WORCESTER—February is Black History Month and few enjoy celebrating Black history more than Deborah Hall does.
In 2018, Hall founded the Worcester Black History Project to recognize and celebrate the city’s influential Black citizens.
The WBHP stages events and prepares and displays videos of significant Black people in the city and surrounding communities in collaboration with the Museum of Worcester (formerly the Worcester Historical Society), the Worcester Center for Crafts, and the American Antiquarian Society, where Hall is a member of the council. With the Museum of Worcester, the WBHP works with local organizations and community stakeholders to collect and preserve moments of Black history.
“I do like the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate Black History Month,” she said.
One of Hall’s majors at Washington University in St. Louis was African American Studies and she’s always been interested in Black history.
After she moved to Worcester in 2013, she researched the contributions that African Americans had made in the city. She knew of the important contributions in Boston and that a Black Heritage Trail had been formed in Portsmouth, N.H., but she didn’t know anything about the Black history of Worcester.
First, she reached out to Holy Cross senior lecturer Thomas Doughton, who worked on Worcester’s Black History Trail, which aims to educate the public about Black people in Worcester by documenting and highlighting sites of historical significance.
Then through a Facebook post, she invited people to attend a meeting at the YWCA Central Massachusetts where she served as director of Domestic Violence Services before becoming Chief Executive Officer in July of 2021. A committee of six volunteers was formed.
“We talked about what our mission would be,” Hall said, “and how we would move forward and the rest is history.”
The rest was history in the fullest meaning of the word history.
During this Black History Month of February, a WBHP exhibit, “I’ve Known Rivers: African Americans and Labor,” is on display at the Worcester Center for Crafts. The free art exhibit features works by 16 artists that explore the history, resilience and contributions of African American labor.
The exhibit includes a talk about artist Lewis Dominis, who might be largely unknown in his native city of Worceser, but shouldn’t be. He graduated from the Massachusetts School of Art in Boston, moved to Florida and became a successful painter of murals, portraits and canvases.
At 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Worcester Center for Crafts, the Worcester Chamber Music Society presents “Voices Rising,” featuring the voices of five Black American composers.
Also this month, WBHP arranged for an art exhibit to be displayed in a hallway at Trinity Lutheran Church. Hall said the exhibit might eventually be moved to other locations.
The WBHP and the Museum of Worcester have created “Moments in Worcester Black History,” a series of videos about significant Black citizens of Worcester. One details the lives of William and Martha Ann Brown, whose papers, portraits, photos and books from the 1800s are kept at the American Antiquarian Society. Other video subjects include Black churches and Sara Ella Wilson, one of the first two Black school teachers in Worcester who taught at Belmont Street Elementary School from 1895 until 1944.
The WBHP helped celebrate the life of Bethany Veney, whose descendants raised money to erect a new headstone last October at her gravesite in Hope Cemetery. Veney was born into slavery in Virginia and moved to Worcester after she was granted her freedom. Working as a cook and making her own dyes, she earned enough money to purchase three homes in Worcester and she helped several family members relocate here. Veney died at age 103 in 1915 and somehow her headstone was lost over the years. Veney’s great-great-granddaughter, Benetta Kouffor of Worcester, is a member of the WBHP.
“You start projects and you have to have focus and you have to have people who are committed,” Hall said, “and we have that. We’re looking forward to gathering more local histories this year, gathering more archival information this year and concentrating on how we will sustain this project moving forward whether I’m here or not. It’s really valuable to the community.”
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In February of 2023, WBHP worked with the National Black Doll Museum to present a Black Doll exhibit at the Jean McDonough Arts Center. Among the dolls on display was one from 1870.
“You can tell the story of the history of Black folks in this country through doll making,” Hall said.
Hall collects dolls and even has some at her YWCA office.
Despite temperatures well below zero, two doll workshops sold out and a reception afterward grew a large crowd.
During the height of the pandemic, WBHP held webinars, but has since returned to holding events in person.
“I love that we can bring information about contributions of Black folks in Worcester and surrounding areas to people in our community,” Hall said.
Hall said the project events are well attended by people of all colors. At some, non-Blacks make up more than half of the audiences. Elected officials have shown their support.
“It’s folks who are interested in learning,” Hall said. “So the crowd is quite diverse. I love it.”
After Hall moved to Worcester, she noticed the statue of Major Taylor in front of the Worcester Public Library. Taylor grew up in Indianapolis, but he lived in Worcester in 1899 when he won the 1-mile world cycling championship. The Worcester Whirlwind, as he was known, went on to become the first Black American global sports superstar. In addition to the statue, Worcester has a Major Taylor Museum, a Major Taylor Boulevard and a Major Taylor Garage.
Hall knew about Taylor because her hometown of St. Louis has a Major Taylor Bicycling Club. When she first saw Taylor’s statue outside the library, she wondered what Taylor had to do with Worcester.
“It was really a pleasant surprise,” she said.
She’s since visited his museum and enjoyed it.
“I’m glad he’s getting the recognition he deserves,” she said.
WPHP is doing what it can to help all local Black citizens of note to receive the recognition they deserve.
“I think it’s going well,” Hall said. “It’s a lot of work and it’s definitely a labor of love, but one that I’m dedicated to.”
The WBHP is run by volunteers and Hall said anyone who wants to help or share their family’s story should contact WBHP at worcesterblackhistoryproject@gmail.com or contact Hall at dhall@ywcacm.org.
Bill Doyle has been a professional journalist for 47 years, most of them as a sports writer for the Telegram & Gazette. He covered the Boston Celtics for 25 years and has written extensively about golf, boxing and local high school and college sports. He also worked for the campus newspaper when he attended UMass-Amherst. He can be reached at billdoyle1515@gmail.com
