By Rita Howell
It’s not the type of anniversary you want to celebrate. But the family of Ira Terrell Phillips wants the community to remember that he was shot to death on March 28, 2011, in Crenshaw, at age 20. And his family wants something else: they want the senseless black-on-black killing that has plagued the community to end.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help save our community,” Ira’s cousin Mandra Henderson-Davis of Sardis said. She is organizing two events this weekend with the mission: “stop the violence.”

A parade Saturday at 5:30 p.m. will muster at East South Ave. in Crenshaw and proceed to Renaissance Drive. Ira’s mother, Kim Strickland, will lead the march. Other families who have been touched by the violent deaths of loved ones will also be honored guests.

Individuals and groups from Panola, Quitman and Tunica Counties are planning to march along to show support.

Two dance troupes, the Black Diamonds and the Panola High Steppers, will join in.

The parade will culminate with a rally at which Lavon Thomas, a former Panola Countian who now works with the Obama administration in Washington, will speak. Thomas works with HUD in internal control risk management. Crenshaw mayor Oscar Barlow will also speak. Officers from the Panola, Quitman and Tunica sheriff’s departments are also participating.

On Sunday Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church will host a “Stop the Violence” program where a number of church groups plan to participate. The program begins at 3 p.m. and will include performances by God’s Children of Memphis, the Men of Harmony of Sledge, and other youth choirs and vocal groups from this area. Participating churches will include Pleasant Grove, Spring Hill Crenshaw, Longtown Church of God, and Armstrong Street Church of God.
Willie Jamison Jr. is pastor of Holly Grove.

Young people are especially invited to attend.
“We’re asking for all youth to come out and help us pack the pews to stop the madness,” Mandra Davis said.

Davis has lost not one but two cousins to gun violence in the past four years.
 Ira, who she said was like a son to her, was shot in the back as he fled in an alleged dispute over a debt.

Another cousin, Tovell Henderson, who Davis said was like a brother to her, was shot to death May 3, 2013, apparently after a dice game in Batesville, court testimony revealed.

In both murders, young black men were subsequently convicted. Damion Stokes, then 19, was found guilty of conspiracy to kill Ira. The apparent trigger man, Gary Dantzon, then 23, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against Stokes. Stokes is serving 10 years and Dantzon received a 20-year sentence, with five suspended pending good behavior when he gets out. They were tried in 2012.

For the murder of Tovell Henderson, Chris Thomas of Courtland, then 19, was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole, following a January, 2014 trial.

The deaths of two cousins with whom she was close has kept Davis focused on doing what she can to reach out to young people to try to break the cycle of violence.

She’s been in touch with both Stokes and Dantzon, both of whom are now remorseful, she says.

“I’ve talked to them. They are sorry,” she said. “Damion said he wishes he’d never gotten into that car that night. His life would be different.”

And Ira Phillips might still be alive.