Click on the award winner’s name to read their biography.
1992 Maestro Raymond Harvey
1993 Dr. Bryant Robinson
1994 Mrs. Jeanne Bass
1995 Alexander B. Mapp & Taj Mahal
1996 Mrs. Bettye Webb & Dr. Howland Kennedy
1997 Dr. Albert C. Pryor, Jr.
1998 Mrs. Josephine Edmonds
1999 Mr. Chester Gibbs
2000 Mr. Arthur Jones
2001 Mr. W. Robert McDonald, Sr.
2002 Mrs. Barbara Jefferson
2003 The Honorable Raymond A. Jordan, Jr.
2004 Jesse and Barbara Lanier
2005 Mr. Ronald E. Harrell
2006 Mrs. Janet Troutman-Simmons
2007 Ms. Denise R. Jordan
2008 Mrs. Allyson Gouzounis
2009 Mr. Ronald A. Copes
2010 Ms. Zelmon “Zee” Johnson
2011 Dr. Albert and Mrs. Geraldine Garner
2012 Mr. E. Henry Twiggs
2013 Bob and Katie Glasgow
2014 Jerald “Jay” Griffin
2015 Henry Thomas
2016 Helen Caulton-Harris
2017 Benjamin Swan
2018 Keshawn Dodds
2019 Andrew R. Cade
2020 Bud L. Williams
2021 Robert “Cee” Jackson
2022 Dr. Gerald “Bruce” Cutting and Carol Moore Cutting
Ubora Emerita
Originally from New York City, Maestro Raymond Harvey holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and a Doctorate Degree from the Yale School of Music. Prior to joining the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, he served as Associate Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic and as Exxon/Arts Endowment Conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony.
Maestro Harvey has achieved both national and international recognition marked by his ever-increasing invitations for guest conducting and speaking engagements around the globe. In addition to his outstanding performances at Symphony Hall, Maestro Harvey expanded community outreach, leading the orchestra into colorful summer programming at Stanley Park in Westfield and at our own Forest Park in Springfield. The 1991/92 season marked the sixth year that Raymond Harvey had been the music director and maestro for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Robinson was the first African American to serve at the superintendent level for the Springfield School System and became Deputy Superintendent in 1984. He served as interim superintendent from January 1, 1989 to September 5, 1989. His principalship at William N. DeBerry from 1970 through 1984 was the first time an African-American male served as an elementary principal in the city. He retired in September 1994.
Throughout his career as an educator, Mr. Robinson worked to instill a sense of black history in students by integrating African studies into the curriculum. He was also instrumental in developing a number of projects designed to raise the level of achievement among inner-city students.
Mr. Robinson has also been involved in many community organizations and serves as co-pastor of the Macedonia Church. His goal as an educator and as a citizen of Springfield is “. . .to make the community a healthy, nurturing environment for our youth.”
Jeanne Bass, a Springfield native, has been active in civic life since the late 1960’s. She has served as Model City director, acting administrator for the Department of Weights and Measures, project director for the Springfield Community Partnership and Prevention Alliance, and has been in her present position as Human Services Director since 1975. She is responsible for administering a complex city department which provides service to youth, the elderly, consumers, community organizations, and the handicapped.
Ms. Bass’s professional affiliations and awards are many, including a 1985 citation from Governor Dukakis for distinguished community service and a 1986 citation for outstanding community work from the Massachusetts Senate. From 1985 to 1986, she served as president of the U. S. Conference of Human Service Officials.
Ms. Bass credits her success to a strong family tradition of public service. “I remember the conversations of my grandmother, great grandmother, grandfather, great aunt and great-great aunts about their involvements and commitments to this city and their fellow citizens through church, fraternal and civic organizations and other activity. I was surrounded by family who believed that it was an essential part of life to actively participate in the affairs of this city.”
Ben Mapp was executive director of the Springfield Urban League from 1946 through 1963; and from 1965 to 1966, he was responsible for the eastern region of the country in the field of equal employment opportunity. He also served as cultural affairs officer for the U. S. Information Service in Lehore, Pakistan. In 1979, the Urban League Guild renamed its scholarship fund in his honor. Among his commendations are the prestigious Order of William Pynchon and the WGBY/Channel 57 Eyes on the Prize Awards. Mr. Mapp was well known in Springfield as a pioneer in the area of minority education and job opportunity, but his influence was felt on the national and international level as well. Ben Mapp died in 1987, but his legacy lives on.
Taj Mahal, a Springfield native, began performing professionally in 1966 and quickly achieved fame as a versatile interpreter of the blues, adapting elements of reggae, New Orleans rhythm and blues, calypso, and other African-derived music into his own personal style. In addition to recording numerous albums, he composed the score for the feature films, Sounder 1 and Sounder II and Brothers. Taj Mahal also received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Ike opposite Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield in Sounder 1 and Sounder II and was featured in the 1976 television biography of Scott Joplin.
