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When Jenney Egertson met George Evans, she didn’t know what he wanted her to call him. Was it George? Mr. Evans?

“He just said, ‘Well, Mayor is OK,’” Egertson said of that exchange.

Evans to this day is still known to many in Selma as “The Mayor” even though he’s held many titles over the years from teacher, coach, principal, school superintendent and city councilman. However, the fact that so many just called him “Mayor” is the reason why Egertson’s book about Evans is titled “Selma’s Mayor: Lessons Learned from the Queen City’s Native Son.”

“But there were many I know who said to me, ‘I still think of him as my mayor. I still call him the mayor.’ That’s because he was. Even though he learned he lost that third election, he cared about everyone,” Egertson said. “And there were people–like the young man who stopped me when I was sitting down next to him and not even interviewing him–who would say, ‘Here’s what he did for me personally.’ He always wanted to help. He always wanted to be everywhere, wanted to be involved, and people noticed that.”

Egertson is coming to Selma next week for a series of stops to talk about her new book that she wrote with Evans to tell his story. She had hoped that she would be promoting the book alongside Evans, but those plans changed May 15, 2023. Evans, who had served as Selma’s Mayor from 2008-2016, passed away at age 78.

“I was scheduled to come and meet with him that week. We were going to make decisions about publishing. We were going to talk about everything face to face. And instead, I came to his funeral,” Egertson said.

Evans had seen the major draft of the book prior to his death, but after his passing, Egertson went back and added additional events that had happened since his death. The book now starts at his funeral and ends with how she finished the book without him.

However, she believes Evans would be proud of the finished book.

“I think he’d be proud of the way it looks. I think he would be pleased with how it stayed true to what he saw.” Egertson said. “I did a heavy edit after he died because I didn’t think it was smooth enough. So I think it’s even better now than what it was the last time he saw it. I think he would be pleased.”

While writing the book, Egertson said she developed a close friendship with Evans, who made an impact on her life.

“The way his leadership style made such an impact on me, the way he thought about things, the way he approached life. He was always telling me, you gotta be patient. You gotta slow down. Don’t make judgments about this,” Egertson said. “He was a mentor in that way. He was a good friend. He was a fabulous leader. And I just wanted people to understand what that is like, what that kind of leadership is.”

Some of the events planned for next week include:

• Monday, Sept. 16, from 5-7 p.m. presentation and book signing at Reflections Coffee Shoppe, 1014 Water Ave.
• Tuesday, Sept. 17, Conversations on WHBB radio: 8 a.m. with Randy Williams and 4:05 pm. with Terry Chestnut.
• Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5-7 p.m. panel discussion and book signing at Foot Soldiers Park & Education Center.
• Thursday, Sept. 19, noon lunch followed by an author presentation and book signing for the Lunch at the Library series at the Selma Dallas County Public Library, 1103 Selma Ave. Tickets are $15.

Signed hardback books will be available to purchase at the events above. Books are available now to order online at Itascabooks.com and  Amazon.com. E-books are also available now at Amazon, and there will be free e-book days on Sept. 19-20 as long as you leave a review for the book.