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He is a great-great-grandson of John Sevier, a [[Tennessee]] pioneer and first [[governor]] of that state. He was a cousin of state Senator Andrew L. Sevier and state Representative Henry Clay Sevier, both also from Tallulah.<ref name=roots/>​

He is a great-great-grandson of John Sevier, a [[Tennessee]] pioneer and first [[governor]] of that state. He was a cousin of state Senator Andrew L. Sevier and state Representative Henry Clay Sevier, both also from Tallulah.<ref name=roots/>​

 

==Biographical sketch==​

==Biography==​

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Sevier was born near the end of the 19th century on a plantation in southern Madison Parish, the eldest child of William Sevier, Sr. (1868-1943), a native of Thomastown in Leake County  in central [[Mississippi]], and the former Ada Shadbourne Graves (1877-1955). His maternal Graves grandparents were large landowners and planters prior to the [[American Civil War]]. As a child, Sevier took the nickname "Buck", but later tried to discourage its use. Most people still called him Buck as an adult. In 1916, he graduated from the [[Segregation|segregated]] Tallulah High School. (It has since beendesegregated, relocated and renamed Madison High School.) ​

Sevier was born near the end of the 19th century on a plantation in southern Madison Parish, the eldest child of William Sevier, Sr. (1868-1943), a native of Thomastown in Leake County  in central [[Mississippi]], and the former Ada Shadbourne Graves (1877-1955). His maternal Graves grandparents were large landowners and planters prior to the [[American Civil War]]. As a child, Sevier took the nickname "Buck", but later tried to discourage its use. Most people still called him Buck as an adult. In 1916, he graduated from the [[Segregation|segregated]] Tallulah High School. (It has since beendesegregated, relocated and renamed Madison High School.) ​

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In his last term as mayor, Sevier worked alongside Police Chief Zelma Wyche, who in 1969 was elected as the first African American in that position in Tallulah. He was known as "Mr. Civil Rights of Louisiana" for his years of activism since returning to the city as a veteran of World War II. In 1974, Adell Williams was elected as mayor, the first woman and the first African American in the office. She served one term. Wyche later was elected also as mayor, with service from 1986 to 1990.<ref name="sanders">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVP7JyMGSaEC&pg=PA57&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false|author=Charles L. Sanders|title=Black Lawman in KKK Territory|publisher=''Ebony Magazine''|date=January 1970|page= 57-64|accessdate=July 26, 2013}}</ref>​

In his last term as mayor, Sevier worked alongside Police Chief Zelma Wyche, who in 1969 was elected as the first African American in that position in Tallulah. He was known as "Mr. Civil Rights of Louisiana" for his years of activism since returning to the city as a veteran of World War II. In 1974, Adell Williams was elected as mayor, the first woman and the first African American in the office. She served one term. Wyche later was elected also as mayor, with service from 1986 to 1990.<ref name="sanders">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVP7JyMGSaEC&pg=PA57&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false|author=Charles L. Sanders|title=Black Lawman in KKK Territory|publisher=''Ebony Magazine''|date=January 1970|page= 57-64|accessdate=July 26, 2013}}</ref>​

 

==Personal life and legacy==​

==Personal life and legacy==​

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"Character" is really not an apt description of Buck Sevier. "Legend" is more fitting. So great was the admiration for him that I don't think he ever had opposition for mayor, except maybe once in his early career. This carried over even when blacks started seeking public office. They didn't run against him either. No wonder. He was respected because he was fair to blacks as well as whites, both as a mayor and as a banker. ...<ref>Carroll Regan, "Baghdad on the Bayou", ''Madison Journal,'' February 1974.</ref></blockquote>​

"Character" is really not an apt description of Buck Sevier. "Legend" is more fitting. So great was the admiration for him that I don't think he ever had opposition for mayor, except maybe once in his early career. This carried over even when blacks started seeking public office. They didn't run against him either. No wonder. He was respected because he was fair to blacks as well as whites, both as a mayor and as a banker. ...<ref>Carroll Regan, "Baghdad on the Bayou", ''Madison Journal,'' February 1974.</ref></blockquote>​

 

==References==​

==References==​

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