Mrs. Bettye Webb imparted her love of reading to thousands of young people during her 35-year career with the Springfield Library System. In the late 1960’s, Bettye was promoted to branch supervisor of the Winchester Square branch library (now Mason Square), becoming the first African-American to hold that position. She developed the first African American book collection, and under her leadership the Mason Square branch became a resource for black history. At the time of her retirement, she was also supervisor of the Pine Point branch and the Bookmobile. Mrs. Webb is very active with the Springfield Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc., and Links, Inc. She also tutors young mothers who trying to enter the workforce. Several years ago, she was named one of the YWCA’s Women of Achievement.
Dr. Howland Kennedy was a prominent Springfield physician. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and lived in Springfield for 40 years until his death in 1979. He received his B.A. from Howard University and attended Meharry Medical College in Tennessee. He also did Postgraduate work in cardiology at Harvard Medical College, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and other hospitals, and was certified as physician-in-chief at Springfield Hospital, president of the Springfield Academy of Medicine, and college Physician at Western New England College.
Dr. Albert C. Pryor, Jr., is Professor Emeritus of sociology and psychology at Western New England College, where he started the college’s accredited social work program. He was the first African American hired as a high school teacher in the Springfield School System and the first black hired as a full-time professor at Western New England College.
Dr. Pryor has been active in his church on a local, state, and national level, serves on many boards, and was the first chairman of the Neighborhood Legal Services in Springfield. In 1990, Westfield State College awarded him a Doctorate of Community Service Degree and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center presented him with their Achievement Award in Education in 1995. This spring, Western New England College established the Albert C. Pryor, Jr., Community Service Award in his honor. He has been an inspiration and mentor to young people and has lent his voice to many issues of concern within the black community.
Mrs. Josephine Edmonds has played a pivotal role in bringing the work of black artists to Springfield and helping them gain recognition for their talents. As a volunteer art exhibition coordinator at the Afro-American Cultural Center at American International College, Mrs. Edmonds established a monthly series of exhibits featuring art by local, national, and international minority artists. In addition, she co-founded the Afro-Art Alliance, an organization of black artists.
An artist in her own right, Mrs. Edmonds studied at City College and the American Art School in New York. After moving to Springfield in 1956, she continued her training at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield College, and the Hartford Art School, and she also taught art for the YWCA.
Mrs. Edmonds was listed in the first edition of Who’s Who in Black America, was appointed to the Massachusetts Bicentennial Commission by Governor Sargent, served as national vice president of Girl Friends, Inc., and has earned many other awards.
Mr. Chester Gibbs has had a lifelong commitment to promoting social and economic equality, both in his professional and personal life. His early career was in social work. During the 1950’s, he served as chairman of a volunteer committee of social workers to place black students from Virginia with local families so they could attend school because their own schools had closed to avoid complying with federal desegregation orders. Mr. Gibbs has also managed a housing rehabilitation and job training agency, been an urban affairs consultant for local businesses, and was a member of the team that developed the Mason Square Revitalization Plan. In 1961, Governor Volpe appointed him Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. He was the first Western Massachusetts resident to serve on this commission as well as on the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. He has been active in local and state politics, and serves on the boards of a number of human service agencies.
Mr. Arthur L. Jones is Youth Programs Director for the Hampden County Employment and Training Consortium. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation and Youth Leadership from Springfield College. Later, while juggling a job, a young family, and extensive community involvement, he earned his Master’s Degree in Human Relations and Community Affairs from American International College.
Mr. Jones is also a community activist, and worked tirelessly for civil rights during the years of the Model Cities and urban renewal programs. He was instrumental in the creation of the Historic District in the McKnight neighborhood, and lobbied for the construction of a magnet school in the Mason Square area.
He has been involved in youth programs throughout his professional career and demonstrates his concern for the well-being of children in his many volunteer activities as well. He is currently president of the Western Massachusetts Boys Club and Girls Club Area Council, chairperson of the Mayor’s Youth Commission, on the board of the Springfield School Volunteers, an officer of the Black Men of Greater Springfield, is active in his church, and coaches sandlot baseball. His list of affiliations, awards, and honors is truly impressive and reflects the extent of his community involvement and the high regard in which he is held by so many in the Springfield area.
Mr. W. Robert McDonald, Sr., is a lifelong member of the Springfield community. He has served as Vice President of the NAACP, as a Springfield City Councilor, and as chairman of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority. As a youth, he was taught values and the importance of community by Dr. DeBerry at the former Dunbar Boys’ Club.
He was a combat infantryman in World War II and helped repel a Japanese counterattack. He was belatedly presented a Bronze Star in August 2000 by Congressman Richard E. Neal for his heroism.
