Local NAACP Branch 1034 Honors Four Legacy Award Recipients

In commemoration of Black History Month, four members of the local Black Community were presented with NAACP Legacy Awards. On February 20, Branch 1034 President Pastor Willie J. Oliver, Jr hosted a small socially distanced presentation to recognize Mary Venerable, Barbara Anderson, George Brown and Richard Gordon.

President Pastor Oliver (of Grace and Truth Worship Ministry in Lake Elsinore) opened the presentation by stating, “One of the things we decided as the NAACP Branch 1034 is to start reaching out to the legacy that is among us, the legacy that is still living, so that some of these stories can still be passed down to the younger generation.” He shared that often during Black History Month, we focus on those who have passed on or those who hold prominent national positions, but that we have much to learn from those in our own community. The presentation provided an opportunity to learn from the rich experiences of the four honorees.

Legacy Award recipient Mary Venerable is the Treasurer and Legal Redress Chair for the NAACP Branch 1034. At age 86, Mary is the Matriarch of the Branch and has held the positions of President, Vice President and Secretary since joining in 1991. In 2018, she was awarded the NAACP/W.I.N. Leadership Award for her action as President and in recognition of her dedication, leadership and many years of service. As she spoke before the gathered group, she said, “It’s been a joyful activity, and I say that’s what has kept me young – being involved with different activities. I keep busy.”

Mrs. Venerable has also served in many ground-breaking ways in the community. She has 20 years of Personnel/Human Relations Management experience with the Navy Department – becoming the Navy Department’s first African American Personnel Director in Long Beach. She became the first Black Personnel Analyst with the U.S. Civil Service Commission of the Federal Government in Los Angeles – retiring in 1982. Retirement lasted one month, when she was offered a job as Assistant to the Personnel Director of the Los Angeles Community College District. This was also a first as an African American. After 13 years with the Community College District, she retired for the second time. During these years and after retirement, she also served as a consultant to federal retirees, in both Northern and Southern California, in matters of federal benefits and conducted classes for federal employees in pre-retirement counseling.

In her “retirement life”, she volunteers and still holds positions with several federal retirement organizations. She is the Service Officer with the National Active and Retired Federal Employee Association for both Northern and Southern California, District III Vice President with the California Federation of Chapters organization and Chapter 478 (Southwest Riverside County) Service Officer and advisor. In 2019, she retired from the position of Community Advisor with the Riverside Transportation Advisory Commission, County of Riverside.

Mrs. Venerable recalled how she had to prove herself as a Black employee in a particular work setting, so that others would believe her many years of previous experience. Once established in her position, she “didn’t have any discrimination problems. My husband would tell me it’s because I was in charge.” She lost her husband after 52 years of marriage. She has two sons, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her theme for staying young has always been, “Help people, stay active, love God and keep the faith”. She gave an example of God’s provision for her while she was the only singer in her Perris church choir. A friend was called in to provide accompaniment but also brought the bonus of an entire choir which Mrs. Venerable would go on to direct.

Legacy Awardee Barbara Anderson is a native Californian born in the San Diego area and lives in an historic home in Lake Elsinore that was built in 1937. She graduated from San Diego State College, Kansas State Teachers College and Emporia State University earning her B.S. and Master of Library and Information Science Degree.

Ms. Anderson worked as a Librarian in the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside as well as for the U.S. Army in Europe. After working as a Librarian for San Bernardino University, she retired from the County of San Bernardino in 1974. Ms. Anderson has been a part of many civic and cultural organizations as a member and officer. She served as President of the American Association of University Women of the Temecula Valley Branch.

After retiring, she moved to Lake Elsinore where she became a member of the Women’s Club, various churches in the area, and was a member of the Friends of the Library. She was the President of the Black Arts and Cultural Club, was a contributor to the Lake Elsinore Princess Boat Project, was involved in voters’ registration activities and served as a poll watcher during elections. She worked with SHARE Community, the National Food Program and with the English as a Second Language Program. She attended Lake Elsinore City Council meetings and provided input on matters and development related to the Lake Elsinore Library. She is a Life Member of NAACP Branch 1034 and served as Chair of the Scholarship Committee and the Election Committee for several years.

Ms. Anderson credits her mother as an inspiration for following the path of education she chose. Although she was raised on a farm and was expected by some to get a job after high school, her mother would tell her, “You may not be better than anyone else, but you’re just as good.” She became interested in Librarianship while later working in her college library.

Ms. Anderson also experienced racial prejudice in junior high school when the assistant principal and some teachers did not believe she was doing her own homework. But she persevered and excelled in education.

She is most proud of the following accomplishments: being the first Black County Librarian in the state and the first minority department head in San Bernardino County Government. She was also one of three delegates from California to attend President Carter’s White House Conference on Communications and Information Sciences. Barbara has been featured in Marguis “Who’s Who” for over 50 years. She was involved in the design and building of over 20 libraries and developed innovative library services for underserved communities in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, as well as successfully negotiating State and Federal grants for library construction and services. Ms. Anderson also assisted with the inclusion of other government and civic agencies in library services, tutored and served as a model for others entering the Librarianship field, served on the Advisory Board for the Graduate to Library School of the University of Southern California USC and helped develop rules and guidelines for the California Black Librarian Organization and Conference.

