5 influential African Americans with ties to Brockton area – Enterprise News

Alisha Saint-Ciel|The Enterprise

BROCKTON Your professors probably didn't teach youhow influential these African Americans with ties toBrockton were. Here is a list of fivepeople that contributedto historical change.

If you're a Brockton resident you might be familiar with the Mary E. Baker school. The Baker school is named after Mary E. Baker, the first African-American to work at Brockton City Hall. She was an advocate for affordable housing and racial integration in education. She helped establish two affordable housing complexes in Brockton and assistedwith the integration ofBrockton High School. Baker herself graduated from Brockton High school in 1941, going on to get her undergraduate degree fromUMass Boston and hermaster's in education from Cambridge College.In 2008 the city of Brockton honored her by naminga freshly built school after her, the firstAfrican American woman to be so honored.

Free: Subscribe to our News Alerts or Daily Briefing to get stories like this in your inbox

Marrow was the first African-American principal at Brockton High School, serving the district from 1999 until he retired in 2005. He worked for the city for 43 years.Since retiring, Marrow is spending his free time volunteering at the Howard Foundation, which is a Brockton nonprofit that assists the elderly. In addition to his volunteer work, he is a board member of the Brockton Redevelopment Authority.

More: Black History Month: 10 Black New England history-makers and their stories

During the pre-Civil War period, renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass spoke to people gathered under what came to be known as the Liberty Tree on High Street in downtown Brockton. The city renamed it Frederick Douglass Avenue in May 2004 in events attended by his descendant, Frederick Douglass IV. In December 2004, the storm-damaged Liberty Tree was taken down and later a plaque was dedicated there. Douglass had theremarkable experience of being born a slave but dying a free man. The social reformerand writertook the the narrative that slaves cannot integrate into society as independent citizens due to their lack of knowledge and proved it wrong. His autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," which was a bestseller, introducedan entire generation of African Americans to the ideas of abolition.

Jacob Talbot was a farmer from West Bridgewater and served in the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. He was the first African American regiment soldier in the Civil war. The 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry was an extension of the Union Army and the second African American regiment. The Second Battle of Fort Wagner was their most famous battle and gained popularity in the award-winning film Glory.

Moises Rodrigues made history in Brockton when he served as the first mayor of color after the unexpected death of Mayor Bill Carpenter. His current position is city councilor at-large. He has 25 years of experience as an administrator in operations and social services and also served as the Director of Communications and Community Services for Brockton.

Originally posted here:

5 influential African Americans with ties to Brockton area - Enterprise News