Larry Skeeter Mance

Larry "Skeeter" Mance (born June 15, 1951 in Toccoa, GA)has been a pioneer in many ways when it comes to Civil Rights. He and 8 others integrated public schools in Toccoa, GA in 1965 for the first time in the history of this country and became the very first Black American from Toccoa (Stephens County), GA to be admitted to and attend the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is an official Ga Tech "Trailblazer" being one of sixty-five Blacks out of 10,000 students to attend Tech in 1970. He married on 2/27/72 at ITC on Atlanta University campus and dropped out shortly afterwards; but he promised his mother and father that if they would give him their blessing to marry at the age of 20, he would not let it (i.e.,marrying) keep him from graduating from GA Tech as his dad could not read or write and therefore valued education. So, after all his kids were grown and emancipated he went back to Tech at the age of 44 and obtained his B.S. degree in Management at the age of 46 years old. He is also a professional lyrical jazz poet writing in 4 moods(Romantic, Philosophical, Ethnic and Spiritual) as well as an author of Christian based short stories with a moral message but not preachy. His book "Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups" is the second book in his "Teachable Moments Series". His books are motivational as well as inspirational while his poems are piercing, thought provoking and moving so say the least.