Chester Pruitt
1917-1968
Spouse
Lula Oates Pruitt
Children
Chester Pruitt, Jr.
Chester Pruitt, Fort Walton Beach’s First Black Police Officer lived at 5 Windham Avenue SE Mid-town FWB with his spouse Lula Oates Pruitt and son Chester Pruitt, Jr. Hired in 1949 to patrol the city’s Mid-town black neighborhoods, Pruitt worked the beat until 1964, when a stroke forced him into early retirement.
For the first half of Chester Pruitt’s career in law enforcement, he was forbidden from arresting white people. Though authorized to detain and question white suspects, he had no authority to place them under arrest.
During his years on the force, Pruitt became a source of pride for the local black community! The Chester Pruitt Community Center (Life Center) and FWB Chester Pruitt Park are named in his honor.
His son, Chester Pruitt Jr. has moved from the area. However, he has worked to keep his father’s legacy alive– building bridges between the black community and law enforcement.
He worked as a district superintendent in the Broward County Department of Parks and Recreation. In 2016, he was elected the First African American President of The Florida Recreation and Park Association in its 75 years existence. Chester Jr. helps organize a picnic for teachers every summer, a few weeks before the beginning of the school year. It’s a tradition his father started in Okaloosa County almost 50 years ago, hosting a barbecue for teachers from local black schools at Beasley Park. He is married to Cynthia Turner Pruitt.
Chester Pruitt’s wife, Lula Oates Pruitt was active in the FWD African American community. In 1968, she was one of the co-founders of The Civic League of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Inc. For many years she worked for the Okaloosa County Head Start Program with the Director Gloria Jean Tippens!
Chester Pruitt passed away in 1968 at the age of 51.