During the later part of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th Black women in Oakland established clubs and institutions to address the growing demands of the Black community.
California State Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, Inc. brochure – see here.
The Fannie Jackson Coppin Club is known as the “mother club” of California’s African American women’s club movement.
“Not failure, but low aim is the crime.“
Motto
The club was named in honor of Fannie Jackson Coppin (1837-1913), who was born a slave in Washington, D.C., and became a renowned educator.
Colored Directory 1917
At first, the club’s priority was to provide African American travelers who could not stay at segregated hotels with welcoming places to spend a night.
The club was involved with the creation of the Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored People in Oakland to provide care for elderly African Americans in the state of California.
Oakland Tribune June 26, 1959
California Club Journal 1973
Art and Industrial Club
In 1906, a branch of the Art and Industrial Club was formed and devoted itself to the arts and the “uplift of the race.”
“Deeds Not Words”
Motto
Colored Directory 1917
Mother’s Charity Club
Founded in 1907
“Lift as We Climb“
Motto
The Mother’s Charity Club was founded in 1907. They were dedicated to philanthropic endeavors. During its earliest years of activity, the Mother’s Charity Club fed and cared for many children and sick and needy persons.
Colored Directory 1917
1959-60
Elmhurst Progressive Club
The Elmhurst Progressive Club was founded in 1912 to uplift humanity.
“Progressive“
Motto
Colored Directory 1917
Oakland Tribune 1914
Imperial Art and Literary Club
The Imperial Art and Literary of Oakland were founded in 1912. They provided charity and promoted the arts and literary work.
“Love and Truth“
Motto
Colored Directory 1917
Oakland Tribune 1931
California Club Journal 1973
Self Improvement Club
Self Improvement Club of Oakland was founded in 1916. Their goal was to improve humanity and the surrounding communities.
“He who is true to God, is true to Man”
Motto
Colored Directory 1917
Rhododendron Self Cultured Club of Oakland
The Rhododendron Club was formed in the early 1950s to uplift and work for the development culture of their race. They wished for their every deed to be large and strong.
“Like Ivy we Climb–Lifting as we Climb“
Motto
Four women holding presents at the Rhododendron Club fashion show at Slim Jenkins
Exhibit at the African American History Library Oakland
Phillip Richard Springer (1874-1952) was the first black man in Oakland to own a taxicab. He was born in Barbados, in the British West Indies, and left home at age 16. At first, he operated under a jitney permit in Oakland, but he later had the license changed to a taxicab permit. By 1915, Springer’s Cab Company was well established. The Pullman Porters and West Oakland
Phillip R. Springer – date unknown
Phillip lived at various addresses in West Oakland.
1916
In the 1917 directory, he is listed at 835 Union Street with chauffeur as his occupation.
In the 1925 directory, he is listed along with his wife Edna at 879 Campbell Street with a taxi cab driver as his occupation.
From 1927 until he died in 1952, he lived at 957-35th Street with his family. The 1930 census reports that he owned his home and was a taxi cab driver at his own stand.
The Springer Home from 1927-at least 1952 957- 35th Street – Google Maps
Oakland Tribune 1952
A Family Business
Helaine Springer Head knows the taxicab business inside out. That’s because she grew up in it. Her late father, Phillip Springer, was the
“the first black man to own and operate his own taxi business – Springer Cab – in Oakland in the early 1900s”
Helene Springer Head 1975
Before Springer died in 1952, he gave his wife and daughter a crash course in running the business, as it was up to them to carry on. They ran the company out of the family home on 35th Street.
Oakland Tribune
Eventually, Helaine decided to strike out independently and acquired City Cab in 1964. She started with two cabs, and by 1975 she had three.
When Lydia Flood Jackson died at 101 in 1963, she was the oldest native of Oakland.
Sacramento Bee June 11, 1963
She was the daughter of a formerly enslaved person, the first Negro to attend an integrated Oakland public school in 1872, and became a leader of the women’s suffrage movement in 1918.
Oakland Tribune July 10, 1963
Lydia was born on June 9, 1862, at her family home in Brooklyn Township, now a part of Oakland.
She died on June 9, 1963. Services were held at the First A.M.E. Church in Oakland, California, formerly known as the Shiloh African Methodist Episcopal Church, which her parents helped found in 1858.
Her father was born into slavery in South Carolina and was freed in 1838; he traveled to California during the Gold Rush, settling in Oakland.
