During the Civil War, Chattanooga was both a refuge for African Americans fleeing slavery and a community under siege as Union and Confederate armies fought to control it. Entrepreneurs like William “Uncle Bill” Lewis, a blacksmith who bought his freedom, and men like Mark Thrash and Hubbard Pryor, former slaves who fought for their country, were vital parts of the diverse community that became the “Dynamo of the Dixie.”
As Chattanooga grew, “Camp Contraband” became Hill City, men of color were elected as aldermen, and natural resources and strategic advantages made it a hub of industry. Business boomed but fear coursed through the community when recurring flooding brought disease, dread, and loss, leaving orphans, widows and infirmity in its wake.
Churches and charities struggled to support victims of disease when, in 1922, a movement was born that changed the trajectory of charity. Chattanooga’s Community Chest, now the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, was established to unite people and resources in building a stronger, healthier community. That work continues as it approaches its 100th anniversary.
During Black History Month, we celebrate the contributions and achievements of Chattanoogans of color, and the community’s qualities of leadership, innovation, and education that have intersected under the umbrella of the United Way. In 1942, war waged, people mobilized, the country hummed Glen Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” and segregation ruled the land.
Embodying a spirit of unity, Chattanooga’s Community Chest defied convention that year by instituting a new leadership structure including minority representation, changing the organization’s constitution to add six Black vice president positions. The 1942 cohort included Rev. J.B. Barber, L.D. Collins, Professor Davenport, B.T. Scruggs, Dr. P.A. Stephens, and Professor T.D. Upshaw. Other leaders like Clarence B. Robinson, Rev. Robert Keesee and Moses Freeman would guide the work of what became the United Way of Greater Chattanooga through turbulent times and racial division.
C.B. Robinson was an educator for more than 39 years, a representative in the Tennessee General Assembly for 18 years, and an acquaintance of four presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. He led the fight to equalize teacher salaries and in the 1950s championed opening the Chattanooga Public Library to Black citizens. His efforts to desegregate public facilities were changemaking.
Robinson led the effort to establish the James A. Henry Branch of the YMCA, still today a United Way-funded agency, honoring the first African American principal of Howard High, and was a board member during the 1980s. In 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chattanooga for a program observing the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and to attend an event honoring Henry at that YMCA. Today, Chattanoogans drive across the C.B. Robinson Bridge, never remembering the honoree and his contribution to their lives.
The Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement, a United Way-funded agency, introduces us to another remarkable Chattanoogan. Mary Hardaway Walker is a moving example of community and commitment, her life and legacy an inspiration to all. Born into bondage in 1848, Mary was 15 when the Emancipation Proclamation freed her, but she couldn’t read the document. She married, had three sons, and spent her life caring for others, cooking, cleaning and dedicating time to serving her church. Mary was 69 when she and her family moved to Chattanooga, where her service to others continued.
When she was 114, Mary had outlived her husband and three children and was one of the last surviving former slaves. In 1963, with a twinkle in her eye, she did something for herself and joined the Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement, a United Way program hosted at her retirement home, now named in her honor. Regular classes, a dedicated teacher, and a courageous spirit guided Mary’s adventure as she learned to read, becoming known as “America’s Oldest Student.” Her feat galvanized people across the country. This woman who spent a life serving everyone but herself became a celebrity, met two U.S. presidents, and enjoyed her final years as Chattanooga’s Ambassador of Goodwill. Mary Walker’s legacy is remembered today, a story inspiring people of all ages.
The United Way of Greater Chattanooga is dedicated to telling the stories of its supported agencies and to uniting people and resources in building a stronger, healthier community as it approaches the centennial anniversary of service.
Jennifer LeyCrutchfield is a Chattanooga native, author and educator with a passion for connecting national history to local landmarks for students and families. Join her online at ChattanoogaAdventures.org.