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Watauga Historical Association/Speaker Cancellations at Tipton-Haynes



On Tue, Jun 29, 2010, Bill & Pam Hicks – billyboyandpam@embarqmail.com wrote:

Friends,

I am sending this mailing to anyone who should or must be informed by the decision made by the President of the Watauga Historical Association yesterday in my firing as Interim Program Chairman. The following named individuals are no longer scheduled…..Mr. H.K. Edgerton—Ms. Christine Tipton—and Mr.John Van Arsdall.

In my opinion, my removal was a political ploy for my standing up for Southern Heritage. My replacement, the former Program Chairman is not physically able to perform….the “powers that be” wanted me out of the way….and they have succeeded. I was never informed I was being replaced until I announced Mr. H.K. Edgerton’s presence at our August meeting. [I also find the timing peculiar since Mr. Edgerton is a Black American]. I harbor no ill will toward this group….just pity them for their ignorance and insensitivity.

I apologize for this. I must now make phone calls to those who do not have email. Please notify anyone you might have invited. Write or call me if you have any questions. Brother H.K., I am trying to find a place for you to speak, if you will accept. If anyone can help out here, please let me know.

Bill Hicks

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From: HK Edgerton – hk.edgerton@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Jun 30, 2010

Dear Madam President Cheryl Smith of the Watauga Historical Association,

This letter is written in response to the disturbing email I received. I am HK Edgerton, President of Southern Heritage 411, and Chairman of the Board of Advisors Emeritus of the Southern Legal Resource Center. Several weeks ago, I received a request to speak at your August 5, 2010 monthly meeting. I entered into a verbal contract to do so with Mr. Bill Hicks, your Interim Program Chair.

In entering that contractual obligation, I agreed to waive a major portion of my set Honorarium fee of $500.00 and appear for the sum of $75.00, a fee that Mr. Hicks relayed that your organization could only afford to cover the cost of my travel from Asheville, N.C., and the speakers fee. And I might add that I turned down other engagements that would have covered the entirety of my fees to include travel, accommodations, and meals, because of not only my camaraderie to Mr. Hicks, but for the love that I carry for the people of the region that you serve.

I have been given no reason for why your organization decided to cancel my engagement, other than that related by Mr. Hicks. I have turned this matter over to my attorney for advisement on any punitive or civil damages that I might have incurred.

I would greatly appreciate some explanation before moving forward.

Respectfully,

HK Edgerton
President
Southern Heritage 411