In reflecting on her many decades of public service, she said, “I think it’s necessary to find your own self, to look at what you can do … not what you can get from somebody else. But within yourself, there is something that drives you. You have to identify that and build on it.”

George Brown was also honored with a Legacy Award. 84 years ago, Mr. Brown was born into the first Black family in the city of Lake Elsinore. George, his sister and brother attended Lake Elsinore schools through graduation, and George was a record-breaking track runner in high school and at Chaffey College.

Mr. Brown’s first job was working on a cattle ranch. He then went to work with the Pacific Clay Company in Alberhill where he learned how to operate motorized equipment. Thereafter, he worked with the State of California as the first Black Equipment Operator. After passing the Equipment Operator test with the County of Riverside, he worked for the City of Riverside as the first Black person to be selected as Equipment Operator. He retired from Riverside County in 1980.

Mr. Brown was asked whether he experienced racism in his working years. He shared that he wanted to love both sides and that there were several white people who gave him opportunities. When he did hear racial slurs from a distance, he said he would, “turn around, smile and keep on going. I couldn’t let nothing bother me, because I was making money. It never bothered me. I was moving so fast.” He shared how he worked 16-hour days at various jobs using numerous skills for 50 years.

After retirement, Mr. Brown began working with the local police authority in Lake Elsinore to make a difference in the community. He worked with troubled youth who had legal school violations. He taught equipment operation and other skills to a group of boys for a five-week period that helped them build a good work ethic. As a result, the boys earned a clear record to graduate from high school.

It’s clear that Mr. Brown has a heart for the youth of today, as he shared at the award presentation his desire to work with the NAACP Branch 1034 to provide opportunities for kids who could “fall through the cracks”. Mr. Brown stated, “Kids who didn’t have a chance to go to college could do something else”. He shared ideas for bringing young people to his Lake Elsinore ranch to learn a trade or skill.

Mr. Brown is a Life Member of the NAACP Branch 1034 and has supported the branch with donations. He also started the Black Arts and Cultural Club where he served for more than five years as President. In 2007, he received an award from the Future Farmers of America for his work with youth.

Mr. Brown stated that he is a “poor little boy with a rich mind” and plans to write a book of his memoirs. He also shared, “God has been really, really good to me and my family coming to Lake Elsinore.” A friend shared of Mr. Brown that his theme is: “He loves the earth, people and flowers.”

Richard Gordon was also honored as a NAACP Legacy Awardee. Mr. Gordon is a Poet-Playwright who has lived in Lake Elsinore for over 50 years. Mr. Gordon received his B.A. in Theater Arts, from California State University, Fullerton. His book of poetry Orange Sherbet and Hot Chocolate was originally published in 1979. He is the author and illustrator of Martin and The Mountaintop which is a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His play The Bulldog and the Bear won him the coveted Lorraine Hansberry and the Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards in 1983. Mr. Gordon has also had his poetry published in Essence magazine and was featured in Lindsay Patterson’s anthology A Rock Against the Wind.

At the presentation, Mr. Gordon shared, “I grew up in a time when we didn’t have a positive image of being Black in the 40’s. Everything that you saw in society said that you were second class and some of us embraced that.” Mr. Gordon continued with his poem from Orange Sherbet and Hot Chocolate, “that says what happened to me in getting to the heart of who I am, and the heart of my pride and the heart of my love. It’s called Black Love”.

Black, Black was a hurting word,

until I looked deep into my Mother’s face.

She was Black as her Bible

and beautiful as its verse.

Black as polished ebony

and beautiful as freedom.

Black as Africa

and beautiful as heritage.

But Black as me

And beautiful as love.

After reading his truth-filled poem, Mr. Gordon shared insights about the creative life. “Creativity is the second greatest gift God gave to man next to love. Creativity is going beyond your intellect, opening another door, and … being open to whatever is out there… You want to go beyond what is in you… that transcends this body.” Numerous times Mr. Gordon referred to the passion, preparation and work that it takes to fulfill one’s purpose, but he also shared that occasionally a poem arrives spontaneously or that abilities come from outside of oneself – such as when his wife Carol encouraged him to draw his own illustrations for his book Martin and the Mountaintop. He still believes those illustrations came from beyond him with the support of his wife.

Reflecting on his 57 years of marriage after losing his wife one year ago, Mr. Gordon admitted that wanting the happiness of one’s spouse over one’s own happiness is a key to a solid marriage and to surviving many things in life. Mr. Gordon has eight children and 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loves to see how he and his wife have inspired them to “be a positive force in this world.”

All four NAACP Legacy Awardees consider themselves to be greatly blessed in life and have a gratitude and stability about them that is truly admirable. Dr. Quinlan Strong, an audience member who has lived in Lake Elsinore all her life, reflected on the “path of righteousness” that all four honorees helped her to follow. Pastor Oliver summarized his observations on the lives of the four honorees, “It’s not necessarily about color, but it’s about what’s right. So, we continue to pursue what’s right. Then we pursue change, and we will make a difference.”

A quote from Mr. Gordon represents the four beloved elders from the local Black Community and sums up the spirit of the award ceremony: “Success is not necessarily fame or money. Success is fulfillment of purpose. The more you understand that the more successful you are. The more you do in that spirit, the more the things you do will last. I believe that.”