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Show A community newspaper serving residents and businesses on the west side of Salt Lake City Issue No. 21 JUNE 2005 West Side Resident Reflects on the Life of Dear Friend, Activist Alberta Henry by Norma Hendrickson Alberta Henry, who reared her family on Post Street in Poplar Grove, died on May 11 and was honored at Calvary Baptist Church during services held May 17. Henry, 84, had planned much of the funeral herself and insisted it be a “home-going” celebration of her life, not simply a time for mourning. Hundreds of mourners docu- leadership gifts but “most of all, she was my friend.” Henry and Lawrence belonged to two of four black families on Post Street who reared their children in a different era. Their chil- dren couldn’t swim in the public pools or skate during regular rink hours. Lawrence worked at Kress, but was forbidden to eat at the store’s lunch counter. A dental appointment made over the phone was cancelled upon arrival with mented her influence at the funeral. the explanation, “We don’t serve The governor stopped by, Mayor Negroes.” Despite the discrimination, Lawrence remembers the time with fondness. The families had Rocky Anderson spoke and Rev. France Davis praised her life of unselfish devotion. Henry left footprints all over the place. She was president of children of similar ages and raising the Salt Lake NAACP, an educa- mother bought treats from the ice tor with Salt Lake School District cream truck, she bought enough for all. The children were taught to respect and obey all the mothers and champion of disadvantaged youth. Her beginnings were a contrast to her eventual prominence. How did the daughter of a sharecropper go from serving as a domestic in a white household to becoming a household word? Henry’s former Post Street neighbor and friend of nearly 50 years, Florence Lawrence, 83, tried to answer that question. She called Henry a born leader, not unlike the rare puppy in a litter who “falls out” and is different, better, and stronger than the others. Lawrence said Henry had such God-given them was a community effort. If a as their own. Henry would load up the kids, affectionately known as the “Post Street Gang,” and take them to the park. Henry’s influence on the “Post Street Gang” didn’t end with childhood trips to the park. She inspired some to stage sit-ins with the NAACP Youth Chapter chal- lenging restaurants that refused to serve blacks. Her daughter, Julia Leyba, and others joined her in protesting the death pen- alty for William Andrews in 1992. Lawrence’s daughter, Judee Paula Harris-Coleman, Alberta Henry, and Florence Photo courtesy of Julia Leyba Williams, received a hole ship from the Alberta Henry Foundation. Henry was undaunted by the barriers that existed. When she dreamed up solutions like the Black Honor. Society to reward and inspire black students to excel in school, or the Alberta Henry Foundation to help disadvantaged students finance college educations, her friends thought her ideas were quite impossible, maybe even crazy. Lawrence said she never ‘Fight Coliseum’ Hosts Variety of Activities caenee dreamed Henry would be as suc- community, especially for blacks, cessful as she was, but one of her but the differences affected her friends and neighbors personally. Henry introduced Lawrence to the NAACP, where Lawrence eventually served for years as secretary. The two friends were different in many respects. Lawrence called Henry outspoken and herself down to earth. Their personalities balanced each other and Lawrence often tracked details, finances: and minutes for Henry’ S gifts was getting people to set aside their doubts and go to work. Another secret of her success was her ability to “get the white race and people of prominence behind her ideas,” said Lawrence. The Black Honor Society eventually awarded students of all races who met the scholarship criteria, and was renamed the Rainbow Honor Society to reflect various endeavors. the diversity. Henry’s dreams eventually— ae was a Baptist Lawrence made a difference in the oie Park Modesto by Dale J. Neilson According to the hit by Elton John, “Saturday night’s all right for fightin’.” But it’s all right for other stuff, too, like weddings and karate classes, said Fight Coliseum owner and operator Eddie “Flash” Newman. The Coliseum, also known as the Flash Academy, is located at 751 West 800 South. It features Side for everyone’s recreation. Modesto Park is situated adjacent to Modesto Ave. in Glendale at 1175 South 1050 West. It is bounded on two sides by the Jordan River and forms part of the Jordan River Parkway trail system. dancing, fessional weight Modesto Park was designed to compliment the neighboring Bend-in-the-River Urban Treehouse, and will include outdoor classroom features. At the east end, a shade structure will serve as a gathering place. There pro- training, self- nity activities. The Coliseum’s next event will be a professional boxing show June 18 at 8 p.m. Newman, who competed professionally in self-defense for 20 es Fonds on page 2 A struction ng aan il be erate By late suntitite a new park will be completed on the West training in boxing, kickboxing, defense and weight prevention. It has also been the site for an East High graduation party, a baptism, a bar mitzvah and a quinceafiera. Newman, 37, has succeeded in transforming the former warehouse into a center for sports, school, church and other commu- o Cy L nder e hip-hop karate, at the State Capitol about 1995. Two cpntenders duke it out in a boxing Photo by Charlotte Fife-Jepperson years, said boxing takes time, hard work, heart and a great trainer. “Like a good mother or father, you have to nurture [your creation] and watch it grow from a young sprout to a younger plant match on June 5. to a full-grown tree.” Newman’s hall of fame honors include the International Martial Arts Council, Black Belt, See Fight on page 4 are plans to include educational tools, such a weather station and water sampling equipment for school children to use there. A wetlands area will be retained Soon, the contractor will be planting: 700 new plants and saplings at the Modesto Park site. These plants will all need to be‘nurtured during the heat of mid-summer with hand watering until they are established. For this volunteers we to are looking commit for to one to two hours of watering any day between mid-July and midSeptember. Several people have signed up to volunteer, however, many days still remain open and we are looking for peoples to fill these dates. If you can volunteer your time on any day during this in the center of the park, with summer, please call Jeremy dur- pathways winding throughout, and a gathering space with seat- ing the daytime at 517-4359 to sign up. |