Help to memorialize two former slaves who did much for City

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

Help remember the Legacy of Samuel Dove and Mother Lavender

The project is to memorialize two past members of our community who were born in slavery, and journeyed from southern plantations to Utica and proved to be exceptional citizens, each making significant contributions to the social fabric of the city. We think that their contributions should be remembered and eternalized with memorial markers it the Martin Luther King Dream Park on South Street in Utica NY.

www.gofundme.com/f/help-remember-the-legacy-of-samuel-dove-and-mother-lavender


I did not have time this AM to give the story which ran in Spectrum News and touched my soul. I pray it does the same for anyone reading.


A local activist is working to honor former slaves, Samuel Dove and Mother Lavender, who migrated to Utica and became outstanding members of the community.



“Lizzie was her nickname,” said Edward Jackson, the chairman for Cornhill Community for Change in Utica, of Mother Lavender. “Mr. Dove, he actually came to Utica with his slave master at the time. When he came here to New York of course being a free slave, he was a free man.



"When his slave master wanted to go back, he was like, 'No way, I’m staying here.’ ”



Samuel Dove worked in civil service. He became the first African American to join an organized fire brigade.



“He was well respected," Jackson said. "They say when he died, it was an overflow of attendance of important people in the community.”



Elizabeth Lavender, better known as Mother Lavender, was also a prominent member of the Utica community.



"She started out as a street minister," Jackson said. "She was interested in helping the needy both spiritually and materially.”



She believed no one should go hungry on New Year’s Day, so she started making dinners.



“She would have people lined up on New Year’s Day just to get meals," Jackson said. "If anybody was hungry, they knew where she lived.”



Jackson has created a GoFundMe page to raise money to create memorial markers for Dove and Mother Lavender at Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Park in Utica.



“We have a small Black community, and I think we need to hang on to whatever we can for things that the Black community has done," Jackson said.



Jackson says Dove and Mother Lavender suffered great hardships from slavery, and instead of being bitter, he says they became better for themselves, their community and the next generation.



“I think it’ll be a great historical perspective for young and old," Jackson said.


spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2024/06/22/activist-works-to-honor-legacy-of-former-slaves-samuel-dove-and-mother-lavender-