Mothers' March Volunteers: Hill District History Is Pittsburgh History

BLACK BUZZ NEWS SERVICE
The James S. Robinson Jr, Project
Mrs Beatrice Lee Saunders Robinson Project
Robinson & Saunders Archives
Pittsburgh PA.
November 17, 2010
(BBNS)

The article Mothers' March Volunteers appeared in The Pittsburgh Courier on Feb. 7, 1953, and this article is part of the James S. Robinson Jr, Project.
Mothers' March Volunteers

Mrs Eunice W. Cook, chairman of the Hill District March of Dimes, and Mrs Alberta Williams, President of the Jack and Jill' Club wish to express to each chairman and each worker in the drive, for their splendid cooperation. The total raised was $ 1,024.58 on that night, and since then,more money is constantly coming in.
Orchids to the following chairman and workers: Mmes, J. Beatrice Willis, Carolyn Tate, Leila McNeil, Ruth Butler, Annie B. Norad, Mary L.Bennett, Norine W. Cyrus, Elizabeth Jones, Clara Crumbly, Jesse Anderson, Catherine Ramsey, Martha Talley, Bernice Utterback, James S. Robinson, Richard Syphan, Lillie Thompson and Mildred Brown.
Hill City children who took part in the March of Dimes are: Willie Montgomery, Daniel Lanier, Joanne Collins, Beverly Braxton, Benjamin Glascox, Harold Burke, Janet Upsher, William Phipher, Gerald Ragan, Lawrence Ragan, James Leonard, Alvin Caldwell, Kenneth Wright, Levi Williams, Margaret Lomand, Joyce Caldwell, Agustus Parris, James Wright, Betty Brown, Edith Baskin, William Butler, Jimmie Braxton, Mary Ellen Lucas, Ernestine Upsher, George Bradley, Samuel Lanier, Ethel Holt, Chestina Mallory, Mervin Porter, James Lanier, John Allen, Roland Pryor, Henry Caldwell, Henry Rodgers, Robert Almond, Pearl Herring, Karen Mosely, Thurston Mosley, Darlene Williams, Nona Smith, Georgianna Gordon, Ronald Ragin, Rufus Ragan and Margaret Almond
Mmes, Katerine Ramsey, Beatrice Willis, Annie Evans, Elizabeth Jones, Mary Hugely, Sarah Hardy, Myrtle Jones, Frances Watkins, Minnie Ledbetter, Dorothy Goodwin, Naomi King, Lenore Jackson, Mary Ray, Sarah Hicks,, Ruth Butler, Clara Crumbly, Al Herbert, Ann Wells, Emma Coleman, Laura Lane, Emily/Emory Bond, Annie Norad, Hawthrons, Sallie Bradley, Mary Garvey, Paul Knott, Augustus Cyrus, Susie Jiggetts, Essie Hughes, Everette Utterback, O.Crafton McNeil, Robert Lavelle, John Hayes, Leroy Randall, Louis Mason, Edgar Flood, Benjamin Taylor.
Mmes, John Price, Bernard Scott, Howard Champ, Olivia Johnson, Garland Spencer, William Miller, Morris Hill, Ruth Hill, Clifford Williams, Stoney Gloster, Harold Tolliver, Lynn Hord, Doris Finch, Carolyn Tate, Roland Sawyer, Harold McGruder, Joseph Baber, Cornell Talley, Mamie Henderson, Irvin Harper, James S. Robinson, Mary L. Bennett, Estelle Frazier, Jody Harris, Ethel Patterson, Lillie Thompson, Leulla Gardner, Mildred Boxter, Elizabeth White, Berna Mae Andrews, Lottie Hall, Margy Boswell, Nora Henton, T.A. Burleigh, Lula Morgan, Sadie Burgess, Tomis McCombs, Ethel Goodwin, Victoria McCombs, Grace Jackson, Gertrude Dunson, Helen Reynolds, Dotie Green, Eva Tyler:
Mmes, Smith, Carrie Holmes, Ruth Hill, Elosie Martin, Margaret Wrat, T.H. Patrons, Naomi Watson, Genera Hamilton, Samuel Patterson, Annie Redman, Beatrice Bankston, Betty Burwell, Fred Clark, Anna Gush, Dorothy Tolchin, Jean Ramer, Mildred Williams, Ella Shelton, Jessie Jones, Gloria Frazier, Toki B. Johnson, Mae F. Chaucallor, Rose Albause:
Mmes, Josephine Marsh, Leona Starr, Eleanor Porter, Estelle Banks, Anna Webb, Orlan Ricco, Margaret LaMarr, Wakefield, Mattie Davis, Mary Rhodes, Lillian Chapman, Charles Pace, Josephine Payne, Jeane Page, Bertha Horne,, Alice Scott, Gladys McNairy, Vera Garner, Jessie Anderson, Germaine Haynes, Mattie Spencer, Edythe Adams, Mattie Sharp,, the Richard Spencers, Ruth Christiani, Mary Sakolsky, Ruth Kruse, Linda Levinson, Paul Levinson, Mary Grezzo, Betty Bononcos:
AlsoMessrs, James S. Robinson, Rudolph Jeffries, Tennie Harris,
John Brice, Cornell Talley, George Talley, Raymond Page, Samuel Lanier, George Bradley, and Edgar Butler:
Olive Gordon, Lillie Nelson, Margaret Roberts, Carl Redwood, David Cook Sr., Ruth Guyu, Doris Garner, Ida Lanier, Betty Burwell, Barbara Groom, Artie Kimbrough, Celeste Davis, Calle Maddax, Lulu Manly, Martha Talley, Louise Bryant, Eloise O'Neal and Helen Morton.
BIGGEST and the BEST


