By Angelyn Anderson |   Follow@ReclaimBVille

Historian. Activist. Griot. Educator. Author. These titles do not do justice to the life, experiences, and legacy of Timuel D. Black, Jr. When I first met Black, I was beginning my research on Bronzeville for my graduate degree. At the age of 96, he possessed a social calendar that rivaled that of someone a quarter his age.

Dr. Timuel D. Black celebrates his 100th birthday on December 09, 2018 at South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago, IL. Photo Credit – Parthenia M. Luke

Whether he was headed to the opening of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, preparing to give a lecture at the University of Chicago, or reviewing information for an upcoming board meeting for The Vivian G. Harsh Society, Black showed no signs of slowing down. Three years later, nothing has changed. I am fortunate to have this opportunity to share some of what I’ve learned about him with you.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 7, 1918, Black often tells the story of his family’s migration to Bronzeville. His mother and father were born in Florence and Jackson, Alabama (respectively) to sharecroppers. He jovially shares that he was the reason his family moved to Chicago. Jokingly, he says, “I brought my family to Chicago when I was eight months old.”

Photo Credit – Parthenia M. Luke via Bronzeville Life Publication

The story, he describes as “a fairytale but also accurate,” begins with him looking around and telling his mother he was leaving. Barely old enough to walk, his mother couldn’t allow her baby to travel alone. His father, the primary breadwinner, came along just for the adventure. In reality, Black shares, his parents, like many others, left Alabama to escape the Ku Klux Klan and other injustices African-Americans in the South were met with during that time. The North glowed with promise—the ability to vote and better education for their children.

Once in Chicago, Black attended Burke Elementary then went on to graduate from DuSable High School. After high school, he joined the United States Army. Upon returning home from World War II, he attended Roosevelt University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. To further his education, even more, Black completed a Master of Arts at The University of Chicago. Black’s professional career was just as expansive as his education. He’s served as a high school teacher, a community organizer and eventually as a professor with the City College of Chicago. Black is committed to sharing his knowledge about Bronzeville and any other of the vast topics he’s well-versed in with anyone who’s interested.

In all of his travels and experiences, Black always returned home to Bronzeville. He’s witnessed this community grow, he’s seen its highs and lows, yet still believes the neighborhood remains “an indispensable community to the whole city.” When asked about what he would like for the rest of Chicago and the world to know about Bronzeville, he shared, “Bronzeville is the place that we can prove that the impossible is always possible…politically, economically, socially, and culturally.”

Timuel Black’s enthusiasm for life is contagious and shows that anything is possible—even at 100!

Family, friends, and supporters came out to celebrate Dr. Black with several programs. On December 9, a free and public program took place at the Logan Theatre at the University of Chicago recognizing his achievement. Followed up on December 10 with a beautiful Gala-style dinner at the South Shore Cultural Center with community leaders, dignitaries, live performances showering love and admiration.