Ronald Myers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.
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Dr. Ron Myers plays the flugelhorn at a 2013 performance in Roland, Oklahoma
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| Background information | |
| Born | February 29, 1956. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Died | September 7, 2018 (aged 62) |
| Genres | improvisational jazz praise & worship, hard bop, post-bop, progressive jazz, Soul-jazz, Jazz-funk |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, christian minister, musician |
| Instruments | Trumpet, piano |
| Years active | 1974–2017 |
| Labels | Moja Records |
| Associated acts | Ron Myers Jazz Quartet Alvin Batiste Manty Ellis Larry Ridley Jimmy Cheatham Richard Davis Russell Gunn |
Ronald V. Myers (born February 29, 1956 – died September 7, 2018) was an American doctor, a Christian minister, a musician, and a person who worked for equal rights. He started many groups that helped make Juneteenth a well-known holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Dr. Myers also helped people in poor, rural areas of the American South by providing medical care. He was also a talented jazz musician.
Early Life and Learning
Ronald Myers was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was the younger of two sons. His parents, Marion Mack Myers and Neoma R. Myers, were teachers. The family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin when his parents got jobs there.
Myers went to Rufus King High School in Milwaukee. He was a special performer in the school's jazz band. He played both the trumpet and the piano.
He later attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison. There, he studied African American Studies, which is about Black history and culture. He was also part of a special music group. He learned a lot from trombonist and professor Jimmy Cheatham.
In 1985, Myers graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He then finished his special training in family medicine. This training was at LSU Medical Center in Bogalusa, Louisiana in 1988. He also studied part-time at a seminary (a school for religious studies) in 1989 and 1990.
Helping Others and Working for Change
In 1988, Dr. Myers and his wife opened a family health center. It was in Tchula, Mississippi. This area did not have many doctors. They helped many people who needed medical care.
In 1990, he became a minister at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church. He was sent as a medical missionary to the Mississippi Delta. This meant he would use his medical skills to help people as part of his religious work.
Dr. Myers also worked to show the difficult conditions of African-American catfish workers. These workers were in the Mississippi Delta. From 1996 to 2005, he organized the Buffalo Fish Festival. This festival happened at the same time as another big catfish festival.
In 1994, leaders from across the country met in New Orleans. They wanted to make Juneteenth a more recognized holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. Dr. Myers was chosen to lead this effort. He continued to be a leader for groups like the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign. These groups worked to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
Dr. Myers also helped people who had long-lasting pain. In 2003, he brought together patients, doctors, and people who supported patient rights. They worked to pass a law in Arkansas about treating chronic pain. They held marches and rallies to make their voices heard. In 2004 and 2005, he organized more marches. He asked for special meetings in Congress to discuss this issue.
In 2006, Dr. Myers bought a basketball team called the Mississippi Stingers. He changed the team's name to the Mississippi Miracles. The team played for one season before it stopped.
Later Life
Ronald V. Myers passed away on September 7, 2018.
Music Recordings
- Doctor's Orders (1994) – MOJA Records
- Juneteenth "Free at Last" (2006) – MOJA Records