Mr. McDonald served on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Minority Recruitment Task Force and became a Big Brother himself after he retired as a state banking examiner. He has been a Big Brother and mentor to Melvin, age 17, since 1991. Mr. McDonald lives with his wife, Alice. Their three grown children are all college graduates. As a humanitarian and volunteer, Bob continues to demonstrate his commitment to our community.
Barbara Jefferson was an educator and school administrator for 41 years and retired in June 2002 as principal of William N. DeBerry Elementary School in Springfield. Under her leadership, DeBerry School was the first to implement a new program called “TABS” (Team Approach to Better Schools), which was used as an example for educators at National Education Association conferences nationwide. She also planned and implemented the successful Partnership in Business program with Digital Equipment Company in Springfield, a project which received state awards and national recognition in scholastic publications. In addition, Mrs. Jefferson initiated a partnership with Springfield College which paired college and elementary students for tutoring.
With support from the community, for two years in a row she accompanied DeBerry parents, teachers and students on cultural trips to Senegal where they developed a partnership with a sister school. The retired principal is a founding member and past president of Black Educators in Springfield, Inc., and has served as an officer and member of a number of other professional organizations and committees. Among her awards and citations was the Governor Dukakis Award for her “many years of public service” and “contribution in the field of education.”
Raymond A. Jordan presently serves as the New England States Liaison for Faith-based and Community Initiatives for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He is vice chair of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee and a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) since 1996. He is the first and only African-American member of the DNC from Massachusetts.
From 1975-1994, Mr. Jordan served in the Massachusetts General Court for the 12th Hampden District of Springfield, where he was able to secure major funding for the city. He sponsored and had signed into law legislation that provided $5 million in aid to organizations and businesses in the minority community. As chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, he developed and filed legislation for a bond bill that provided affordable housing for families, the elderly and the disabled.
Mr. Jordan is one of five founding members of the former “Harambee Holiday” week, an annual festival held to foster pride, dignity and accomplishment in the black community. He also founded the Upper State Street Development Corporation for the revitalization of Winchester Square and the “5A Program” (Academic, Athletic, Arts, Achievement Association, Inc.) to provide positive alternatives for today’s urban youth. In addition, he established the Black Men of Greater Springfield, a mentoring program that pairs professional men with children from one-parent households. He has raised substantial funds for the Dunbar Community Center, the Urban League of Springfield, and other community-based agencies. His outstanding professional accomplishments and volunteer work in the community have earned him numerous awards and commendations.
Mr. Jordan was born and raised in Springfield. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies at the University of Massachusetts and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, the former Donna Harris, have been married 39 years and are life members of Alden Baptist Church. They have two daughters, Denise and Darlene.
Mr. and Mrs. Lanier, founders and owners of Springfield Food System, Inc., since 1983, operate six franchised restaurants in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut and are known for hiring young people, single parents and physically challenged individuals from many ethnic backgrounds.
The Laniers are active volunteers and contributors in the Springfield community. Mr. Lanier is Chairman of the Board for the Urban League of Springfield, serves on the boards of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Community Development Corporation, and is a Trustee of the New Leadership Charter School, an advisor to Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, and past president of the Springfield Minority Business Association. He also belongs to the Elks, The Brethren of Springfield, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and other service organizations.
Mrs. Lanier serves on the boards of the Greater Springfield YMCA and the Springfield Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc., and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
The Laniers received the Small Business of the Year Award from the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce in 2000; and in 2003, they received the Springfield Business Fruits of Labor Award for consistency in contributions to the neighborhoods of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Lanier are life members of the NAACP and members of St. John’s Congregational Church in Springfield.
Ronald E. Harrell has been honored with the 14th annual Ubora Award for his longstanding work with Boy Scout Troop 35, the only predominantly African-American troop in Massachusetts outside of Boston. He has served as Soutmaster for 25 years and currently is Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 35 as well. He is also chairman of the Springfield District of the Boy Scouts of America and amember of the Pioneer Valley Council Executive Board.
Harrell said he devotes his time to inner city youth as their Scoutmaster because “Scouting provides exceptional values, citizenship, fitness and experiences for urban kids which they could not get otherwise,” and also “. . .because the Scout motto says we must help other people at all times and more importantly, because someone did it for me.” His most recent adventure with several members of his troop was a 475-mile bicycle trip home from the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Bowling Green, VA, in early August.
Harrell is the owner and funeral director of Harrell Funeral Home in Springfield. He was the first African American to serve as president of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association and to serve on the Policy Board of the National Funeral Directors Association. He holds a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from Syracuse Universtiy and graduated head of his class from Simmons School of Mortuary Science. He has served in volunteer leadership positions for St. John’s Congregational Church, the Mason Square Development Corporation, the Friends of the Homeless, and other civic groups. He has two teenage sons.