In 1854 her mother founded California’s first Negro School in Sacramento and was the first teacher. She founded a private school for minority groups in Alameda County in 1858 when Indians, Negroes, and Chinese were not allowed in White public schools. The school was at their home at 1334 East 15th Street in Oakland.
The Floods had a son, George, who is believed to be the first African-American child born in Alameda County. Elizabeth and Isaac Flood were among the earliest African-American families in the Oakland area and one of the most prominent and progressive.
Education
In 1871 her father, a leader of the Colored Convention, successfully fought to have Negro children admitted to public schools.
The Oakland School Board passed the following resolution:
Oakland Tribune July 10, 1963
In 1872, his daughter Lydia became the first student to attend the Swett School (later the Old Bella Vista School). Then, she attended night school at Oakland High and married John William Jackson in 1889.
Activist and Clubwoman
Lydia Flood Jackson – undated Flood Family Papers
Jackson was a member of the Native Daughter’s Club and the Fannie Jackson Coppin Club for forty-two years. Jackson was a leader in the California Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs. While a member of the Federation, she was on them to demand women’s suffrage. While addressing the organization’s 1918 state convention, she told her audience.
“Today we are standing on the threshold of a great era looking into futurity to the mid-day sun of Democracy”
She founded Flood Toilet Creams, a successful West Coast cosmetic business that manufactured toiletries, creams, and perfumes. (I wish I could find more information on this)
Carolyn Carrington pins corsage onto Lydi Flood-circa 1960s- African American Museum Oakland
Oakland Tribune June 1962
Lydia Flood Jackson was honored on her 100th birthday by the City of Oakland as their “oldest living native and daughter of the first Negro school teacher in California.”
In this series of posts, I hope to show Then and Now images Oakland Schools. Along with a bit of history of each school, I highlight. Some of the photos are in the form of drawings or postcards, or from the pages of history books.
Note: Piecing together the history of some of the older schools is sometimes tricky. I do this all at home and online — some are a work in progress. I have been updating my posts when I find something new. Let me know of any mistakes or additions.
Bella Vista Elementary School
The original Bella Vista Annex 2410 -10th Avenue
“Bella Vista was a name once given to a two-teacher school of the primary standing.’ This school will become an annex of the new “Bella Vista School.”
In 1924 the Bella Vista School moved to the “Old” Intermediate School No. 1 at 1930 12th Avenue.
From the Views Oakland
The Old Bella Vista school was located at 13th Avenue and East 19th Street. The building that was being torn down in 1951 traced its lineage back to 1863 when the first school on the site was built by the Brooklyn school district. When the Brooklyn school was annexed by the Oakland system, the school became the Franklin school formally but was known by the residents as the East Oakland school. Later it was renamed the A.W. Swett School (see Then & Now Oakland Schools Part 2)
Showing 1906 Earthquake Damage
The building in the above clipping was built in 1892. It was described as a “well-planned building of nine-rooms.” The building cost $52,952 and was designed by Howard Burns. In the 1912 Swett School was renamed the Intermediate School Number One, and 12 years later, in 1924, it became the Bella Vista School, and the name is held at the time it was condemned in 1934.
After the condemnation, only part of the building was in use until the new school was built in 1951.
New School and Location
Oakland Tribune
The new school building is located on East 28th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues a few blocks from the old site.
Oakland Tribune 1949
In October of 1949, construction began on the new $538,213 Bella Vista School.
Reynolds and Chamberlain designed the building.
The new building has:
17 Classrooms
A kindergarten
Cafeteria
Auditorium
Built for a capacity of 630 and is a two-story structure of concrete and steel.
Glenview started as McChesney Annex School and was located at 13th Avenue and East 38th Avenue.
In 1924 the board approved a new school on a new site in the upper part of the district.
Oakland Tribune July 1927
The laying of the cornerstone was in January of 1927. The two-story mission-style building was ready in April of 1927.
Eleven Classrooms
Assembly Hall
Administration Offices
Locker-RoomsThe McChesney Annex name was changed to Glenview ElementarySchool in October of 1927.
Glenview Elementary school was formally dedicated in a ceremony with the Native Sons of California in November of 1927. The school cost about $110,000 and was designed by architects Williams & Wastell
Glenview School in 193 From the Brenkman Family
In 1938 the students were moved to portables while the main school building was reconstructed.
Oakland Tribune Aug 29, 1938
The school was ready for occupation in March of 1939.
