For many in Red River Parish, the name Roy D. Murray evokes memories of Coushatta High School in the ’60s, ’70s, and 1980s. We remember the wonderful man with a stern look and an even sweeter smile.

Today, at 96 years old, Dr. Roy Daniels Murray, Sr.—educator, veteran, pastor, civil rights activist, and father of five—has become the subject of a powerful new memoir that is inspiring readers across generations.

Try to Block Me; You Can’t Stop Me, written by his son Roy Murray, Jr., traces nearly a century of life in Louisiana, from the cotton fields of the Jim Crow South to Army barracks in Alaska, segregated classrooms in Coushatta, and pulpits across Bienville Parish.

The book captures the raw, unvarnished truth of growing up Black in the 1930s and ’40s, surviving racism and loss, marching through adversity with quiet dignity, and building a legacy rooted in faith, family, education, and community.

“This book is more than a tribute to my father,” says author Roy Murray, Jr. “It’s a record of who we are. A living testimony. A declaration that we endured, we overcame, and we’re still standing.” Dr. Murray’s story is a deeply personal chronicle that speaks to the soul of Black America.

Dr. Murray celebrated his 96th birthday this July with a multi-day celebration in Shreveport, Coushatta, and Loggy Bayou, Louisiana, where the book was honored among family, friends, and church members.

Try to Block Me; You Can’t Stop Me is available now on Amazon