By
Madeline O. Scott
(daughter)
Robert W. Easley
1908-1991
Robert Waite Easley was born in Chicago,
Ill. June 7, 1908. He was one of 6 children born to Rev. Moses & Melissa
(Busby) Easley. Rev. Moses Easley, a Pentecostal minister, was a plasterer
by trade. The family moved often and Robert attended schools in
Indianapolis, and Kokomo, Indiana. In 1926, he graduated from High School
in Benton Harbor, Michigan where he lettered in football and track. He
attended one year at Kalamazoo (Michigan) State Teachers College.
In 1927 he went to Olean, NY as a member
of a 5-piece band, he was the drummer. The band was scheduled to play at
one of the Olean nightclubs. The saxophone player (Turentine) became ill
and was replaced with a local sax player, Darwin Barnes. Darwin introduced
Robert to his sister, Lois, who was a piano player. In 1928 Lois J. Barnes
and Robert married in Williamsville, NY. They lived in Niagara Falls, NY
for a few years, and Robert found employment at the Carbide plant. Two of
their seven children were born in Niagara Falls. The family eventually
moved back to Olean, where they would settle.
During the 1930s and 1940s jobs were
scarce, especially for African Americans. Robert Easley worked days as a
bellhop at the Olean House Hotel. As a bellhop, he had the opportunity to
meet Eleanor Roosevelt during a presidential campaign. At night he worked
at nightclubs with the Bob Easley Band. His wife, Lois, was the band
pianist. The band continued to perform through the mid 60’s, playing
nightclubs, country clubs and other social events throughout the New York
southern tier and near-by Pennsylvania communities. In his spare time,
Robert mentored young black males in the community ; teaching them how to
play football, run track, and play baseball. These young men kept in touch
with him when they went into the service and throughout his life.
Around 1940 a British Company
constructed a munitions plant that made bombs, in Eldred, Pennsylvania.
Eldred is about 30 miles from Olean, NY. A Lord Wellsby, from the British
Purchasing Commission, hired both Robert and his brother Moses, Jr. as
security guards. Eventually, Robert was promoted to the position of
employment officer. In his new position, he was in charge of hiring. The
job also required him to be in charge of issuing ration stamps. This gave
him the opportunity to hire many blacks that lived in Allegany & Cattaraugus
County. He remained at the National Munitions plant until it was closed at
the end of World War II.
Once again he faced the problem of
finding a job. For a short time he worked for the railroad in the “ash
pit.” Later he went to work at the feed mill where he became active in the
Grain Millers Union. During the early 1950s Robert enrolled in, and
completed, a course in Industrial Labor Relations. The course was offered by
Cornell University at night at the Olean High School. In time, Robert
became proficient in labor law, negotiations and organizing.
Robert was a longtime activist in the
local Musicians Union and served as Treasurer/Business Agent for ten years.
In the 1950s he was a delegate to national Musicians Conventions. The 1950
convention was held in Houston, Texas. At the time, Houston was a
segregated city. When it was time to select a convention site for the next
convention, Robert rose and put forth a motion that the Musicians Convention
would never again be held in a location where black & white musicians had to
have separate lodging and eating facilities. The motion passed almost
unanimously. New York City Local # 802 agreed to take the 1951 convention.
For 10 years Robert served as President of the Cattaraugus & Allegany
AFL-CIO Labor Council. Serving in this capacity allowed him to meet and
work with many political figures; such as former NYS Governors Averill
Harriman and Nelson Rockefeller, U.S. Senator Jacob Javits, and U. S.
Senator Robert Kennedy. Robert Kennedy was instrumental in helping Easley
get a job with the U.S. Department of Navy.
In 1965 Robert took a job with the
Department of the Navy as an industrial and contract compliance officer.
This job involved overseeing the integration of all Navy contractors. In
1968 he joined the National NAACP Labor Department as a Special Labor
Assistant. He organized African American Construction Contractors and
assisted them in getting bonding and government contracts.
