers Patman being a class clown, but one memory she doesn’t have is the day they first met on the playground.
“I actually don’t even remember the experience to be perfectly transparent,” said Polster “To me, it was just another day.”
Over the years as Patman has shared their story Polster said it makes her feel good that something so small had such a big impact.
“It’s very heartwarming,” said Polster.
As the youngest in the family, Patman was the only Lacy to attend Cedar Hill for the entire educational experience, with the exception of kindergarten, which she attended in Dallas.
She said attending CHISD for 12 years gave her experiences that were different than her siblings.
“I enjoyed my time at Cedar Hill,” said Patman. “There were a few bumps. Other than that, it was a great experience.”
Patman said there were a couple of instances where parents in the community used racial epithets.
She remembers situations where her friends’ parents would allow Patman to visit their home, but wouldn’t allow their child to visit the Lacys.
In one instance, a white male classmate said he couldn’t ask her to the prom because his parents wouldn’t let him.
Patman also remembers who she called one of her favorite teachers surprising her with racism.
“I had a teacher in seventh grade in Texas History,” said Patmam “He asked me one day, ‘Kimberly, do you know what kind of n*****s they have in Plano,’ and I said ‘No, sir,’ and he said ‘Plain-‘ol n*****s.’ So everybody in the class is laughing but I didn’t laugh because I was like, ‘Well, that’s not funny.’ I didn’t understand why he told that joke when I was the only Black child in the class.”
While at school she tried to focus on the positive connections she had with classmates like Polster. She was part of the Cedar Hill High School drill team, choir, track and field and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) during her time at Cedar Hill.
“I knew I was different, and I wasn’t going to let that stop me,” said Patman. “I found my friends who accepted me for who I was.”
Patman remembers attitudes improving and prejudices decreasing during the time span between 1972 and 1984. There were only five Black students in Patman’s graduating class in 1984, and she estimates there were approximately 20 Black students in ninth through eleventh grade at the time.
To honor her family's legacy as the district’s first black family CHISD leaders named the district’s enrollment center after the Lacys.
At a dedication ceremony held Sept. 28 Cedar Hill band students played a rendition of Musician Al Green’s hit song "Let’s Stay Together." The song was released in 1972, the same year Patman entered first grade.
Keeping with the throwback theme, the predominantly Black orchestra led by a Black teacher also played Michael Jackson’s song “Off the Wall,” released in 1979.
At the event Patman shared she’s especially proud of the diversity that Cedar Hill ISD has today something she pointed out to her children and grandchildren during the event.
More than two dozen of Patman’s extended family members attended the ceremony where a proclamation was read dedicating the building.
During the ceremony Patman’s older sister Shannon Lacy enthusiastically read a poem she wrote:
Thank you for coming to listen to a story, about a family that was led.
Then, one day he was blessed with some news. A key from God, no way he could lose.
Well the first thing I know, Lacy Junior really cared.
But the kinfolk said, ‘Why the hell were out there?!”
He said Cedar Hill is the place I want to be.
So he loaded up the truck, and we moved to Cooper Street.
At the event Polster sat smiling. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!” she said.
Patman and Polster reminisced after most everyone had left the event. They shared how their story could be a Lifetime movie.
“We’ve decided the actors that would play us,” said Polster.
“Octavia Spencer would be me,” said Patman.
“And Laura Dern was going to be me,” said Polster as the two laughed out loud.
At the entrance of the Lacy Enrollment Center a picture of the Lacy family can been seen on a placard which tells their story, it reads in part, “On her first day at Bray Elementary in 1972, Kimberly didn’t know any of her classmates. A fellow first-grader named LeeAnn Polster befriended her, and they are still best friends 49 years later.”
Patman and Polster are proud of their story and hope it will be a reminder for current CHISD students to never forget to choose kindness.
“I often wondered what would have happened had you not reached out to me at recess.” said Patman to Polster “I guess I would have cried the whole day. I don’t know how long it would have taken me to come out of my shell,” she shared as her eyes glossed over “She just surely made a big impact on my life.”
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