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by Wanda Sabir, Arts and Culture Editor
One hundred years ago, racism was not something you could move away from if you were Black. Geographical lines were intrinsically woven into a national fabric. Threads seemed to follow certain citizens cross country whether that was New York, Washington, D.C., Alabama or Monterey, Calif.
Anita J. Black’s first encounter with racism preceded her birth – in fact, the town her pregnant mother lived in had a hospital that would not admit her, so Black’s father had to drive his family to the neighboring town, Salinas, where she was born. This was Aug. 23, 1921.
Anita’s mother was Frances Albrier, and her father, William Jackson, worked in military special services as an interpreter – he knew many languages, yet his government job did not protect his family from discrimination.
Little Anita was the youngest of three children – her siblings Frances Betty Jackson and the eldest, William “Bill” Albert Jackson. Her father and mother met while he was stationed in Fort Ord, and the family moved to Monterey. When her parents separated, the children lived with their father in Seattle for a few years and then settled in Berkeley with their mother.
Her mother, Frances Albrier, is the well-known and celebrated human rights activist, suffragist, president of the National Council of Negro Women, San Francisco Chapter, and board member of Herrick Hospital among other things. Her mother started the senior centers in Berkeley, and she and her youngest child traveled to the World Conference on Gerontology in Japan together. This trip included travel to Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Mrs. Black attended Berkeley public schools until Berkeley High wouldn’t give her the classes she needed for college. Yes, racism reared its venomous head again – Anita was a Black girl. The school tracked her off the college course, so her mother sent her to University High in Oakland, and then she returned to Monterey to graduate from Monterey High School. She would go on to get her BS in Nursing from Highland Hospital and later earn her Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Cal State Hayward (now CSEB).
When she graduated in the 1940s from Highland Hospital, Black was one of only two Black graduates. After Highland, she worked at Fairmount Hospital in San Leandro and Mt. Zion in San Francisco – in those days, Black people couldn’t work at some of these facilities. Race kept many qualified women and men from getting employment.
This happened to Anita Black’s mother, who’d trained as a nurse at Tuskegee and had advanced degrees from there and Howard University – but Mrs. Albrier could not find employment in her field, so she went into civil service at Pullman. That’s where she met C.L. Dellums, who, with A. Phillip Randolph, organized the Sleeping Car Porters Union.
Mrs. Black enjoyed taking care of people, young and old. Her career in medicine found her working in pediatrics, surgery and rehabilitation. She taught her children how to eat well, the importance of exercise and rest. She kept her license renewed until she was 92, which is when I guess you could say she retired.
Medical Officer Anita Black and her late brother, William “Bill” Albert Jackson, chief engineer, (Sept. 24, 1918-2012) restored the Red Oak Victory Ship which is a part of the Richmond Museum. This was the last ship saved from that era.
On Mother’s Day each year there would be a pancake breakfast. Mrs. Black’s big brother, Bill, was the only person who knew how the old boilers worked. At the breakfasts on Sunday, one could also look forward to a lecture and a tour. These two volunteers were passionate about the ship and its exciting history.
During her career in healthcare, Mrs. Black owned her own insurance business. She did rehab work for injured parties. She started and ran the West Oakland Health Center. She consulted with convalescent homes to get state certification (senior day care centers certification). Among her rewards was the American Cancer Society Certificate of Merit.
Mrs. Black has three sons: Michael J. Gomez, eldest, Manual Albert Gomez and Garry Todd Gomez (deceased); three granddaughters; two great grands; a nephew, John Ellis, her sister Frances Betty’s son; and a cousin, Frances Williams, Aunt Laura Anna Redgrave’s daughter.
In her later years, she was the resident medical consultant for her sons, and she was going out to the ship with her dear big brother and working for a company doing immunizations at airports and other public places. People would tell Michael they saw his mom. He says he couldn’t keep up with her.
Michael recalls a story his mom shared about a guy with big muscles who was scared of needles. The needles kept breaking because he was tense. The hospital called her in and she got the needle in the first time without a pinch.
When Michael did ultra-marathons, he recalls fondly his mother, who was his stage manager, supplying his water and snacks at each checkpoint. The runs were 26 miles, 26 hours. It was 62 miles around Lake Tahoe. He did four ultra-marathons a year. She’d stay up all night and wait for Michael at the stops along the trail. He says: “My mom was my coach. I learned about my body and how to eat and train from her.”
Michael is now head coach of cross country and track and field at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo. For 23 years, his kids have won at the state championships. He learned from the best.
Mrs. Black continues to inspire others with her life of service. We wish her a Happy 101st Birthday and a happy year.
Bay View Arts and Culture Editor Wanda Sabir can be reached at wanda@wandaspicks.com. Visit her website at www.wandaspicks.com throughout the month for updates to Wanda’s Picks, her blog, photos and Wanda’s Picks Radio. Her shows are streamed live Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m., can be heard by phone at 347-237-4610 and are archived at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks.