Ms. Janet Troutman-Simmons has a long and distinguished record of community service. When her four children were young, she held leadership positions with a number of children’s organizations, including the PTAs of her children’s schools, Jack & Jill of America, Northern Educational Services, and other groups.
While staffing the Western Massachusetts office of U. S. Senator Edward W. Brooke, she headed the Domestic Action Program, assisted by Arthur Jones and Geraldine Bilik, to establish the Westover Air Force Base Tri-City Day Camp, which provided camp experiences for children of Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke, and summer jobs for UMass staff. The program was recognized nationally as the best use of government funds for inner-city children.
Mrs. Troutman Simmons chaired the Mason Square community committee which resulted in the establishment of the W. W. Johnson Life Center, providing mental health services to a large area of the city. She also served as its executive director. She was a member of the Women’s Council of the City of Springfield, the Community Council of Greater Springfield, the Springfield Cultural Council, the Inner-City Council of the Boys Scouts of America, and the Board of the Urban League of Springfield.
She was a member of the Vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Western Mass., and the Council of Churches. In addition, she was the Bishop’s Delegate to the National General Convention and served on the national committee for the establishment of Absalom Jones Theological Center in Atlanta.
Still actively involved in the community, Mrs. Troutman-Simmons currently volunteers on a committee to aid Somalian refugees, and recently completed ser4vice on the boards of the Mental Health Association and Kimball Condominiums.
Denise R. Jordan has demonstrated her commitment to the greater Springfield community both professionally and as a volunteer. Her proudest accomplishment has been serving as president of the Academic Athletic Arts Achievement Association, known as 5A Football, since 1997. The organization uses sports as a vehicle to provide academic assistance, leadership development, and mentoring to more than 360 young people each year.
Mrs. Jordan also serves on the boards of FutureWorks, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School for Excellence, A.W.A.K.E., the Mason Square Drug-Free Community Coalition, the Hampden County Youth Regional Employment Board, and other community organizations. In addition, she volunteers at St. John’s Congregational Church and is a member of the media ministry.
Ms. Jordan is employed as a civil rights officer for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services serving Western Massachusetts. She is also the chairwoman of the Springfield Election Commission, and she served for two years a s moderator for the City of Hope: Empowering Parents Summit which featured Dr. Bill Cosby as the keynote speaker.
Born and raised in Springfield, Ms. Jordan received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and her Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development from AIC in Springfield.
Her dedicated involvement in the community continues to foster the cultural, educational and professional development of at-risk youth.
Mrs. Allyson Gouzounis has dedicated her life to children. Early in her career, she supervised the successful Chapter I Toddler Home Program for ten years and then became a teacher and administrator in the Springfield Public School for over 30 years before retiring in 2004.
While at Kensington Avenue School she and her husband, George, created the Arts in the Morning program after the school lost both its art and music teachers. The program exposes children to a variety of art forms and performing opportunities.
In 2005, she and her husband began Over the Top: The Ballroom Dance Project for 5th graders. They now go to seven Springfield schools during the school year to teach the children a variety of ballroom dances. Eight couples from each school are selected to compete in a city-wide competition held each spring at Symphony Hall. Mrs. Gouzounis said that by participating in Over the Top, “the children have learned not only how to dance, but have also gained self-confidence, learned to be risk-takers and to work together as a team, and most importantly to show kindness and respect for one another.”
Mrs. Gouzounis was the first black student to graduate from MacDuffie School. She was then awarded a four-year scholarship from the Hampton Institute in Virginia and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She went on to earn a Master’s Degree in special education from American International College and a second Master’s Degree in social work from Springfield College. In addition to continuing to teach part time at Kensington Avenue School, Mrs. Gouzounis works as a therapist at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She also serves on the board of Camp Atwater and volunteers for other community organizations.
Mr. Ronald A. Copes is a retired Corporate Vice President of Community Relations from MassMutual Financial Group, where he led the company’s community outreach programs and charitable giving initiatives with emphasis on educational programs. In 1997, he received the company’s Chairman’s Leadership Award.
He is currently serving as the Interim President and CEO of United Way of Pioneer Valley.
A Hartford native, Mr. Copes graduated from Lincoln University in Missouri with a B.S. Degree in accounting, and earned an M.B.A. from Atlanta University. He subsequently served in the U. S. Army for 27 years and retired as a Colonel. He was award the Silver Star Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge for combat in Vietnam.
He has actively supported the Springfield community through his former employment and his many years of volunteer service. He was deeply involved in the fund development effort to construct the Martin Luther King Community Center and the Dunbar Community Center. He has served on many local boards, including the Springfield Urban League, Springfield School Volunteers, Pioneer Valley Boy Scouts, Dunbar Community Center, Partners for a Healthier Community, and a number of others. He is a member of Black Men of Greater Springfield engaged in mentoring young men and is also a Read Aloud Volunteer, reading to children in the Springfield Public Schools. In April 2004, Mr. Copes was appointed by Mayor Ryan to serve on the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. In 2005, Governor Romney appointed him to the board of STCC.
