Atkins’ long, successful tenure with Council ends

By Norma Adams-Wade
Senior Correspondent
Texas Metro News

Before I introduce you to Dallas Mayor Pro Tem and long-time Dallas City Council member Tennell Atkins, let’s take a fascinating journey.

Imagine you are driving east on Camp Wisdom Road right before you reach Lancaster Road where Camp Wisdom changes to Simpson Stuart Road, headed toward Paul Quinn College.

Now back up a bit on Camp Wisdom because you just passed South Central Dallas Police Station at 1999 E. Camp Wisdom and Patrol Way. Turn left on Patrol Way and continue up the lonely, back road lined with dense foliage and trees.

Surprise! Here you enter a new world. You discover one of Dallas’ well-kept, hidden treasures: the long, rectangular structure perched with attitude atop a hill. Park your car and enter the splendor of the relatively-new, city-owned Singing Hill Recreation
Center that opened in 2020 at 6805 Patrol Way. The old building was not far away, located at 1909 Crouch Road near Lancaster Road in Oak Cliff.

The structure is a state-of-the-art, first-of-its-kind in Dallas, architectural prizewinner. It has features that would make any new property owner drool. It opened December 7, 2020 and also boasts the relatively new Camp Wisdom DART rail Blue line station adjacent next door in walking distance at 6869 Patrol Way.

What does all of this have to do with Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins? Local leaders and area residents, young and old who regularly visit the center, pay homage to Atkins as the silent force behind a crew of providers and facilitators who labored for years – even through the COVID-19 pandemic — to build the new structure that Atkins now regularly uses for community meetings and events.

The powerhouse Perkins&Will architect firm created the center’s imaginative design, blending the area’s natural forest terrain into the construction plan. One of its prime distinctions is that the new glasswalled recreation center brought North Dallas upscale features to a traditionally underserved area.

That feat has been Tennell Atkins’ cornerstone signature in all he has done while being repeatedly re-elected to multiple two years terms since 2007,
spending only one term out of office.

Atkins’ inspiration was inbred. He grew up in impoverished South Dallas communities, then had a storybook opportunity to attend and graduate from the upscale, major Dallas university, Southern Methodist University in North Dallas.

His eyes could not unseen the different lifestyles. “I am from Dallas and from the housing projects,” Atkins willingly and often reveals to anyone about his
early life.

“I saw firsthand the difference between life in North and South Dallas. I call it a tale of two cities,” Atkins said, referencing the 19th Century Charles Dickens’ classic book of the same name.

After graduating and working in corporate America, he said he still experienced inequalities he felt he might be able to change.

So, he ran for office.

“I wanted to make a difference,” he says simply.

Many would agree that Tennell Atkins is not boastful. He generally is considered
an easygoing, regular guy who blends in.

But don’t get it twisted, friends warn.

They say that from his perspective, the word “no” is an inspiration to rev up his accelerator and find a way to get the job done.

If he finds he absolutely cannot, he will meet back with the source, talk it through, and seek alternatives, friends say.

But that all ends on June 16, this summer.

Atkins has reached term limitations.

In mid June, he will retire when a successor is sworn in and the question is: with all of his drawing power and from-the-heart public service, where does he go from here?

But first, how did he get here?

Why go through the grueling work it takes to leave such a standing legacy? Atkins offers his best answer in explaining why he first ran for office in 2007.

He had won a grueling 7-1/2-year lawsuit against the City of Dallas. The dispute involved a business transaction over space at Red Bird Airport.

As a businessman of color, Atkins felt his treatment was unlawful and unfair. He said he felt he could help others avoid what he had experienced and his childhood family experiences also came into play.

“I had watched my Mom raise five boys and a girl as a single parent. She made sure the boys knew how to cook, wash clothes, and work for a living. She always demonstrated and said for us to take care of others.

“When someone needed help, she would have them stay at our house. They would sleep in our beds, and we would sleep on the floor. She would feed them first and then we would eat. We knew she cared about us, and she showed us also she cared about others.”

