From Wikipedia:
“Sippie Wallace (born Beulah Belle Thomas, November 1, 1898 – November 1, 1986)[3] was an American blues singer, pianist and songwriter. Her early career in tent shows gained her the billing “The Texas Nightingale”. Between 1923 and 1927, she recorded over 40 songs for Okeh Records, many written by her or her brothers, George and Hersal Thomas.[4] Her accompanists included Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet, King Oliver, and Clarence Williams. Among the top female blues vocalists of her era, Wallace ranked with Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, and Bessie Smith.”

One of my favorite songs by Sippie Wallace is: “Women Be Wise (Don’t Advertise Your Man).” When my husband, James J. Lescault, reads this article he’ll have a good laugh. As someone who has always worked behind the scenes, both nationally and locally, Jim prefers to stay out of the spotlight and mischievously reminds me of Sippie Wallace’s admonition. Well, many women have tried and all have failed. Jim is the very definition of loyalty. He knows that I love it when women flirt with him – “you still got it, baby” is something we say to each other all of the time, no matter the wrinkles. Jealousy is not in our nature, and mutual respect, encouragement and trust are the foundation of our love.
The June issue’s theme is men we admire, and there is no man I admire more.
Jim grew up in a working class family in Holyoke, Massachusetts, one of five sons. His father, Edward Lescault, died when Jim was thirteen, a critical time in a child’s life. His mother, Eleanor Lescault, made sure that all of her boys knew how to cook, sew, clean, wash and iron their clothes, and do all kinds of chores – she made it clear to them she was a mother, not a maid. A young widow left alone to raise five precocious boys. Before his death, Edward made sure they all had their newspaper routes as soon as their legs could carry them. They delivered newspapers on foot, door to door in Holyoke before school every morning.
Jim is an unsung hero. He is often underestimated and undervalued – mostly by those who have never taken the time to know him. He is a foundational part of Holyoke history, whose vast archives were allegedly “damaged in a flood.” Since they were discarded without his knowledge, one can never know what actually happened.
Jim’s life story is a feature film waiting to happen – an exciting and bold story of a working class super hero who has fought for and helped launch and win legal cases on voting and housing rights – among other issues. Attorneys are always surprised by his depth of research, knowledge and understanding of the law, and issues at hand. Jim has fought for and won on policy change; amplification of the silenced via all forms of media; interventions against street violence, corporate violence, arson for profit, worker exploitation, the rights of women and girls, and has fought beside the BIPOC communities his entire life.
Jim’s historical knowledge; perseverance against white collar bullies, politicians and haters; his ability to gain the trust and respect of the most marginalized, despised to the most privileged and elite in society, are hallmarks of his character. What you see is what you get.
Those who fear him as they are threatened by his genius and uncompromising honesty, will often write him off or attempt to tank his work because it is based in amplifying the creativity, imagination, interventions, resistance, cultural/historical knowledge and visions of those who are most targeted by white supremacism. At the heart of his work is the decolonization of the mind – the comfortably assimilated and accomodationists and the “cautious ‘casians” resent his ability to play three dimensional chess, while they are still trying to master tic-tac-toe.
Jim has no lust for power or money, just the hunger for justice and putting into place the programs and institutions that will be venues for that change, not by him, but by The People. He has the courage to stand alone and the grace to work collectively, valuing the gifts and abilities of all who are willing to put in the time, the work, and the efforts needed for change to happen. Jim offers tools and training – he doesn’t tell you what to think, but he will teach you how to think and take action if you really want it. His daily example and passion for true activation of justice elevated by and for The People, against all odds, is all the schooling you need – you just have to pay attention.
I live as all of who I am, fearlessly liberated and decolonized for over three decades, because I’ve been paying attention to this singular person, my life partner, James J. Lescault. ■