Approximately seven years would pass before Mrs. Salisbury and Melvin Tolson's paths would cross again. During the time that Mrs. Salisbury was training and instructing ministers in the implementation of youth programs for their Church Schools, as a member of the Methodist Church staff, she and Tolson would meet again when Tolson would join the staff as well.
It was during this period that Mrs. Salisbury would get to truly know the man Melvin Tolson, and they would establish a strong friendship. "Melvin became my mentor, counselor and a close friend during this time, and I really got to know the man behind the brilliance. I thought Denzel Washington was great in his presentation and he did a wonderful job in his portrayal of Melvin. But during the movie Denzel portrayed a nicely dressed man on the school campus but Melvin was never interested in how he dressed. In fact Melvin would not have even cared as to whether he had on matching shoes. Whenever you would see Melvin walking across campus his head would be down walking very briskly and he would be in deep thoughts. No one would ever stop or interrupt him because they knew that he was not one to engage in idle conversation," said Mrs. Salisbury.
Mrs. Salisbury and Melvin Tolson's contact was detached when the conferences for training the ministers ended, but she was left with wonderful lasting memories of her close friend. "I can't remember when I last saw him, but later I heard that he died and it was painful, (Tolson died after cancer surgery in Dallas, Texas in 1966 and is buried in Guthrie, OK.). Our families still have a bond, I know today that his son Melvin Jr., who lives in Washington DC is a close friend of my younger brother Edward Hightower."
Mrs. Salisbury was proud to share with us the names of two of accomplished students of Tolson's, that she felt were exemplary of the Wiley College motto that reads; Achieving Excellence Through Pride and Performance. She identified James Leonard Farmer Jr., a Black civil rights activist who was Director of CORE, and one of the "big four" leaders of the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and James Wheaton, who was an American motion picture and television actor. But one of Tolson's outstanding students that she failed to mention, but we will not neglect the honor, is Mrs. Carnis Salisbury herself, a New Mexico living legend who is a longtime activist for justice and the civil rights of individuals in New Mexico.
Mrs. Salisbury plans to see the movie again just to take another leisurely stroll down memory lane and hold hands with the memories of a close friend.
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