Statues showcasing the rich history of the Douglass Community Center and the Douglass Center Annex in Manhattan were officially unveiled to the public Tuesday morning.
“Today we celebrate black history on Yuma Street. That is monumental today in the city of Manhattan,” said Dave Baker, former Douglass Center Director.
Four years ago, Baker approached city officials wanting to do something within the historic district to highlight the important role the two buildings played in shaping Manhattan’s black culture and community in the 20th century.
“These statues will always tell that story. If you didn’t grow up here or live here, you would not know what these buildings were,” Baker said.
The statues outside the community center depict the late Sgt. First Class Lazone Grays, of Fort Riley and his wife Mozelle, both of whom served in the military during World War II. Douglass Center Advisory Board member Adrian Cruz says both of her parents would be amazed and honored to be selected as representatives of the generations of citizens and soldiers in the community.
“Dad would say, surely there’s somebody else more deserving than me. I would say dad, there is no one more deserving than you. Mom would say thank you and let’s get this ceremony over, because I have things to do,” she said.
The Douglass Community Center was a USO facility serving World War II soldiers. The statues outside the annex building depict two schoolchildren, showcasing the building as the school for black children in Manhattan prior to desegregation.
“This is our heritage. Our source of strength and pride forged by those who built the foundation for us that will be passed to our children, our children’s children, an unbroken chain, that is our future.
Funding for the statues was provided by the Lincoln and Dorothy Deihl endowed fund within the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation.