An avid football and basketball player and fan since high school, Mr. Copes is especially committed to organizations that support, motivate and teach young people to become tomorrow’s leaders.
After 20 years working as a human resources director for several large corporations, Ms. Zee Johnson is currently Director of Programs at Dunbar Community Center. However, her greatest passion is Olive Tree Book-n-Voices, a local community bookstore in Springfield that she co-owns with her daughter, Olivia, a recent graduate of Temple University.
A resident of Springfield since 1978, Zee’s ultimate dream was to give back to the African-American community what she had gained as a young girl. While growing up in Richmond, Virginia, Zee loved libraries and was always surrounded by books. In 2004, acting on her firm belief that if you want to help your community you can’t run away from your community, she established Olive Tree Books-n-Voices in an abandoned crack house on Hancock Street. She continued to work full time at her corporate job while working weekends and holidays at the bookstore, which offers books about African-American history.
Although the store officially closes at 5 p.m., Zee often keeps it open longer, never telling shoppers that the store has closed. She has been known to privately make up a lower price for someone who was unable to afford the book at its retail cost. She also delivers books to elderly customers who aren’t able to visit the store, frequently forgoing payment. Knowing that she was undercharging and operating at a loss, she would say, “Just knowing that they have a book is my pleasure and profit.”
In 2008, Zee received a grant to purchase books for kids and developed several reading groups for children in different age groups. Each child received about a dozen books but was also expected to learn trivia facts about African-American history in addition to reading. She personally connected with the parents and the kids, who still visit the bookstore today. Zee, known as “the bookstore lady on Hancock Street,” has created a legacy of learning for many kids, teens and adults.
Al and Gerry Garner met in their senior year of high school in Washington, D.C. After earning his Ph.D., Dr. Garner was hired as a research chemist by Monsanto Chemical Company, and the couple came to Springfield in 1956 with their first two children. Two more were born during the five and a half years they spent here before Dr. Garner was transferred to Ohio.
While in Springfield for the first time, Dr. Garner became a Vice President and Membership Chair of the local NAACP chapter and served on the Board of the Urban League. He also taught Sunday School at St. John’s Congregational Church, and Mrs. Garner was one of two women who started a church-time nursery at St. John’s.
During the years they spent in the Midwest, they were very active in civic and educational organizations. Upon their return to Springfield in 1984, they once again immersed themselves in serving the community. They became Literacy Volunteer Network tutors and inaugurated the Heacock Center Adult Literacy classes at St. John’s in 1989. They were co-directors and tutors in the program, which was recognized with a Governor’s Community Builders Award.
Mrs. Garner chaired the church’s Christian Education Committee, was on the board of the Springfield Council of Churches, and has been very active with the Pioneer Valley Girl Scout Council. Her volunteer work with Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority led to The Garners’ involvement with the Partnership in Math and Science (PIMS) program, a national initiative of the sorority. The Garners formed a local PIMS chapter with the goal of stressing the importance of math and science for African American students. From 1997 to 2001, The Garners directed the PIMS program for 100 local students. Mrs. Garner also joined the local coalition of the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Parent Involvement Program (PIP) and went on to link the PIMS and PIP programs in Springfield. The PIMS/PIP coalition of parents and schools introduced the first National African American Parent Involvement Day as an annual event held during Black History Month. PIMS/PIP sponsored financial workshops for parents, science workshops for kids, essay contests, and other activities.
The Garners have lived in Springfield longer than in any other place in their lives. They appreciate all the opportunities, help and support the Springfield community has given them.
Mr. E. Henry Twiggs, Springfield’s Ward 4 City Councilor, has been actively involved in Democratic Party politics at every level for more than 50 years. As a tireless civil rights organizer during a turbulent period in our country’s history, he helped shape some momentous events. Mr. Twiggs was one of the people who crossed the Edmund Pettis Bridge during the Selma to Montgomery March. He was an active participant in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and strove to keep Dr. King’s dream alive through his work on the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign March on Washington.
Councilor Twiggs’ voice is heard and respected by the Democratic Party leadership in Springfield, Boston and Washington. He served as State Representative Ben Swan’s Chief of Staff and has been Chairman of the Springfield Democratic City Committee since 2001. He represented our congressional district as a delegate pledged to Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and will do so again this year.
He has been active in fraternal organizations and civic affairs for many years. A proud Shriner, Mr. Twiggs has held many significant posts within Masonic lodges, and was recognized as Master Mason of the Year in 1999 and 2003.
