Suffolk News-Herald

If you see Suffolk City Councilman Curtis R. Milteer today, be sure to wish him a happy 72nd birthday. He marks this particular day in quiet reflection and reading over notable events that occurred the year he was born.

Ask most people what was so special about the year 1931 and they can’t name one thing of importance. Take the song &uot;Minnie the Moocher,&uot; or another, &uot;Mood Indigo.&uot; Now, those were lyrics! Or, take for instance that the most important historical event that year was J. Edgar Hoover’s acknowledgement of a need for a &uot;public works program.&uot;

Still doesn’t strike a chord with you? Sorry… but one man in Suffolk considers 1931… &uot;Now, that was a very good year.&uot;

At least by Milteer’s estimation anyway. That’s the year he was born on Jan. 21, to the late Ponnie and Sally Green Milteer of old Nansemond County.

Milteer grew up to be the vice mayor, then mayor of Suffolk and he currently serves on the city council, however, there were a lot of stops along his way including his being awarded the &uot;Purple Heart&uot; for service in the Korean Conflict where he was a staff sergeant with the Army.

Skeetertown, on the southeastern side of Suffolk, was the community in which Milteer was born and raised. A graduate of East Suffolk High School, he helped his father on the family’s 40-acre farm.

&uot;My father fed and cared for his family on that farm,&uot; said Milteer. &uot;We didn’t know what it was not to work but we enjoyed our lives on the farm.&uot;

Milteer was a student at P.D. Pruden Vocational Technical Center, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University. He also received a doctorate in humanities from Norfolk Seminary and College.

In 1984, he received the &uot;Jessie Rattley Politician Action Award&uot; for outstanding contribution in the field of politics. He is also the first African-American to be elected to six consecutive terms in the City of Suffolk, and the roster of his affiliations includes most of Suffolk’s service organizations and agencies.

Milteer and his wife have four children, Curtis Jr., Elizabeth, Anthony, and Albert Lee.

Together with his family, he said he would spend his birthday today in quite celebration with his immediate family.

The year 1931 according to Milteer:

— Economic depression deepened

–Japan’s first television broadcast was a baseball game

–Al &uot;Scarface&uot; Capone sentenced to 11-years for tax evasion

–Amelia Earhart wed George Putnam in Conn.

–Hover signed bill making Francis Scott Key’s &uot;Star Spangled Banner&uot; the National Anthem

–The U.S. reported per capita wealth at $2,977

–President was Herbert Hoover, a Republican

–Vice President was Charles Curtis, a republican

–Alabama trounced Washington State 24-0 in Rose Bowl

–Lou Schneider averaged 96.6 mph to win the Indy 500

–Cardinals beat Philadelphia Athletics in game seven of World Series

–Army beat Navy 17-7 in their annual game

–Academy award winning movie was &uot;Cimarron&uot;

–Best Actress was Marie Dressler for &uot;Min and Bill&uot;

–Best Actor was Lionel Barrymore for &uot;A Free Soul&uot;

–James Dean, actor, was born

–Mikhail Gorbachev, Russian Leader was born

–Willie Mayes, baseball great, was born

–Barbara Walters, media fame, was born

–Mickey Mantle, baseball great, was born

–Prices: postage stamp was .02 cents

–Loaf of bread was .08 cents

–Quart of milk was .13 cents

–Gallon of gas was .17 cents

–A home cost $6,796