Our Day in History: Local African American Civil Rights Memories

By Roberta Ridley & Ngozi Rogers
For Fort Wayne Ink Spot

The African American experience in these United States is far too often shared and explained by those who are not African American. There are many reasons why we don't or won't talk about that experience...yet we quiver and complain about what was said and what wasn't expressed truthfully. The African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne has joined with the Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center to compile a new collection for their Community Album on “African American Civil Rights Memories of Fort Wayne and Allen County.” We are calling on the community to tell their stories and share the future that came from those experiences.

In this article, we are sharing excerpts of firsthand accounts by community members whose words are already preserved in local African American history.

Eliza Mae Fowler’s family moved here from Alabama when she was 8 or 9 years old. She recalls being happy to come to Fort Wayne with her five brothers and one sister because she had never gone to school ”I could not walk 10 miles, which is what I would have had to do as a black child.” She started school right away at integrated Harmar School where, “We all played together (and) I had a lovely teacher,” she wrote. “I couldn’t read or write because no one had taught me. (My teacher) encouraged me, and I caught up real fast.” Fort Wayne also afforded Mrs. Fowler jobs. "I worked at the Keenan Hotel and Palace Theater.” she wrote, “I used to clean Mr. Keenan's room. He was a fine person. I worked as an usher at the Palace Theatre. I got to see and meet all the Vaudeville stars. They treated me real nice everywhere I worked. I worked at Wolf and Dessauer two or three times. For 28 years, I worked at General Electric."

Wanita L. Douglas came to Fort Wayne in 1928 and was among the first blacks to work at Saint Joseph Hospital. Her personal account talks about change. “At first my only notice of prejudice was in job rejection. The other prejudices were seating in theatres and not being able to eat in restaurants. I have been told that Reverend Clyde Adams and Reverend John Dixie Jr. were instrumental in getting the ruling passed concerning eating in restaurants, etc, or I might say in activating the ruling." She goes on to mention local businesses like “the best barbeque ever made in Fort Wayne” sold to blacks and white alike was Mr. Roaches little shack on Brackenridge near Lafayette street, Donald Kazee’s Barbershop, Joyner’s Tavern and many others.

A personal account by Hana L. Bryant-Stith, founding member and museum director emeritus of the African/African American Historical Society and Museum, tells the story of her Bryant Family migration. Mrs. Stith wrote, “The early 1900s were difficult years for African Americans. Having been a free people only a short time presented special problems that no other race in America had to endure. The south was not friendly to blacks and there were few opportunities for them to ever have a better life.” The migration to the North included the Bryant family who came to from South Carolina to Fort Wayne in 1915. “Alexander Agustus Bryant was the first Bryant Brother to come,” she wrote, “he had attended a trade school in Mobile, Alabama for Colored Men, where he became a trained carpenter and he was recruited to work as a carpenter at the Old Rolling Mill. (He) spent the rest of his entire life working at the mill. After retirement, he continued to build houses, almost until his death."

Now it’s your turn. This is your opportunity to share your story, your memories about African American civil rights in Fort Wayne and Allen County for future generations to watch, listen, read and learn. Our experiences, our voices are largely missing from Fort Wayne history books. They need to be told, preserved, shared and celebrated. Volunteers can choose to share their memories by video, audio recording or written personal accounts. Get involved today and share your unique life story for history with the AAGSFW via email at aagsfw@gmail.com, (260) 206-8757 or message us on Facebook @aagsfw.

‘Our Day in History’ is presented by and in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne (AAGSFW) and the 20th anniversary of the African/African-American Historical Society and Museum (AAAHSM)! This monthly column highlights Fort Wayne’s rich African American history. Learn more at www.facebook.com/aagsfw.