NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — On a Saturday afternoon, about a dozen or so people gathered in small building in the city of Niagara Falls.

"We wanted to give our youth some hope," said Hugh Leftwich, the group's leader

What You Need To Know

  • The Niagara Falls City School District is considering renaming five elementary schools after prominent Black contributors
  • Community-based group "Men Standing Strong Together" first proposed the idea
  • The district is forming a committee to explore and make recommendations

That group is called "Men Standing Strong Together.” They’re focused on bringing positive change, and teaching kids how to be strong contributors to their community as they deal with issues of race, crime, and poverty that so many in the city face. 

"There’s an age old adage that says it takes a village to raise a child. We grew up in the era," said member Rodney Sheard. 

That’s why the group went to the Niagara Falls City School board with an idea: to rename several elementary schools after Black and brown people who’ve made important contributions in the city, and across the country. 

"There’s no way that you can go forward without knowing your past. And that’s just a fact, OK?" Leftwich said.

Knowing their own history — and seeing the examples of people like them who came before them to overcome obstacles and make a difference.

"Renaming things that have a meaning so that people can know if he can do it, or she did it, I can do it," said group member Charles Searcy.

Jezell Allen is a sixth grader in Niagara Falls, and she’s all for renaming the schools.

"I felt like it was the perfect opportunity," she said. "I really think that if the kids learned how they did stuff and how they accomplished so much things, they’ll feel comfortable chasing their dreams and doing what they aspire to do."

And that inspiration is at the heart of this idea. Among the names suggested: Mary McLeod Bethune — a civil rights activist. 

"She was a teacher for girls," Allen said. "She was an educator and she was fighting for women’s rights."

Other names some have suggested include the late Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. Dr. Charles Drew, who was the inventor of a way to store blood plasma and protested the segregation of blood from Blacks and whites.

Blovena P. Bond was the first African American woman on the Niagara Falls school board and Theodore Williamson was the only Black funeral director and a business leader in the city. 

Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie supports the push to rename some of the schools after Black leaders in a district where 60 percent of students are considered minorities — 39 percent of kids are Black.

"It really is an important message. I think it really says something to kids," Laurrie said. "It helps us to relate better, not that we can’t relate to all races and colors and creeds. But it’s still an important part of what young people need to see."

The last time the district renamed a school in honor of a person was 1980 — for educator and administrator Geraldine J. Mann. She was known a strong supporter of integration. One way she did that was by requiring Black and white students to each lunch together in the school.

"A simple thought like that from a strong, brilliant woman changed the integration landscape of this school district," Laurrie said.

He added that district already works hard to teach kids about the accomplishments of Black and brown people through classroom studies, and honoring distinguished alumni throughout school buildings — but they can always do more.

And that’s behind the grassroots effort of Men Standing Strong Together.

"The one thing about our youth: if they see things positive, in a positive way, they’ll react to that. A lot of times they don’t have anything to react to," Leftwich said.

Bringing change for the future, while acknowledging the past. 

"Changing the names would actually make a big difference where we live," Allen said.

The five schools under consideration are 79th Street, Maple Avenue, Niagara Street, Cataract, and Hyde Park. The school board is in the process of forming a 10-person committee of community members, faculty, staff, students and administrators led by a board member to discuss potential new names. There’s a March 15th deadline for residents of Niagara Falls who are interested in joining that committee. They can contact District Clerk Judie Glaser, at JGlaser@nfschools.net. Please be prepared to answer the question: why do you want to serve on this committee.