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The author's father, right, with outgoing National Association of Counties President Charlotte Williams (who was the first Black NACo president) and U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who was a keynote speaker at the 1979 NACo meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. Susan Rose Francois' father was an elected official of Prince George's County, Maryland, at the time. She was 7 years old and met Carter at the convention. (Provided photo)

The author's father, right, with outgoing National Association of Counties President Charlotte Williams and U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who was a keynote speaker at the 1979 NACo meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. (Provided photo)