It has been close to 25 years since I did an interview with Ellis Island in New York. It brings back so many memories for me. My great-grandmother’s cousin, Lazarus Bates, a former principal in Halifax, VA, was included in this interview. For the very first time, he revealed that his grandfather was born into slavery. He witnessed the scars on his grandfather’s back when Lazarus was a small child. These scars were inflicted by his grandfather’s master. Cousin Bates is no longer with us, but he left my family and me with one of the greatest gifts, the story of our ancestors, who were born enslaved.
The Alexandria Library Local History and Special Collection released seventeen short oral history interviews. These interviews were conducted with some of the oldest African American families, who share a small piece of their history of growing up in Alexandria. The oldest person interviewed was around 95 years old. Below are the links to sixteen of those interviews.
Alvin Lewis, a native-born Alexandrian, was interviewed by the Alexandria Library, Local History, and Special Collection about his family in Alexandria. You can view his interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfYs0eH86QA
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The Alexandria Library, Local History, and Special Collection released Charles Sias’ oral history interview, and it is about his life in Alexandria. His family migrated to Alexandria from Mississippi in the 1950s. He attended and graduated from Parker-Gray High School. Check out his interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-89dmfBgOk
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Lesa Diggs-Moore’s oral history interview. She grew up in the Del Ray Community. She shares her childhood stories from the 1960s, when she dealt with the flooded areas in Del Ray. Check out her interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flW1zy0HSuU
Carolyn Banks Summers’ oral history interview. Her family made huge contributions to the Alexandria Black Business community. Check out her interview at:
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Dr. Michael Casey’s oral history interview. His family history goes back to the 1700s in Alexandria/Fairfax, VA. Check out his interview at:
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Ella Louise Joe’s oral history interview. She grew up in the Bailey Cross and Seminary Communities. Check out her interview at:
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Michael A. Thomas’ oral history interview. Thomas grew up in Old Town Alexandria and attended Charles Houston Elementary School, Parker-Gray Middle School, and T.C. Williams. Check out his interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiyMBwMyYCw
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Debra Adkins Cole grew up in Alexandria. In 1967, she was the first African American child to use the Alexandria Barrett Library. Debra discusses being part of the class of Titians in 1971 and 1972 at T.C. Williams. Check out her interview at:
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Gerald Wanzer’s oral history interview. He grew up in the West End of Alexandria, VA, known as Seminary. His family has been in that area since the Civil War. Check out his interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3u1DEPybME
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Clyde Pearson Jr.’s oral history interview. He grew up in Alexandria on West Street. He talks about going to the Catholic School. Clyde grew up during the period of segregation. He also talks about how African Americans cared for each other during his adolescent years in Alexandria. You can check out his interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFoASgoME-c
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Harriet Payne Moore’s oral history interview. She was born in Alexandria in 1934. Moore grew up in the 500 block of Gibbon Street. She is a member of Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church. You can check out her interview at:
Andrew Winfree’s oral interview. He is 87 years old and a 1955 graduate of Parker-Gray High School. He talks about his life in Alexandria, military, and work career. You can check out his interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB2RG38krRQ
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Constance Yvonne Terrell’s oral history interview. She is 90 years old and a graduate of Dunbar High School in Washington, DC. She was born and raised in Seminary. Yvonne is a member of Oakland Baptist Church. You can check out her interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4apGy3AunjE
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Gwen Day Fuller’s oral history interview. Gwen is the daughter of the late Ferdinand T. Day. She talks about growing up on the North side of Alexandria. During her childhood, Gwen also talks about St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Alexandria’s African American businesses. You can check out her interview at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvxCoELWJ8Q
On April 23, 2023, Josephus’ oldest daughter, Wanda Lovelace Ned, informed me that her dad died last night at 11:40 p.m., in Colorado. He was 93 years old.
I am reissuing this blog article in tribute to my great uncle Joseph Lovelace.
Joseph and his mother moved to Alexandria, Virginia from Halifax, Virginia after the death of his father, Andrew Lovelace in 1943. He first attended Lyles-Crouch Elementary School for two and half months before entering Parker-Gray High School in September 1943. His family first lived on 325 North Fayette Street, then on 611 North West Street, and then they moved back to 325 North Fayette Street.
He has several fond memories of Parker-Gray. One time he was throwing snowballs when Mr. Pitts, the principal walked up behind him, and he elbowed Mr. Pitts in the stomach. That action got him into trouble. Other memories were about his favorite teachers, Mrs. Dorothy Key, the Librarian and Mrs. Edith W. Casey, the Social Studies and English teacher. Both of those teachers were his homeroom teachers.
Mr. Lovelace loved horsing around and chasing the girls in school. His friends in school were John Herring (Johnnie Cake), Herbert McGreer, Willie Daniels, Robert Burless, Lloyd Diggs (Class of 1949), Louise Gaskins, Suzanne Gaskins, Theresa Bentley, Katherine Lomax and Phyllis Roy.
He gives credit to his favorite teacher, Mrs. Casey who insulted him by saying, “Do You know what the letter ‘D’ stands for?” She continued to say ‘D’ stands for “Dumb”, like you. In addition, she told him in his senior year in school, that he will not graduate unless he recited “To Be or Not to Be.”
Joe Lovelace’s Military Group Picture
He graduated from Parker-Gray in 1948 and joined the Army weeks later. He kept Mrs. Casey’s comment in mind, which helped him to excel in everything he did. Mr. Lovelace had 30-years of combined service in the Army and the Air Force. He worked for 15-years with the United States Postal Service while attending College and obtained an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Lovelace was 48-years old when he started his undergraduate program; he completed his degree in three years. After retiring from the postal service, he worked for the police department as a counselor. At the age of 82, Mr. Lovelace volunteers at the Police Department in Colorado. His military career took him to foreign countries like Germany, Korea, England, France and Japan. He had lived in Germany, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah, and finally settled in Denver. The negative comment that Mrs. Casey made about Mr. Lovelace was the fuel he needed to accomplish all the things he achieved. Even today, he says that Mrs. Casey was his best teacher.
Mrs. Helen Lumpkins Robinson Day was a well-known teacher at Parker-Gray School and at Charles Houston Elementary School. She was born in Alexandria, VA in 1905. She was a trailblazer in advocating for a daycare center for African Americans. She was on many committees and raised money for many disadvantage African Americans.
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