Celebration of Life, Accomplishment for Henderson

Edwin Henderson sat a dining room table inside his home Sunday and enjoyed a piece of birthday cake topped with butter cream icing.

It wasn’t a cake in celebration of him, but for his grandmother, Mary Ellen Henderson, who would have turned 126 years old Sunday. After eating the last piece of cake on his plate, Henderson sat back in his chair and with a child-like smile plastered on his face started talking about his grandmother.

“I remember visiting her as a child,” Henderson said. “I think she would be proud of the school being named after her and the reputation of the school.”

Several people stopped by the Henderson’s home in the 300 block of South Maple Avenue for cake, ice cream and a picture tour of the late icon's life. According to her obituary, Mary Ellen Henderson was born Sept. 18, 1885, in Washington, D.C., and moved to the City of Falls Church in 1911 with her husband, E.B. Henderson. An educator and political activist, she was the first African American to join the Falls Church League of Women Voters, a founding member of the Women’s Democratic Club. In 2005, Falls Church City Public Schools named a school after Henderson.

As people walked throughout the house Sunday, they stopped and looked at pictures of Henderson. Just after 4 p.m., Nikki Graves-Henderson placed a large picture of Mary Ellen Henderson behind a birthday cake with candles. The candles were lit and the small group of people began to sing happy birthday.

“I think this is a really special occasion,” said Mary Lynn Hickey. “It’s another chance to celebrate our rich local history.”

For another week, an exhibit on the life and accomplishments of the late educator will be on display in the school baring her name. Graves-Henderson, director of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, said she and her husband had talked about having a birthday celebration in the past, but finally did it this year. When the school was dedicated in her name in 2005, it was done on her birthday.

“I think my grandmother-in-law would be pleased with what she saw,” Graves-Henderson said. “I think she would be pleased with how her legacy has been passed on.”