Army’s first African American ranger instructor remembered for impact in the Columbus community

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A local black history icon is being remembered as the army’s first black ranger instructor as well as for his stand against crime in his community back in the 90s.

Milton Davey Lockett, Jr. was fearless and his legacy is cemented in the history of the city of Columbus. Milton Lockett, III remembers his father as being a hero.

“He was a patriot. I don’t think he ever thought about anything else after he joined the army other than being a soldier. I remember how it got started”, said Lockett, III.

According to Lockett, III, a group of neighborhood guys were bullying an elderly neighbor and when his dad heard about it, he immediately stepped in and intervened.

“What they were doing was hiding their drug stash in her yard and in her car,” he said.

His dad told her he’d be looking out for her from then on, and that’s when the ‘Carver Heights Against Drugs organization was born. Lockett led marches to drug dealers’ front steps and camped out, forcing them to move out of the neighborhood. According to Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Martin Celestine, Lockett’s legacy inspires soldiers like him.

The fact that he decided to enlist in the army at the height of segregation in this country, when we were not fully accepted. His legacy is one that truly shows the art of possible. If we don’t educate our young leaders and soldiers on what would be considered a small feet, but huge in the African American community in the art of possible.”

According to Lockett’s family, the only fight he. ever lost was his bout with cancer in 2018. He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Columbus Police Department named its community room in his honor.

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