Glenview Class of 1938 From the Brenkman Family
Glenview Baseball Team 1941 From the Brenkman Family
Glenview Today:
The school is located at 4215 La Cresta Avenue
New Campus: August 2020
New Campus
The new classroom building will also feature:
New Multipurpose room with a new stage
Storage under the step for chairs
Folding cafeteria tables
Striping for basketball for indoor physical Education
Modern and efficient plumbing, electric HVAC, and WiFi systems
Students at Glenview Elementary are currently being housed at the Santa Fe school site. At the same time, their new state-of-the-art facility is being built at its permanent location (4215 La Cresta Avenue) in the Glenview neighborhood.
Harbor Homes School was located in the Harbor Homes Housing Project. Harbor Homes Housing Project was a temporary housing project built by the federal government in 1943 during WWII.
When the war ended, the temporary housing remained. The board of Education decided there was a need for a temporary school for the children living there.
Oakland Tribune Nov 18, 1947
A school was constructed for $85,000, and 266 students enrolled for classes on Mar 9, 1948. In the beginning, the ten portables were heated by a pot-bellied coal-burning stove.
Oakland Tribune Mar 8, 1948
In 1951Benjamin Hargrave was the first-ever African American principal of an Oakland Public school.
Oakland Tribune Feb 8, 1954
The school reached its peak enrollment in February of 1961 with 456 students. Over 4000 students passed through its doors in the 15 years it was opened.
Oakland Tribune Dec 29, 1960
Oakland Tribune February 8, 1963
The final day was Friday, February 8th, 1963. Mrs. Lillian Clancy held a class with just five students; Stanley Watts, 11; Earl Watts, 10; Steven Watts, 9; Lee Jones, 10; and Jackie Jones, 6. Charles Cline was the Principal
Oakland Tribune Feb 8, 1963
By June of 1963, all of the Harbor Homes buildings were gone, including the school.
In February of 1905, F.H. Danke’s bid of $3,100 for laying the cement foundation of the new Washington School was accepted by the board of Education.
Awards Contracts for Work
The Board of Education awarded contracts for the building of the Washington School to a variety of bidders. The list is as follows.
Brick and Stone Work
P.J.Walker
$20,799
Structural Steel Work
Judson Manufacturing
$5,551
Fire Proofing
Roebling Const.
$8,845
Galvanized Iron/Roof
Pacific Ref. Roofing Co.
$794
Plaster Work
William Mehady
$3,681
Tile Work
Columbus Marble Co.
$369.94
Plumbing
Ingram Hardware Co.
$1,507
Carpentry
H.E. Brown & Co.
$15,821
Painting
W.H.Blake
$1,913
They started building the school on Aug 31, 1905.
Before 1906
The new school was a ten-room two-story building, fire-proof throughout, constructed of red brick and terra cotta. The building was designed so that later additions can be made at either end, and when it was completed, it was to contain twenty-two class-rooms.
1906 Earthquake
The school still under construction sustained considerable damage in the 1906 earthquake.
In June of 1906, the school board reported they needed $100,000 to repair the damage and make the school earthquake-proof.
Judson Construction Company was re-awarded the contract to rebuild the ironwork and E.J. Walker for the brickwork.
In April of 1908, it was reported that the school would be ready in August.
Oakland Tribune August 1908
In 1927 a new $45,000 assembly hall was built.
Principal C.E. Hudspeth
C.E. Hudspeth was the principal of the school from 1905 until his retirement in 1942.
CE Hudspeth 1909
For recognition of his service, the auditorium was named Hudspeth Hall.
The Washington School Alumni Association was formed in 1939. They held annual get-togethers to discuss the old days.
Oakland Tribune 1951
Oakland Tribune Oct 16, 1963Oakland Tribune 1913
The school after the new additions in 1913
Circa 1913
New School
Oakland Tribune 1951
A new two-story reinforced concrete structure designed by William E. Schirmer was built in 1952, costing $634,000.
Fourteen Classrooms
Kindergarten
Cafeteria
Auditorium
Library
Oakland Tribune Dec 1953
Washington School Today – OUSD Photo
The school is located at 581 61st Street, Oakland, CA.
The school is called Kaiser-Sankofa.
Kaiser and Sankofa are two Oakland elementary schools that will be merging together into one school on the Sankofa campus starting in August 2020. To learn more about the two existing schools, you can visit the following sites.
