Rev. Ann Gray Byrd is a civil rights and equality advocate, author, humanitarian and motivational speaker. Upon graduating from Santa Rosa High School in 1954, she became the first Secretary of the Santa Rosa NAACP branch her parents help establish.
In celebration of Black History Month, SRJC held a lecture at Bertolini Student Activities Center on Feb. 1 titled “Glimpses: Eye-Witnessed, Remembered and Lived (History of African-Americans in Sonoma County)” featuring Rev. Byrd.
Rev. Byrd read the names of several notable people depicted on a Santa Rosa South Park neighborhood mural. One is John Richards, who in 1856 had a dream to use his land to house former slaves after Emancipation. Other mural notables include Greg Saris, author of the book turned film “Grand Avenue” and Platt Williams, co-founder of the local NAACP branch.
By 1880, there were 60 African-Americans living in Sonoma County and the African-American population kept decreasing; in 1900, there were only 13 living in Santa Rosa. In the 1940s, as more African-Americans began moving to Santa Rosa, they were often stigmatized as live-in cooks, butlers, gardeners or servants.
Even after the 1940s, African-Americans endured other constraints, specifically, when it came to owning property in Sonoma County. Rev. Byrd briefly discussed the issue and read the following excerpt: “Housing covenants throughout the County stated no person of African, Japanese, Chinese or any Mongolian descent shall be allowed to purchase, own, lease or occupy said real property or any part thereof, the property previously owned by John Richards in South Park, became home.” There are some areas within Santa Rosa that still have housing covenants, Byrd said.
Rev. Byrd’s explained the absence of African-American students in Sonoma County schools. For instance, in 1876, the school census reported one African-American student in Santa Rosa, who was taught separately during recess.
“Through the grace of God, it wasn’t too bad,” Byrd said about her experience while attending high school. She explained that she was elected Student Body Secretary and there were a total of three enrolled black students at that time: Byrd, one of her brothers and one of her sisters. Before she and her siblings were enrolled in school, Byrd’s father visited the principal. Her father made it clear to the principal that if anything happened to his children, he was going to bring his shotgun and cause someone harm. “And I think they thought he meant it,” Byrd said.
Rev. Byrd said she and her siblings didn’t have many problems with name calling and bullying. “There were some teachers who cared enough about us who made sure it didn’t happen,” Byrd said.
Byrd also discussed the importance of having taught Black History to her children—like her father had done—since she knew her children’s schools were not going to. She also taught them survival techniques and not be ashamed of being black. “Be proud of who you are and what you are. And if anybody gives you any problems, call me,” Byrd said.
Her oldest son, Curtis, was a student at Montgomery High School and the school wanted him to play football. Byrd knew that if he played ball and went to college, then he wouldn’t end up with a degree. She said, “Nope! My son will not play football for you or anybody else.” The coach called a meeting and told her, “He is not college material.” Byrd’s told him she would show him otherwise.
After that, she took her children out of public school and enrolled them in private school at Cardinal Newman and Ursuline.
Byrd stressed the importance of change and making yourself heard by voting. “If change is to be, it begins with me. If change is to be, it begins with you. If you’re going to complain or challenge what’s going on, with the city council, the Board of Supervisors, the Assembly, the Senate…that is your voice. You must speak up.”
At the end of the “Glimpses” lecture, Byrd held a Question and Answer session. She touched again on the subject of racism and how it has gone from overt to covert, hidden and mean.
“The name-calling,” Byrd said. “Obama is now the ‘food stamp president.’ There’s a total lack of respect for his office, that he is not an American citizen. That is the covert racism that I’m talking about.”
SRJC student Jazmyne Burgess didn’t even know about the history or location of the South Park neighborhood “That’s actually where I’m residing at right now,” Burgess said. “I thought it was like a little inspiring for me to go find out and do more research, and learn about it personally since I am a part of this community.”
One subject that resonated with Burgess was racism, having experienced it first-hand after moving from Chicago. “I know of the ‘world’ she’s talking about with overt and covert racism because I have experienced that since living here, and I didn’t know what to do,” Burgess said.
Burgess said she was almost ready to return home once. “I have been referred to by the ‘N’ word and coming from Chicago—a black community—I never experienced that. But when I got here, I couldn’t believe that people were so shallow. They didn’t want to get to know me for me,” Burgess said.
James Kavele, a political science major, found the lecture interesting. “I thought they went through a lot of struggles. I didn’t know that they still can’t buy houses in different areas. My dad always said that, but I didn’t think it was true,” Kavele said.
“That they [the audience] are better informed about the community they’re living in and that they will accept some individual responsibility for change,” Byrd said. “By voting and being involved in what’s going on in our communities.”
Many of the historical facts that Rev. Byrd read during her lecture can be found in her book, “Glimpses: Eye-Witnessed, Remembered and Lived (History of African-Americans in Sonoma County).”