That premise about life stayed with him. And from all indications, it shone through to voters each time he ran for office. As an SMU business and marketing graduate, it could be said that voters saw Atkins as a visionary in economic development.

He brought in improvements –such as grocery stores, senior adult services, transportation improvements, the stunning recreation center that serves all ages — and helped give the underserved southern sector a significant heads up.

It helped explain why he won with 40 percent of the vote against six opponents in his 2007 first bid.

“I was open, honest, and for the people,” Atkins recalled, as his best explanation for why he won. “My toughest battles have been to convince… (powerbrokers) that Dallas is two cities, north and south, and to urge them to strive for how we can make it one city.”

Childhood, education, family

Atkins and his siblings were born in Dallas to mom, Eula Mae Atkins, a restaurant cook, and dad, Willie Pearson who was distant from the family.

The future Dallas Mayor Pro Tem attended Dallas public elementary schools including Julia C Frazier, Fannie C. Harris, and Charles Rice; then historically-
Black St. Peter’s Academy Catholic School and the multi-ethnic Bishop Dunne Catholic School, where he graduated in 1974.

Bo Dean Slaughter and Tennell Atkins grew up together as close cousins.

“Our Moms raised us, and we both always had that stern upbringing,” Slaughter recalled.

He said he and his Mom and siblings lived in the Atkins’ home for a while, until his Mom got back on her feet, and they moved on. But the two families remained close, and to this day, Slaughter said he and Atkins share a seemingly unbreakable bond and their memories run deep with sentiment.

Even as a kid, Slaughter said Atkins was always determined and showed that he cared about others. One memory Slaughter shared was when as teenagers he and Atkins played Pop Warner football at a Dallas park. It was time for an outof-town trip, but Slaughter and a brother did not have money to pay their fare. Disappointedly, they accepted that they would not go.

But when Atkins heard the news he took action. Slaughter said Atkins was the team’s star running back and held sway with the coach and team. He said Atkins resolutely declared that if his cousins could not go, he was not going. Slaughter said it did not take long for the coach and organizers to make a way for the cousins to go.

“He’s the same way as his mother – caring,” Slaughter said. “That’s why the community kept wanting him back in office. They felt the caring. And I’m one of his biggest cheerleaders. He’s genuine. He’s solid.”

An example of his athletic prowess as a senior at Dunne was when he ranked “#1 in the world” for the 120-yard high hurdle.

He earned a four-year college scholarship to SMU in Dallas where he was All-American in football and track and lettered as a running back for four years, 1974-77.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity member earned a degree in business marketing from the SMU Cox School of Business in 1978.

Memories from son, Rev. Todd Atkins

The Mayor Pro Tem is married to Marshella Atkins, and they have twin adult sons, Todd and Tyler Atkins, and five grandchildren. Son, Todd, is pastor at Salem Institutional Baptist Church in the South Dallas/Fair Park area. The pastor said his Dad was consistently re-elected because he answered constituents’ needs.

He also recalled that as a young child he began to notice things that defined his Dad’s character and humanity.

One example was getting the youth out of bed to fulfill a promise that Dad and sons would help a candidate distribute campaign materials.

When a sleet storm came through, the son recalled that he was sure his dad would change his mind.

No chance. They distributed door-to-door in the sleet because a promise was a promise.

Another memory from later in life was seeing his Dad use his home kitchen as a command center when state or local issues affected his constituents.

For example, during the Texas power grid failure, the pastor witnessed his Dad personally calling a long list of senior citizens in the area to help handle their power and health issues. Todd Atkins said ultimately his Dad called connections at his college alma mater and had generators delivered to the senior adults.

“That’s the mark of a great council person,” Rev. Todd Atkins said. “It is what has set my father apart throughout his time in office. His work has spoken for him.”