Among his many civic activities, he has serves as Chairman of the McKnight Neighborhood Council, President of Harambee Holiday, Inc., and was a founding member of Five (5) A.
Councilor Twiggs has received numerous awards for public service, including WGBY’s coveted Eyes on The Prize Award for his work as a frontline civil rights organizer in the South and elsewhere. He also received the Man of the Year Award from the Bethel AME Church in 2006 and from the Canaan Baptist Church in 2008, where he regularly worships.
Katie and Bob Glasgow have lived in the Springfield area for the greater part of this half century and between the two, they volunteer for a total of 17 different local agencies. Bob and Katie have both spent much of their time volunteering for various charities and organizations, and their nomination for this award is based on their overarching contributions to the Springfield community. Both Bob and Katie are retired after 41 years on the job – Bob worked for the U. S. Postal Service, and Katie worked as a histology technician at Noble, Ludlow, and Baystate Hospitals.
Katie Glasgow has had many varied volunteer positions at First Church of Christ, UCC including: Social Chair of the Women’s Benevolent Society, Sunday School teacher and coordinator, flower deliverer to the sick, delegate to the Council of Churches, director of Cradle Roll, Chairman of the Board of Deacons, and an executive role on the Church and Ministry Committee for Hampden Association, UCC. Katie is also a volunteer at the Springfield Library’s STARR program, helping young children learn to read at both the Carew Street Head Start and at Liberty Street School’s kindergarten.
Bob has also had a vast and varied volunteering career. He delivers communion to the sick and shut-ins of his church, delivers food through the Mason-Wright Center and the Urban League, reads to children at Kensington School, attends Board of Trustees meetings at Classical Condominiums, and helps as an usher at the Majestic Theater and Symphony Hall. Bob is a United Way representative, giving public speeches on behalf of the Pioneer Valley United Way to numerous companies. He is also a Faith in Action representative, and Vice President of the Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association.
Bob and Katie Glasgow are honored with the Ubora Award this year for their outstanding efforts in serving the greater Springfield community, work that these two individuals are sure to continue for many years to come.
Jerald Jay Griffin is one of sixteen children, nine boys and seven girls, born to Andrew and Geraldine Griffin. He was born in Springfield, MA and attended local public schools.
A graduate of St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX, Jay worked as a consultant with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in developing extensive operational standards for maximum security units in Illinois. Later, Jay was essential in the reorganization of the Texas Youth Commission, which included the phasing out of the notorious Gatesville Unit for youthful offenders. Jay later returned to Springfield to work with the Hampden County Sheriff Department, and is now retired from his final post as an administrator for an HIV/AIDS counseling and testing program.
Jay has a long history of community service dating back to 1969 as one of the founders of “Harambee,” which became a major African-American festival in the City of Homes. He is also co-founder of the Stone Soul Festival and has served as Program Chairman since its beginnings twenty-five years ago. In addition, Jay currently serves on the Mason Square Health Task Force in conjunction with the Healthy Community Collaborative. He is also a Board member of the Old Hill Neighborhood Council, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and a Commissioner on the Springfield Building Parks and Recreation Board.
Other noteworthy volunteer efforts include organizing the Safe and Sane Halloween Party for youth in Mason Square, Toys for Tots — Old Hill Neighborhood Council, and the Charlie Rawls BBQ in collaboration with the Mason Square Health Task Force. Jay is a member of St. John’s Congregational Church.
A dedicated advocate for the historical accomplishments of African-Americans, Jay is known as “Scallywag Hawkins” among the Living History re-enactors of the Peter Brace Brigade of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Jay met his wife Freda in Texas and they are the proud parents of a daughter, Imani – a Springfield College Master’s Degree candidate. He also has three adult children from his first marriage: Jay, Jr., Timothy and Christel.
Henry M. Thomas, III has served as President of the Urban League of Springfield for the past 39 years, where he has championed the causes of educational quality as well as workforce and economic development while also focusing attention on the needs of Springfield’s youth and senior populations. Mr. Thomas also serves as Chief Executive Officer for the historic Camp Atwater, the oldest African American overnight youth camp in the United States.
Mr. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Masters of Arts Degree in Human Resource Development from American International College. He earned a Jurisprudence Doctorate Degree from Western New England University School of Law. Mr. Thomas also received Honorary Doctoral Degrees from Bay Path University and Westfield State University, and a certificate from the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and Public Policy.
Mr. Thomas was the first African American to chair the Springfield Fire Commission, first to lead the Springfield Police Commission, and first African American Chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees. His ability as an athlete has earned him induction into the Springfield High School Sports Hall of Fame (for football, track, and gymnastics), and the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame (Henry Butova Award).
Mr. Thomas is the recipient of a number of other notable awards, including the University of Massachusetts Distinguished Service Award, the Leadership Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Urban League’s Association of Executives.