Robert Easley retired in 1978 at the age
of 70. He returned to Olean where he resumed his community and political
involvement. He ran unsuccessfully for political office as an Alderman but
remained active in the Democratic Party. When Robert Easley died in Olean,
NY on August 27, 1991, his funeral was attended by many of the people he had
mentored. They came to Olean from various parts of the country. They
talked about the influence he had had on their lives. His grandchildren,
nephews & nieces often recount how he talked to them about getting an
education or trade, making contributions to their respective community, and
taking care of their families. He emphasized that they should always reach
back to help someone else less fortunate. In 2007 Robert Easley was
designated an “Uncrowned King” by the Uncrowned Queens Institute.
COMMUNITY
HISTORY MAKERS
We invite others to submit
biographical or autobiographical sketches (similar to the one above) of
family members or other people in the community whose lives have helped to
make our community better. Persons may also submit histories of churches or
other community organizations. These are the history makers of our
community. We will feature one or more such articles in each future issue
of the newsletter. Write about yourself, community organizations, members
of your family, or people who have made a difference in our community and
get their story published. Send your article to P.O. Box 63, Buffalo 14207.
WILLIAM WELLS BROWN AWARDEES, 2008
Dr. Muriel Howard
Dr. E.O. Smith, Jr.
President, Buffalo State College
Professor Emeritus
When
Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life
and History in 1915, and The Journal of Negro History the following
year, those acts led to the institutionalization of the study of African
American history. During the remainder of the 20th century, and
into the 21st, the number of specialists in the field increased
and many historians contributed ground breaking and outstanding studies to
the field of African American historiography. By the end of the 20th
century, most major American universities offered courses on the subject,
and African American history was generally recognized as a legitimate area
for serious academic inquiry.
In the last quarter of the 20th
century, the most serious problem facing African American historiography was
that there were too few institutionalized programs for collecting and
preserving African American primary historical sources. In spite of the
many advances in the field, the research base of primary sources was not
growing, and in time that would lead to stagnation in research and
interpretative studies.
Community history represents a
relatively untapped wealth of information for providing new insights into
the national African American story. However, preserving community
historical sources has a rather low priority for most African American
communities. Most thriving inner-city organizations are usually focused on
“survival” issues. Moreover, most other local and regional historical
groups are small, and have limited budgets and specialized collection
priorities, and are not likely to make African American history a major
focus of their preservation efforts.
For more than three decades, Buffalo
State College, in partnership with the Afro-American Historical Association
of the Niagara Frontier, has pioneered a program that could be a model for
solving what is still the most pressing problem facing African American
historiography. Those organizations have assembled one of the nation’s most
extensive collections of primary sources on African American community
history—the “Buffalo Afro-American Collection.” Most importantly, the
activities that they have developed are relatively easy to perform and
inexpensive to sponsor, and can be easily copied in any community that has a
state university and a group of community people with an interest in
history.
Universities have the expertise in their
history or social science departments, the manpower (students who need
internships and field experience), the capacity to acquire and house the
necessary equipment, and the resources or in-kind services to co-sponsor
community history projects. Moreover, most state university academic
departments will reward department faculty for doing community service in
activities of the type that are required in local history preservation. In
establishing the Monroe Fordham Center for Regional History, Buffalo State
College, under the leadership of President Muriel Howard and Dr. E.O. Smith,
Jr., has demonstrated its willingness to do even more.
In time, more universities and community
activists will recognize the significance of what Buffalo State College and
the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier has done in
developing the “Buffalo Afro-American Collection,” and the “Buffalo State
College Regional History Collection.” Other communities will recognize
Buffalo’s example as a model that they can copy in developing community
history preservation programs for their respective community. When that
happens, we will have institutionalized the most important development in
the study of African-American History since Dr. Woodson’s innovations at the
dawn of the 20th century.
The Afro-American Historical
Association’s 2008 William Wells Brown Awards will recognize Buffalo State
College’s President Muriel Howard, and Dr. E.O. Smith, Jr., for their
contributions to the study of African American and community history. The
awards will be made at the annual Family History Dinner on Friday, May 2,
2008, at the New Golden Nugget, 2046 Fillmore.
Monroe Fordham, Professor Emeritus
Buffalo State College
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
by Georgia Burnette
At its May 2007 general meeting, the
Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier elected three
new members to its board of directors. Mrs. Sharon Amos, Mr. William
Battle, and Mrs. Bernice Wiggins were all elected to three-year terms on the
Association’s board. Biographical sketches of the new board members are
listed below:
Sharon Amos
Ms Amos is an Associate English
professor at the University at Buffalo’s Educational Opportunity Center,
Buffalo, New York. She holds a Master's in English Education (1986), and is
currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in American Studies (Women Studies).
