My father, Sonnie W. Hereford III, grew up in North Alabama in the 30’s and 40’s and started his medical career in Huntsville in the 50’s. He played a major role in the local Civil Rights movement, including a visit by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the years, there have been many successes in the Civil Rights movement — and the struggle continues, as demonstrated by events of recent times.
Mr. Hereford was born in East Chicago, Indiana, and in 1963 became the first black child to integrate the Alabama Public School system. He earned a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering at Notre Dame, and a Masters in Computer and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Over the years, he has been on the Board of Directors and/or participated in fundraisers for several organizations and non-profits, such as United Way, United Cerebral Palsy, American Heart Association, Leukemia Society, American Cancer Society, and Big Brothers – Big Sisters. He currently works as an Enterprise Architect at Phacel, Inc. supporting the US Army Contracting Command.