Classic examples of his work

When looking for examples of Atkins’ abilities, supporters usually return to the Singing Hill Recreation Center as a foremost achievement. Some say the treasure might not exist had a less determined and less battle-gearclad navigator been at the helm. Joe V’s Smart Shop by H-E-B is another example.

Former longtime Texas St. Rep. Helen Giddings said she and Atkins visited a successful location of the H. E. B. chain in Houston and worked together to try and replicate that kind of asset in Dallas.

Giddings said she has known Atkins for decades and witnessed him in action on other projects. His down-to-earth and easy-toapproach persona makes him accessible to the public, and constituents returned him to office multiple times for that reason, she said.

“Tennell was smart enough to listen to the constituents in his district,” Giddings said. “ In this day and time, people want to have input and help make decisions that are best for them. Tennell listened first, then acted on that input from the citizens.”

Awards and honors

Some of Atkins’ many honors include the January 2024 SMU’s Silver Anniversary Mustang (SAM) Award, presented to certain alumni 25 years after graduating because they have significantly impacted society.

He was inducted into the Bishop Dunne Alumni Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Various community and professional organizations have honored him as well.

Before entering politics

Prior to politics, the business school graduate served in executive positions with corporations including Ford Motor Co., AT&T Construction, and Red Bird Development Corp.

He served his first four two-year terms from 2007-2015 in which he ascended to Dallas Mayor Pro Tem, then later earned that position of honor again. He represents District 8, located furthest south of Dallas’ 14 single-member districts.

He was re-elected to serve his next four two-year terms from 2017-2025, again rising to Mayor Pro Tem.

While in office, Atkins has focused largely on improving economic development for his constituents, as well as upgrading the wide-spread district’s infrastructure, attracting new businesses to the area and leaning a helping hand where needed for existing businesses in the area, and helping provide human needs for residents.

What others say about Atkins

Besides former Texas St. Rep. Helen Giddings, others vouch for Atkins’ effectiveness. Well-known community activist Leo Hassan plays African drums at various community events where he said he witnesses Atkins interactions with the
public.

He put it this way:
“He’s a little bit country is what it is,” Hassan says with a smile. “Folks are drawn to that element of his character. So, he’s able to communicate with just about all people.”

Arthur Fleming is an activist and a former NAACP Dallas Branch president. He said he has not always agreed with Atkins on issues. But he said he respects this elected official’s integrity.

“I’ve got to give him credit,” Fleming said. “He’s been in office all these years. People keep re-electing him. And he’s managed not to go to jail. We’ve all seen too many of our leaders go to jail. But in all the years that people keep re-electing him, he did not succumb to that. I give him high praise for that.”

Where to from here?

So, back to the question: Where to from here?

“I will sit and rest and see what is my next mission in life,” Atkins said. I will concentrate on my family, including my grandkids, who all have been so supportive.”

For the remainder of this final term, Atkins says he will take a few moments to appreciate the right decisions he made and actions he took.

He said one such proud victory was hiring the city’s first Black female city manager, Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, who the Dallas City Council voted 13-2 to succeed T. C. Broadnax, who became Austin City Manager.

As a trailblazer, Tolbert follows Dallas’ first Black City Manager, (1986-1990) the late Richard Knight Jr.

Before Atkins leaves office, he said he also would hope to see the Council resolve the current police and fire pension issues. And because learning has value, that higher education institutions in Dallas, particularly the southern sector, will continue to grow and thrive.

Atkins says he wants to leave with the reputation of being genuine and caring.

“It is important to listen,” he said.

“We might not always agree, but we can still move forward. Whether we agree or disagree, one main thing I have learned is I love everybody.”

Hassan said he believes the public will not see the last of Atkins when his term ends.

“I’m sorry he’s leaving,” said Hassan. “But I suspect he’ll continue to be a community warrior in some fashion.”

Norma Adams-Wade, is a proud Dallas native, University of Texas at Austin journalism graduate and retired Dallas Morning News senior staff writer. She is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists. norma_adams_wade@yahoo.com.