She is author of Alabaster and Leopard Jasper, a collection of poems,
and “Carolina Heat,” an unpublished memoir. Her poetry has appeared in
national publications, and she participates in local readings throughout the
city. Sharon is active in several community organizations, and is
co-founder of “Maumbusoma: Sisters Reading.” She is a member of St. John’s
Baptist Church; and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Phi Omega
Chapter. Sharon has one son, Jason Barrington Amos.
William A. Battle
William Battle has been employed for 30+
years as Logistics Manager for International Business Machines. He has a
Masters Degree from the University of Maryland College Park, Maryland, is a
certified ISO Auditor, and holds a Certificate in Programming for Business
Applications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is
Adjunct Professor, Bryant Stratton College, Buffalo, NY, as well as Adjunct
Professor, Canisius College Women’s Business Center, Buffalo, NY. Mr.
Battle is active in many community organizations and currently serves as
President of the National Black MBA Association, Inc., Western New York
Chapter; and President of the Board of Directors at the King Urban Life
Center. Bill and wife Cynthia have two children.
Bernice Wiggins
Mrs. Wiggins, MS, Buffalo State College,
recently retired from The Community Action Organization (CAO) following
twenty years of service as Executive Assistant. She is a life-long member
of Trinity Baptist Church, having served in various capacities over the
years, and is the proud Founder and Curator of the Trinity Baptist Church
Historical Museum, which opened February 2005. Bernice also continues to be
an active participant in numerous community organizations. She is married
to Leroy Wiggins and they are the parents of four children and grandparents
of four children.
31st ANNUAL
CARTER G. WOODSON ESSAY CONTEST
In
cooperation with the Uncrowned Queens Institute, Inc. the 31st Annual Carter
G. Woodson Essay Contest announces the 2008 theme: "A Tribute To An African
American Uncrowned King in Western New York."
The contest is open to all young
people in grades 4-12. Essays must be written (printed or typed) in 500
words or less on the theme. The essay must be written about an African
American man (living or deceased) who made a contribution to Western New
York in work, church, family or community. The biography of the African
American man MUST NOT be listed on the Uncrowned Queens/Kings website:
http://www.buffalo.edu/uncrownedqueens/ or in any of their
publications. The essay should include full name of the person, background
and history, accomplishments, church and community work, awards and
recognitions, organization or group participation. Write why this person
should be an "uncrowned king". Pictures may be included, but are not
required. The contest ends in February 2008. Details will be available by
November 2007.
NASH HOUSE OPENS
The restored home of
the late Rev. and Mrs. J. E. Nash, Sr., 36 Nash Street opened to the public
on May 1, 2007. This long awaited restoration was a project of the Michigan
Street Preservation Corporation, Inc. and part of the historic
revitalization of the Michigan Street Corridor which also includes: Michigan
Street Baptist Church and the Colored Musicians Club. Rev. Nash, pastor of
the Michigan Street Baptist Church for 61years, owned this home and lived
there with his family from 1925 - 1957. Rev. Nash was respected as the most
influential black leader in the city of Buffalo and hosted several prominent
African American leaders in his home and at the church. The home is
preserved as a residence of the period of 1925-1950. The museum includes
furniture and appliances from the period; books, letters and other
significant pieces of memorabilia that was used by the Nash family. For
information on membership in the Nash House Preservation Society, how to
make tax free contributions to the Nash House museum fund, volunteerism,
tours, or research call the Nash House at 716-856-4490 or email at
NashHouse@verizon.net. Website in progress:
www.nashhousemuseum.com.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Nash house is in need of
volunteers. The days and hours volunteers are needed are on Thursday and
Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Persons volunteering can select the
day and hours they will be able to assist. Interested persons can receive
further information by contacting George K. Arthur at 716-896-6188.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR
2008
Next month we will mail the first
membership renewal notices for 2008. You can save us the cost of postage by
renewing your membership now. We appreciate the loyal support that we have
received from the community over the years, and we have confidence that we
can continue to count on that support. In the coming year we will begin our
new membership structure and fees. Earlier, the board of directors
appointed a committee to review our membership fees. That committee
reported that our basic membership fee of $15 had been in effect for more
than 30 years. Actually, our purpose has never been to generate income.