Henry’s bride of 44 years is Devonia J. Thomas, who hails from Marshall, TX and recently retired as a Vice Principal in Springfield Public Schools. They have two children; their son, Perren, is a Wall Street investment banker; and their daughter, Shadae, is an elementary school Principal in the Springfield Public School system. Devonia and Henry are the proud grandparents of one grandson, Perren (“PJ”) who is 3 years old. He is a member of St. John’s Congregational Church.
Helen Caulton-Harris is currently the Commissioner of the Division of Health and Human Services for the City of Springfield. She oversees the delivery of health services to over 150,000 residents. Her leadership supports programs that promote the physical, social and economic well-being of the community.
In recognition of her efforts, she has received numerous awards including the AIDS Action Award from the Action Committee and the Rebecca Lee Award from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Ms. Caulton-Harris was named Woman of the Year by the Springfield Postal Service and received the Paul Revere Award from the Massachusetts Public Health Association. In 2015, she was selected as one of the 100 Outstanding Women of Color from Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Previously, Ms. Caulton-Harris was appointed by former Governor Deval Patrick to both the Public Health and Food Policy Councils for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and was also appointed to the Region 1 Health Council by the Secretary of Minority Health in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Caulton-Harris is the immediate past chair of both AAA of Pioneer Valley and Holyoke Community College, having held both chairmanships simultaneously. She is also a past president of the Greater Springfield Chapter of Links, Inc.; a life member of the Carl L. Talbot VFW Ladies Auxiliary; and a member of the Xi XI Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Girl Friends, Inc. She is the mother of two children, Angela and Christopher.
As a civil rights activist, the Honorable Benjamin Swan was the Western Massachusetts coordinator for the monumental 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom. He is recognized as the preeminent leader of the 1960s civil rights movement in the City of Springfield, and he served as the president of the Greater Springfield branch of the NAACP. For twenty-four years, Swan offered exemplary service as State Representative for the 11th Hampden District, the City of Springfield, Western Massachusetts Region, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, retiring this past January. As a community leader, Swan helped launch a number of community-based organizations such as Northern Education Service and the former Springfield Action Commission. As an artist and the creator of the long-standing “Black Love Experience” radio program, Swan provides community updates in educational and cultural activities and shares inspirational Black classical music.
Swan graduated from the former Springfield Technical High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Fashion Design Institute and his Masters of Art in Education from the University of Massachusetts. Swan completed advanced graduate work at UMass and received an honorary doctorate from Westfield State University. He has received many awards and recognitions including the 1990 “Eye on the Prize Award.”
A resident of Springfield for 67 years, at 83 years of age Swan continues to dedicate his life to good work. During a lecture to future teachers, Swan said, “Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well—excellence does not tolerate mediocrity.”
Keshawn Dodds was born and raised in Springfield, where he resides with his wife, Tamara Dodds, and daughter, Sydney Sharee Dodds. He attended American International College with a football scholarship, and graduated with a B.S. in Education in 2001 and returned to earn a Master of Education in 2009.
Dodds became a fourth- and fifth-grade elementary school teacher within the Springfield Public Schools. During his tenure, he taught at the Homer and Washington Elementary schools. He served as a Mayoral Aide under former Mayor of Springfield Charles V. Ryan. Dodds worked for a decade at American International College as the Director of Diversity & Community Engagement. He is currently the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club Family Center.
Dodds is also a published author, playwright, and actor. His first book, Menzuo: The Calling of the Sun Prince, became an Amazon.com Best Selling book.
Dodds credits his mother, Elizabeth Dodd, for instilling what a good education can bring to a person. Dodds firmly believes that, when hard work meets dedication, success is born.
“This is an amazing honor to receive such a prestigious award from the Springfield Community,” Dodds said when he heard he won the award. “I am truly humbled, yet honored to be selected for this. The work that I do, I do out of love for my city and especially our youth. To have my work recognized and also honored warms the heart, thank you.”
A longtime disc jockey, Andrew Cade opens his show daily to allow people from the community to inform listeners about issues and events. He makes certain there is a place at the table for those who do not otherwise have a chance to say their piece.
In addition to serving as Vice President of the Urban League of Springfield and he has been involved as the Entertainment Coordinator for the Stone Soul Festival; he is a member of the Brianna Fund for children with physical disabilities, the Carl Joseph Walker Hoover Foundation against Childhood Bullying, Women Who Are Legends, and St. John’s First Lady’s Luncheon Committee. Cade also spearheaded all of the marketing and promotion, entertainment and stage coordination for the citywide Resurrection Sunday that took place at Symphony Hall.
