McKeesport NAACP Marks 60 Years at Dinner

Lee delivers keynote; local volunteers honored at Palisades

By Vickie Babyak
The Tube City Almanac
September 28, 2022
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

State Rep. Summer Lee, who represents the 34th Legislative District was the keynote speaker for the McKeesport Unit NAACP’s 60th Anniversary celebration. (Photo by Vickie Babyak for Tube City Almanac)

A race riot in Abraham Lincoln’s hometown in 1908 led to the organization of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

In Springfield, Ill., during the summer of 1908, a white woman alleged a Black man had attacked her. The woman later admitted before a special grand jury that, in fact, she actually was beaten by a white man but wouldn’t disclose his name.

But in the meantime, an angry mob of around 5,000 surged through the streets in violence. Eight Black men were killed, more than 50 men, women and children were beaten, and their homes and businesses were burned down forcing 2,000 Black residents to abandon their city, losing their livelihoods and wealth.

Remembering that history — and celebrating the hard work done over the past century to overcome racial discrimination and prejudice — members of the McKeesport Unit of the NAACP came together this month to celebrate their own 60th anniversary at the group’s annual Freedom Dinner.

State Rep. Summer Lee of Swissvale, the first Black woman elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly from Allegheny County, delivered the keynote address during a dinner Sept. 17 at the Palisades Ballroom, Downtown.

The theme of this year’s event was “60 Years of Leading the Fight to End Racial Inequality.”

Joanne Rodgers was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, Pastor Archie D Perrin, Jr. received the Community Service Award, and Brenda D. Sawyer was honored with the Silent Hero Award.

Rodgers was the first Black school nurse hired by the McKeesport Area School District. She said that when she went to college, there were only two career paths available to young Black women — nursing or teaching. She is well-known to generations of McKeesport students and has since served as an active community volunteer in many organizations, including McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center.

Perrin is an educator and worked as a math teacher, principal, campus principal and superintendent of the Wilkinsburg School District. He was first called to the ministry in September of 1981 and currently serves as senior pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Duquesne.

Sawyer is regional director of the state Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations & Drug Control and has 33 years of law enforcement experience. She was the first Black woman police officer hired by the City of McKeesport.

From left, award recipients included Joanne Rodgers, the Rev. Archie Perrin and Brenda Sawyer. (Photo by Vickie Babyak for Tube City Almanac)

Although aggression towards Black people at the turn of the century was a familiar story in the Southern U.S., it took events in the supposedly more tolerant Northern U.S. to spur creation of the NAACP.

William English Walling, a labor reformer, wrote an article entitled “Race War in the North” calling for a powerful body of citizens to assist Black people in their efforts to achieve economic, political, social equality and justice under the law.

Walling and social worker Mary White Ovington set up a meeting with Jewish civil rights activist, Dr. Henry Moskowitz, in New York, January 1909, which resulted in 60 level-minded men and women of many races to issue statements in May and June outlining their goals, objectives and concerns. The name “National Association for the Advancement of Colored People” was chosen in 1910 for the Civil Rights Organization.

The McKeesport Unit covers McKeesport and Duquesne and is one of more than 2,300 adult branches and 500 college and youth chapters that serve a membership of more than 70,000 people.

Branches are located throughout the United States, District of Columbia, Japan and Germany.

Joy D. Simmons served as mistress of ceremonies for the Sept. 17 event. (Photo by Vickie Babyak for Tube City Almanac)

Lee, who is currently running for the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, is a graduate of Penn State University and Howard University School of Law, where she specialized in civil-rights and constitutional law.

She encouraged members of the McKeesport NAACP to continue to fight for equality, elimination of racial prejudice and representation for everyone. “Spread the message because there can be no peace until there’s justice for all,” Lee said.

Vickie Babyak is a photographer and freelance writer from Dravosburg. She may be reached at vbabyak@yahoo.com.

Originally published September 28, 2022.

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