By Catherine Pugh
Special to the AFRO
Over 200 people crowded into the newly built Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center for a grand opening celebration on July 2. The date of the event coincided with what would have been the 115th birthday of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who called Baltimore “home.”
Located at 1315 Division Street in Baltimore, the center represents the completion of the first building in a $50 million dollar initiative planned under the leadership of Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr., president and CEO of the Beloved Community Services Corporation.
President of the Finn Group, LaRian Finney, served as master of ceremony for the event, and the program began and ended in prayer by Bishop Dennis Proctor of the AME Zion Church.
The emotional opening of the building featured news clippings with remarks by United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black man appointed to America’s highest court in 1967. Marshall was appointed by then U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and served 23 years.
Among the attendees were several elected officials including Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07), Speaker of the Maryland State House Adrienne Jones (D-Md.-10), State Senator Antonio Hayes (D-Md.-40), Mayor of Baltimore City Brandon Scott and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates.
Mfume, who lived on Division street in his childhood, recalled meeting Thurgood Marshall in his office at the Supreme Court.
“He told me he had received a call from Congressman Parren Mitchell, who let him know I had lived in the neighborhood. I came with the new congressman who had been elected and he reminded us to never give up the fight for equality,” he said.
African Ambassadors from the Republic of Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania were also in attendance. Her Excellency Dr. Elsie Sia Kanzaa, Ambassador of Tanzania spoke about the power of uniting around a common cause.
“While Justice Marshall did not work directly with Tanzania, his work touched Tanzanians as he was working closely with our African brothers and sisters, striking for common cause, ending colonization and oppression and [standing] with us in our social justice and struggle for independence,” said Her Excellency. “We thank Baltimore for giving us all Justice Marshall.”
Dr. Hathaway wasted little time in thanking everyone, beginning with his wife and family, which included third generation members. He also extended his gratitude to those who protected the project, from former mayors to current leader Brandon M. Scott, who spoke and thanked Dr. Hathaway for remaining committed to the project and the Thurgood Marshall legacy goal of equality.
As an example of the need for such a center, Mayor Scott commented on the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision to allow former President Trump immunity from some prosecution related to actions taken while in office on Jan. 6, 2021 before, during and after the U.S. Capital insurrection.
“We must not give up the fight for dignity [and] equality–we must go deeper. If we don’t, many– if not all– of the things that Justice Thurgood Marshall toiled and worked for and accomplished will simply die because of our silence,” said Scott. “Let us continue in the fight the way he would want us to.”
Aside from Hathaway and Scott, additional remarks were given by the presidents from local universities including, Darryll Pines, of University of Maryland, Bruce E. Jarrell, president of University of Maryland Baltimore, and former Mayor of Baltimore and President of the University of Baltimore, Kurt Schmoke.
The Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, formerly known as Public School 103, was an elementary school located three blocks from Supreme Court Justice Marshall’s childhood home, which is located at 1632 Division Street.
A highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Thurgood Marshall Lecture series, by Mary Miller, which will take place at the Thurgood Marshall Amenities Center on Sept. 25. Members of the Maryland House of Delegates also unveiled a painting of the three African American Congressmen, Parren J. Mitchell, Kweisi Mfume and Elijah Cummings, that will hang in the center.
The final highlight before the ribbon cutting was the announcement of a $2 million pledge by the Carmelo Anthony Foundation, announcing the naming rights to the front of the building.
As the ceremony came to a close , Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr. announced the goal of raising $3.5 million with pledge cards being made available for all attendees.
He expressed high hopes for the future of the center as well as the history being passed down.
“Justice Thurgood Marshall should be to Baltimore [what] the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. is to Atlanta,” said Hathaway.
The new center will house several training opportunities, including sessions in artificial intelligence by Career Communications, financial literacy sessions by Bank of America, and skills and job training supported by Ricky Smith, CEO of the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. Judge Alexander Williams Jr. announced that a division of his center for education, justice and ethics will provide training at the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center.
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