by Lee Pierre
On August 8th and 9th, the 1970 graduates of Lucy Addison and William Fleming high schools gathered for a 55-year class reunion. The event, held at the Holiday Inn-Airport, jumped off with a casual meet and greet that provided guests time to reconnect, fellowship over an inviting meal, and enjoy the antics of one another along with door prizes and reminiscing about high school.
The Reunion planning committee members (Chairman Roland Lovelace, Vice Chairman George Kasey, Secretary Caron Baker Turner, Treasurer Dorothy Craighead Lavender; Ibrahim Hamidullah, Gary Lewis, Iris Earley King, Lenora Davis Taylor, Linda Napier Journiette, Lila Carter Anderson, Sandra Tinsley Tate, and Dewitt Hayes) all worked diligently to create a warming, inviting and entertaining atmosphere. Hamm’s Fine Foods catered both meals; music provided by Chris Wade; and photography by Dj Hootie Mack.
One activity, “Pass the Mike,” encouraged everyone to speak about his or her favorite high school experience that stood out for him or her. Highlights included being part of the band, choir, cheerleading, sports teams, making lifelong friendships, being on the yearbook staff, partying – especially after winning a sports event, and for some it was simply graduating.
The second night was semi-formal attire and as usual the graduates were dressed for success. Leon Craighead, master of ceremony, kept everyone on point with his witty remarks. Gary Bannister provided a personal touch singing “Misty” a 1950s song written by Erroll Garner and Johnny Burke.
Guest speaker, Alta Cannaday spoke on how integration affected the lives of the “chosen students” who were moved from Addison to attend William Fleming. She remembered how during the first pep rally of the year, students ran in waving the Confederate flag and singing “Dixie.” That was just an inkling of the racism that the “chosen students” had to encounter daily. She, speaking for herself as well as the others, felt as if they were set up for failure.
“Had it not been for the strength and support from our lifelong friends at Addison we may not have made it,” she eloquently stated. “The teachers were breaking us down so that we would not be successful. We never could have made it without you.”
The Fleming graduates visibly agreed upon her sentiment and comments. Most of who had been told to go to a trade school after high school because they would never be successful in college. Cannaday rattled off names of students who had not only gone on to successfully finish college but had reared children who had also become doctors, lawyers, business owners, and succeeded in other professionals.
The history, the truth, and the reasons behind integration were unclear to the “chosen students’ who were met with adverse interactions from teachers and students. Many students who lived on the same street were sent to different high schools. These students were not provided transportation to school thus having to rely on help and support from family and neighbors.
Lucy Addison High School was an all-Black high school meaning that the school was segregated by race, attended only by Black students from 1928 until 1970. Addison was integrated in the fall of 1970 and closed in 1973. The class of 1970 was the last segregated class to graduate from Addison.
After Cannaday’s heart-wrenching speech, Faye Stewart Shareff and Lila Anderson honored the many graduates who are now deceased, the graduates sang the Alma Mater of both schools, and Sarah Baylor entertained the audience with a solo of “God Stood by my Side.”
Roland Lovelace encouraged everyone to stay in touch in his closing remarks.
