REMEMBERING SOME OF THE STRONG SHOULDERS THAT GOT US HERE

The following are some Black History Month thoughts, happenings and people we all must remember as those strong shoulders we have all stood on to reach this day in 2007.

I came to Springfield in 1941 with my husband and five other New York Black men to set up a dry cleaning establishment for a Boston Dry Cleaner’s company. After living here for 66 years, starting out as a young African American, I have some good --bad--exciting memories about happenings, events and people that I have worked with who made my living a little better and those I have helped along the way to make their living a little better in the African American communities.

Early on I became a member of the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP and worked with Attorneys George C. Gordon, Clifford J. Clarkson and Alvin Tavenier for the local branch. It was wonderful to have an African American treated with respect and dignity.

In the North End, there was Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, which was located on Grays Avenue at the time. Its pastor was Rev. Silas Dupre and the church committed to helping the starving by opening the church kitchen and serving meals, or on bitter cold days by encouraging the homeless to come inside the warm church, and also by asking for help from the community. This was during the 1940’s – 1950’s. Bethel Church, located in the South End on Loring Street, allowed members of Gardner A.M.E. Zion (about 12 of them) to meet in their sanctuary in the early 40’s. When I found them, there wasn’t an A.M.E. Zion Church in Springfield.

There were two hotels, the Hotel Charles and the Kimball Hotel, and I remember enjoying many beautiful moments within their ballrooms or meeting rooms. The Hotel Charles is gone now and the elegant Kimball Hotel has been turned into condominiums.

Remember the nightlife we enjoyed and how secure we felt going to the Elks of the World on 11 Hampden Street or The Harmony Lodge 140 and Forget Me Not Temple 203, Rostell’s on Dwight Street, along with Phono Village also on Dwight Street?

Dr. Mary C. McLean then a teacher at Hooker Street School on Franklin Street proved that the slow learners could learn to read, write and do math, too. I remember I watched, along with other parents, as these non-learners began to spell, write their names and learn numbers. There was also Dr. Williams Jones, Sr. and Dr. William Jones, Jr., two Black dentists in the Springfield area. I remember Dr. Katherine Jones, a social worker and activist for better housing and equality for African Americans. After her death, the city’s first senior housing was built at 35 Pendleton Avenue.

In the early 50’s there was a serious need for more police and my husband, Minor Loving, and a family friend, John Coffer, filled out applications and were accepted, went to classes and when they graduated became paid auxiliary policemen with a gun, badge, night stick and the knowledge to serve.

I was elected president of the Springfield NAACP and served during those “Don’t give up years” in the USA while our “Eyes were still on the Prize,” and we were all hard working members during the 50’s – 60’s.

During this time in our lives we should feel proud to fly the Black American Heritage Flag and continue our quest for the prize. The Black Heritage Flag will fly in front of City Hall and on the Mason Square Triangle during the month of February. n