Category: Black People of Alexandria

Eugene Shanklin: Buffalo Soldier, WW I Veteran

Behind the scenes of the article on Eugene Thomas Shanklin

Eugene Shanklin Drayton notified me that his great-uncle, Eugene Thomas Shanklin, was a World War I veteran. The only information he shared with me was that his great-uncle

VA Hospital at Kecoughtan – Hampton, Virginia

lost his sight due to the mustard gas he was exposed to in World War I (WW I).

The research started with documenting Eugene’s great-uncle. First, I located Eugene Thomas Shanklin in the United States Censuses from 1900 – 1940. Secondly, I obtained his WW I and WW II draft registration cards. Third, I obtained his death certificate. Fourth, I contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs. Fifth, I contacted the National Arlington Cemetery. Sixth, I researched at the Library of Virginia (Archives) for any information on Eugene’s military service including his WW I discharged questionnaire. Seventh, I obtained information on the Veterans Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. Eighth, I researched the Library of Congress concerning Eugene’s great-uncle’s military Company, Infantry Regiment and Division. Ninth, I researched information at the United States Army Historical Archives’ databases. Tenth, I researched him through the Alexandria City’s directories. Using all of these resources, I was able to write the article on Eugene Thomas Shanklin.

In doing this article, the golden nugget was finding out that Eugene served with the 92nd Division known in France as the “Buffalo Soldiers.” My great-great uncle, John Henry Muse (Lovelace), was a Buffalo Soldier who fought in the Indian Wars and in WW I. Maybe they knew each other.

If you want to share your African American family’s contribution to the history of Alexandria, Virginia with me, contact me through my blog. If I decide to write about it, I will do the research and make their history known.

You can read the Alexandria’s article on Eugene T. Shanklin: Buffalo Soldier, WW I Veteran on page 9 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/081518/Alexandria.pdf.

CW Gray: African American Funeral Director

CW Gray
(1875 – 1942)

Read all about an African American Funeral Director, CW Gray in the article titled CW Gray: Alexandria’s Early 20th Century Funeral Director. The article is in the Alexandria Gazette Packet Newspaper dated July 19 -25, 2018 on page 12. You can get the paper online at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/071818/Alexandria.pdf.

Alexandria Own Three-time Baseball Hall of Famer

Behind the Alexandria Gazette story on Leon Day dated July 5, 2018.

Combing through the cemeteries in Baltimore, Maryland, I came across a grave with a large flat headstone at the Arbutus Memorial Park Cemetery in Baltimore. This grave belonged to Leon Day who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Prior to finding Leon’s grave, I did not know who he was. I decided to research Leon and behold, I found that he was a native Alexandrian.

I asked several old timers in Alexandria about Leon Day; they were aware of Leon’s baseball abilities, but they did not know that he was one of their own native Alexandrians.

Leon’s parents were Ellis Day and Hattie Lee. Ellis was adopted by James Washington and Susie (Susan) Washington in Alexandria. On 14 April 1864, James Washington married Susan Johnson in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1900, Ellis Day lived in the Washington’s household at 512 North Royal Street. By 1906, Leon was married to Hattie Lee. They were living in Baltimore, Maryland in 1920. In their household were their children Ellis Day age 13, William H. Day age 10, Ida M. Day age 5, Leon Day age 3, Robert Day an infant. Also Ellis’ step-daughter Marian Lee age 20 and his sister-in-law, Eva Lee age 20 lived in the household.

A copy of Leon Day’s birth certificate was obtained to verify whether he was born in Alexandria. He was born in Alexandria on 30 October 1916. His birth certificate is showed.

Leon Day’s 1916 Birth Certificate

Leon’s first wife was Helen Johnson. She travel with Leon when he played in Puerto Rico, South American and in Canada. He was on the Passenger and Crew List of 1936 on the Vessel Coamo which arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On the 1940 Puerto Rico’s census, Leon and his first wife, Helen lived in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Leon was listed as a Professional Baseball player.

After the death of Helen, Leon married Geraldine Ingram. Leon was born in 1916 and his second wife, Geraldine was born in 1953. Geraldine loved baseball as much as Leon. After his death, she continued to represent him at all the local baseball games and she attended two of his Hall of Fame ceremonies; these ceremonies were The National Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York and the Negro League Hall of Fame. On 6 April 2005, Geraldine died ten years after Leon.

You can read the Alexandria Gazette’s July 5, 2018, article on page 13 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/070418/Alexandria.pdf.

Martha Miller’s Kindergarten School (1930s – 1950)

Behind the scene of the Alexandria Gazette story published 3 May 2018 on “Martha Miller’s Kindergarten School” (1930s – 1950).

I was encouraged by Mrs. Martha Napper-Miller’s former students to share their fond memories of Mrs. Miller.

When I started researching Mrs. Miller last year, only one person I talked to knew that Mrs. Miller was married. Mr. James E. Henson was one of Mrs. Miller’s students and she was also his babysitter. Mr. Henson shared with me that he stayed with Mrs. Miller during the week and his mother picked him up on the weekend. He remembers Mr. Miller being a quiet man.

Thelma Lucas stated, “Martha Miller taught me and all my siblings.”

Besides the three people I mentioned in the article, others shared their stories of their private Kindergarten School:

Mrs. Bernice Lee stated that her kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Alma Pinn-Murray who had her school around the same time as Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Murray was also a public school teacher.

Dwaine E. Terrell remembered his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Mary Howard-Penn.

Also Deborah Ford-Nelson and Rosie Ford remembered going to Mrs. Mary Howard-Penn’s Kindergarten School. Rosie stated, “She taught me how to read and much more.” Rosie has been friends with Mrs. Penn’s daughter, Sandra, since they have been four-years-old. Also to note that Mrs. Mary Howard-Penn had several siblings who were teachers in the Alexandria Public School system in the 1950s through 1980s.

Gail Arrington-Jones’ kindergarten teachers were Mrs. Ethel Nelson and Mrs. Mary Burgess. Gail stated, “We honored Mrs. Nelson in 2015 for her operation of the Kindergarten School in 2015.” It is noted that Mrs. Nelson still lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

In the newspaper article, I stated that Mrs. Miller had two other teacher aides, Saretta Norton and Christine Butler. Christine was Mrs. Miller’s niece. Thank you Becky Mays for confirming that information.

Becky also stated, “Ms. Christine Butler held her kindergarten classes in my Mom’s house on Princess Street. It was awesome.” After the death of Mrs.

Martha Napper-Miller’s
Death Certificate

Miller in 1952, Christine continued to teach. She moved the School from Oronoco Street to Princess Street.

Mrs. Martha was multi-talented. Not only did she have her Kindergarten School, she was a dressmaker and a laundress. Her husband, Pierce S. Miller migrated from North Carolina to Alexandria where he met and married Mrs. Martha. Many of her close relatives are deceased. They were:

Cora Marshall Napper (mother): 1856 – 1922
Samuel Napper (father): 1853 – 1930
William Napper (brother): 1888 – 1913
Richard Russell Napper (brother): 1890 – 1928
Anna B. Woodlawn David (adopted daughter): 1914 – 1975
Frederick David (son-in-law): 1907 – 1983
Christine Butler (niece): 1935 – 1986

Over and over again, the African Americans of Alexandria historically proved that they did everything possible to improve their lives. Education was a priority for their children. Education was so important that many African American mothers left their children with their teachers for the whole week while they worked, so that their children can get a good education. That in itself is remarkable!