Cade is the Event Coordinator for The Brethren’s Annual Community Celebration, Juneteenth. He founded Ujima, a social organization that hosts bus trips to plays, concerts, and sports events out of area. An avid lover of tennis, Cade taught youth tennis for decades and was instrumental in the establishment of Moving on Up with Tennis and Education in the City of Springfield. Cade served as the Vice President of the Academic Athletics Arts Achievement Association, affectionately known as 5A Football, for over twenty years. Cade is the Chair and Commissioner for the Springfield Cultural Council, and serves as a member of the Springfield License Commission.
Upon learning he had won the award, Cade responded, “I am incredibly honored, humbled, and excited to be selected to receive the prestigious 2019 Ubora Award. To be among the distinguished class of those who have come before me to receive this award is truly amazing.”
Representative Bud L. Williams, a lifelong resident of Springfield, Massachusetts, exemplifies community service through his devotion to civic duties, his unflinching advocacy for the people he represents, and his unrelenting activism for social justice for all people.
A graduate of Putnam High School, where he demonstrated academic success in the classroom and demonstrated good character and sportsmanship on the basketball court, Williams received accolades and offers from many colleges but chose to continue his education in Springfield so he could also care for his mother and younger siblings.
After earning a Bachelor of Education degree from Springfield Technical College and Westfield State University, Williams continued his studies to earn a Master of Education degree from the University of Massachusetts. As an elementary school teacher and later as a probation officer, he helped many young people establish positive life goals.
Elected to Springfield City Council in 1993, Williams was recognized as “the People’s Council” by many who appreciated his unflinching advocacy on their behalf. Currently serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the Eleventh Hampden, consisting of Springfield: Ward 2: Precinct H, Ward 3: Precinct A, Ward 4, Ward 5: Precincts A, B, E, F, Ward 6: Precinct E, Ward 7: Precinct A, Ward 8: Precinct C, he is also a member of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.
Williams continues to demonstrate his strength making a significant contribution to positively impact the quality of life in the Springfield community at-large. Most recently, he was instrumental in stopping TD Bank from closing the Mason Square bank branch—a closure that would have negatively impacted poor and underserved residents, particularly senior patrons.
Bud Williams is a champion for justice and a healthy community.
As President of Jackson Security and Jackson Transportation, Robert “Cee” Jackson employs many community members and negotiates fees to help make his services affordable to all. As Vice President of the African-American philanthropic organization the Brethren Community Foundation, he helps neighborhood youth with projects such as staging a celebration of Juneteenth that showcased remarkable community talent and providing college scholarships. Jackson’s community-minded leadership also includes the Urban League Board of Directors and the Springfield Partners of Community Action Board of Directors. In addition, he is an active member and distinguished leader of the Masonic Order.
Graduates of Tuskegee (Institute) University, the Cuttings are a couple who are no strangers to firsts.
Dr. Cutting is the first and only African American person to own and operate a veterinary hospital and clinic in Western Massachusetts. At 11 years old, he decided he wanted to be a veterinarian so he could help save animals. After graduating as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University in Alabama, he worked hard to achieve this dream of owning his own practice, mentoring, and encouraging students to explore STEM careers. For almost 50 years until his retirement, Dr. Cutting lived his dream of serving multiple generations of “pet parents” at his Memorial Drive Animal Clinic in Chicopee, MA.
Carol Moore Cutting became the first woman in Massachusetts and the first African American in all New England to have been granted a Construction Permit to build, own and continuously operate a FM radio station. Carol and WEIB-106.3 Smooth FM have been recognized on a national level for this bold achievement in the broadcast community. In 1983, Cutting was interviewed, video recorded, and inducted by The HistoryMakers of Chicago with the goal of documenting and educating the world on the accomplishments of African Americans through video oral history interviews that are being preserved. Today her station can be heard locally, regionally, nationally, and globally, 24/7 over the Internet. In addition, Carol serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB), which is the first and only trade organization representing the interests of African American owners of radio and television stations across the country. Cutting serves on the Board of Directors and is the North Atlantic Regional Representative addressing` the specific concerns that face African American broadcasters.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Ubora Award, the African Hall Subcommittee added a new award category to honor the deep commitment of the people who helped found and sustain the award process. The Special Emeriti Award was initiated in 2021.
In deep appreciation for her decades of exemplary service to this subcommittee, honoring people of African decent from Greater Springfield, the African Hall Subcommittee celebrates Sylvia Humphrey-Spann, Emerita, and thanks her for all she has done to celebrate the greatness of Black Springfield with the Ubora and Ahadi awards.
Ms. Humphrey-Spann passed on February 20, 2022. You can read her obituary here.
Dr. Ruth Njiiri envisioned an award to lift up African American individual from Greater Springfield who lead transformational lives and inspire all to rise to their highest selves, as demonstrated by their service to community. In recognition of the extraordinary impact the Ubora and Ahadi awards have made for so many, the African Hall Subcommittee celebrates the one who lifted us all with her vision: our founder, Dr. Ruth Njiiri.