Our main objective has always been to provide historical type services to
the community. That continues to be our main purpose.
The review committee noted that an
increase in costs such as postage, microfilming services, publishing the
journal and newsletter, etc., have made an increase in membership fees
necessary. Consequently, beginning with this renewal the membership
categories are as follows: Golden Membership-$100 or more; Heritage
Membership-$50; Basic Membership-$25; Student Membership (grade and high
school)-$15. All members receive a subscription to Afro-Americans in New
York Life and History. All membership fees are tax deductible. Choose
the membership that is right for you, and send your contribution with the
membership form on page 5. Thanks.
PROPOSED BY-LAWS
AMENDMENT
The Board of Directors has voted to
propose the following amendment to the by-laws of our organization at our
annual meeting in May 2008:
AMENDMENT IV
The Board of Directors may create “emeritus”
positions on the Board, and may appoint current or past Board members to
fill such positions. “Emeritus” Board members serve for life unless they
resign from the position. The “emeritus” Board members serve as a pool of
volunteers to carry on the work of the Association. “Emeritus” Board
members shall not have the voting powers of regular Board members.
NOTE: Consider this the official notice
of the Boards intentions as required by our by-laws.
BUFFALO
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
The Buffalo
Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora (BGSAD) is a vehicle for
scholarly genealogical research. The society promotes and supports
genealogical research both locally and nationally and contributes to
genealogical research through its projects and programs. BGSAD has recently
completed Volume 2 of the Funeral Program Project. After the Afro American
Historical Association has microfilmed the collection, the microfilm and the
actual printed obituaries and funeral programs will be housed at the Frank
E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library along side Volume 1. The group is now
accepting funeral programs for Volume 3 of this project. To find out more
about the Funeral Program Project and to get assistance in researching your
family's history, join BGSAD. The organization meets on the second
Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m. in the William A. Miles Center for
African and African American Studies at the Merriweather Library, 1324
Jefferson Ave. (Meeting dates: Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 12,
Feb. 9, Mar. 8, Apr. 12 and May 10). For more information, contact BGSAD,
P.O. Box 155, Buffalo, NY 14209.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS INTERNATIONAL
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD CONFERENCE
The Rochester
Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, NY will play host to the Frederick
Douglass International Underground Railroad Conference and Freedom Festival
from September 28-30, 2007. The conference will bring together historians,
researchers, archivists, curators, educators and other experts to share
their work and interpretation of the Underground Railroad legacy of
freedom. Keynote speakers include Juan Williams- award winning journalist,
Bernice Johnson Reagon - major cultural voice for freedom and justice and
Darryl Van Leer - award winning actor/performer. The Freedom Trail
Commission, Rochester, NY, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Rochester Area Community Foundation, County of Monroe and
City of Rochester jointly present the conference. For registration and
workshop information go to:
http://www.workforcediversitynetwork.com/iur.aspx.
UPDATED GUIDE
The Buffalo
Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau has updated the Buffalo Niagara African
American Heritage Guide. The 32 page guide includes a brief history of
Blacks in Buffalo, listing of Festivals and Spoken Word venues, Cultural
Institutions, Historic Sites and Landmarks, Restaurants, Shopping stops,
Houses of Worship and Places of Entertainment. Day trip itineraries and
maps are also in the guide as well as a Family Reunion and Group Event
Planner. Missing from the guide is the African-inspired Frank E.
Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library at 1324 Jefferson Avenue, designed by
African American architect, Robert Coles. The Buffalo Niagara Convention &
Visitors Bureau, (1-800-BUFFALO or
www.visitbuffaloniagara.com.) distributes the guide.
KWANZAA 2007
The Buffalo
Kwanzaa Committee is meeting to plan activities for Kwanzaa 2007. Meetings
are held at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue,
every Saturday from Noon - 2 p.m. For more information contact Chairperson
Sabriyah Amin at 716-510-4505 or
Kwanzaa07@excite.com.