* I know many of the above people, and my dad was familiar with all of them. The Rev. Harold Tolliver married my mother and father at Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church on Iowa Street in the Hill District, and my family were once members of said church. Also note that Reverend Harold Tolliver provided an excellent character reference on me to the Feds while they were investigating me and my organization for my activities in the Military and in civilian life. George Talley was my child hood buddy and one of the sons of Rev. Cornell Talley pastor of the Central Baptist Church located on Wylie Avenue. Martha Talley is the wife of Rev. Cornell Talley, and the mother of George Talley. Teenie Harris worked at the Courier with my mother and my dad said Teenie was one of the best basketball players of his era. Teenie took many photos of all my activities at the Centre Avenue YMCA, and my dad's activities at the famous Hill City Youth Municipality, Kay's Boy's Club, etc. We still have many photos taken by Teenie Harris in the Robinson & Saunders Family Archives.
I remember the late Leroy Randall loading up stacks of The Pittsburgh Courier's in his station wagon to deliver to various Courier paper boys like Timmy Stevens, and hundreds of other famous Courier paper boys of that era. Mr. Randall would also deliver The Pittsburgh Courier to various news stands, and Black business establishments.The Courier paper boys would travel and deliver on every street in Pittsburgh that had any Colored people living on said streets. The Randall family lived on Ewart drive in the Upper Hill District called "Sugar Top."
I remember Tim Stevens going up and down Francis Street in all kinds of weather saying " Get Your Pittsburgh Courier or "Courier." We called Timmy " Skinny Tim." Timmy was not a great athlete, and he never participated in our Francis Street football or baseball games. Tim Stevens was never considered part of our group on Francis Street. Timmy's great mother Georgette Stevens was an Officer in the Francis Street Friendly Circle Club, and his father Jasper was one of the leading citizens in an extraordinary community.
I'm not sure about whether Paul Levinson is a brother or relative of Aaron Levinson, of Levinson Steel out of Homewood. AAron Levinson invited me for membership in the elite Pittsburgh Athletic Club back in 1987, and we discussed many business matters there.
The late Gladys McNairy is the former president of the Pittsburgh Board of Education, and her dynamic daughter Dr.Francine McNairy is the present President of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
Toki Johnson was a longtime Courier employee and a personal friend of my mother and father, and who I knew also. The late Mattie Sharp was the long time Historian of the Francis Street Friendly Circle, and she had three daughters, Molly, plus Anne, who is the wife of Leon Hailey and her younger sister the late Ida Joyce who was a personal friend of mine. Robert Lavelle Sr. was a personal friend of the family and a fearless warrior in the Civil Rights Movement. The late Jody Harris was a personal friend of my family, and he was also my Principal at the famous Herron Hill Jr. High School. I Knew Donald Ragan who is part of the whole Ragan clan. The late Carl Redwood Sr. is the father of Carl Redwood Jr, who also worked with my father at the Hill City Youth Municipality.
I'm not sure if this is the same Betty Burwell that married Fred Meyers or is this another Betty Burwell? I think Roland Sawyer is the father of my late friend Stephanie (Stevie) Sawyer. There are probably many Hill City children that are still living throughout the Pittsburgh area and USA.
My family was also members of the Jack and Jill' Club back in the 1980's and 1990's.
Dr Paul Knott was one of our family doctors along with the great Dr. Winstead. I understand that one of Dr. Knott's daughters is living in the Pittsburgh area.
I'm quite sure whether Ernestine Upsher is related to the late Tony Upsher but I do recall my dad saying he had to put Tony Upsher in check at Hill City.