Interview with NBDA pioneers
Alex: Hello! Can you introduce your names?
Sheryl Emery: My name is Sheryl Emery. My sign name is [S across the chin]. Right now, I live in Colorado, but I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. I’m a former director for NBDA, as the first director of NBDA. I can explain more in depth later.
Chuck Williams: Hello. My name is Charles “Chuck” Williams, from Cleveland, Ohio. We got involved with the Black organization because NAD celebrated their 100 years in Cincinnati at that time.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: Hello. I’m Ernest Hairston, Ernie for short. My sign name is [E on the opposite chest]. I was raised in West Virginia and lost my hearing when I was five, through spinal meningitis, and went to West Virginia School for the Deaf and graduated from that school, which was segregated. It was integrated in 1954. I graduated from West Virginia School for the Deaf in Romney. Then I went to Gallaudet in 1957 and graduated in ‘61 from there. I live in Bowie, Maryland right now.
Alex: I’m glad to have you three here. I want to get your comments about the history and story of the founding of NBDA and how BDA became NBDA. Now, I feel many people know about NBDA, but not about the time it was established in around 1981 or 1982, including myself, as I’m not really knowledgeable about this, so I want to ask you a few questions.
[On-screen text with a black background and white font reads: “Sheryl, Chuck, and Ernie wanted to honor some of the key people behind the Black Deaf Advocates that aren’t with us today:
Willard Shorter
Lottie Crook
Shirley Childress
Ann Wilson
Robert Howard]
Alex: Can you help us understand what the 60s and 70s was like, at that time?
Dr. Ernest Hairston: I can start. When I first arrived in Washington, DC, there was a Deaf club for Blacks called Capital City Association for the Deaf, CCAD. That organization was for Black people only 20 blocks from the white club called the Metropolitan Association for the Deaf, MWAD. It was twenty blocks away. At that time, MWAD members who were white could come to our Black club, CAD. Black members couldn’t go to their white club. That’s one thing.
Alex: Was it a rule clearly posted, or was it an unspoken rule?
Dr. Ernest Hairston: No posted rule. It was an understanding that the club, MWAD, was for whites and not for Blacks.
It was common all over Washington DC to have Black areas and white areas, not mixed. They were segregated so Black people knew they couldn’t go in white places but whites could go in Black places. That was common, so Blacks accepted it. But I think the Black club had a lot more fun, with socials, dances, parties, and more.
Alex: They missed out!
Dr. Ernest Hairston: Yeah, so…
Sheryl Emery: That was part of the segregation times and part of the period where Black and white people were segregated in almost everything. The Deaf community was the same way.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: While… Look. Let me show you.
[He holds up newsletters that say “CCAD NEWS” at the top.]
Dr. Ernest Hairston: That’s from CCAD’s monthly meetings. The CCAD Newsletter explained event information, and Linwood Smith was the editor and he wrote different things in it.
Chuck Williams: In 1980, in Cincinnati, my wife was a member of the RID at that time as an interpreter. We went to Cincinnati and reserved a hotel. I was surprised that another organization was there, and at the time that was NAD. Wow. I was so inspired to see them marching on the street from each area. I did not see one colored person. At that time, I signed “colored”, not “Black”. I never signed “Black”. Colored. I was in awe. There were 25 colored Deaf people from Ohio. We discussed and were upset, and then we asked about Howard University with Black colleges, universities, whatever, for a meeting. We went and met for a discussion and it popped up - as for the name, we were not good with English words and we decided to start this with “advocacy” but they said it should be “advocates”.
[Image of many Black people at Howard University]
Sheryl Emery: Howard University?
Chuck Williams: Yes.
Sheryl Emery: That was Howard University.
Chuck Williams: Yes.
[Chuck shows the photo again.]
Sheryl Emery: In 1981.
Chuck Williams: We came back.
Alex: You got together and had a discussion…
Sheryl Emery: That’s when it was first established, in 1981 at Washington DC, and people like Chuck and others came together to meet there.
Chuck Williams: But NAD didn’t accept Black Deaf members and the frats did not accept Black members too.
[Dr. Ernest Hairston holds up a piece of paper that shows the original logo of BDA, Black Deaf Advocates, and a quote in all caps: “First National Conference “Black Deaf Strength Through Awareness”.]
Dr. Ernest Hairston: This was the first.
Sheryl: But there were many local organizations for Black Deaf clubs. BDA was not the first, no, but it brought all of them together. There were many local clubs in Ohio, Detroit, Chicago, and all had Black Deaf clubs. But it was the first time they all came together there at this national conference.
[Dr. Ernest Hairston holds up another piece of paper with the same words but also with artwork of two Black people.]
Dr. Ernest Hairston: For the conference in Cleveland, Chuck organized that. My role was the first CAD. Socials, parties, and et cetera. When the NAD asked us to collaborate with NAD, BDA was hesitant… Why must BDA connect with NAD? Why not ask Jews to work with NAD also? Then that made us decide to establish an organization instead of just meeting for socials. We decided to meet and follow the preliminary procedure with Robert’s Rules of Order.
Sheryl Emery: In 1981, I was involved in the first conference at Washington DC and met both these guys, and my mind was blown! My mind was blown.
Chuck Williams: Right!
Sheryl Emery: I grew up in the Midwest and never had the opportunity to meet other Black Deaf role models, so Ernie and other people I met there was the first time I’ve seen professional, educated Black Deaf men who were working and talking about history and their responsibilities. I mean, that blew my mind. That’s when I became involved, after the 1981 conference, the first conference and… It touched me deeply, and at the same time Ernie had just finished writing and had published his book, and I met him there. And I bought the book and I asked him to please sign the book!
[Ernest Hairston holds up his book, “Black and Deaf in America: Are We that Different”.]
Alex: Wow.
Sheryl Emery: He signed my book. I still have that book with your signature there!
Alex: Wow.
Sheryl Emery: I still cherish it. What we’ve experienced was deep discrimination and oppression often. I remember one of the things that Lottie asked me was “when are Black Deaf people in DC going to have the old fashioned TTY?” It fell apart. I needed to fix it, something was wrong with it. No one came. We have many Black Deaf CODAs who grew up signing, but their professional skills are not recognized.
Chuck Hairston: So funny - NAD was so scared when NBDA was founded that they sent two of their representatives to come and sit at our meeting and then they… Asked questions and asked me for a copy of the bylaws. I told them, You’re not a member. I can’t give you our bylaws.” They never missed our national meetings from then for a while, then later they stopped.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: Before I forget, I want to point out the word “advocate”. When we first had BDA, it was Black Deaf Advocates. The reason we decided on “advocates'' is because BDA was not only for Black Deaf but for Black parents of Deaf children and several white people wanted to join so we welcomed them. So anyone who was not a member but supported advocacy for Black Deaf people were called advocates, so we have an organization called Black Deaf Advocates meaning anyone who advocated for Black Deaf people can become a member. That’s what advocates meant to us.
Sheryl Emery: Now, you see people like Wawa, Fred Beam, and Michelle Banks… We’ve known these people over the years and many of them. We’ve appreciated them for a long time, like CJ Jones, and now people are finally getting the recognition that they have deserved for years and years. These people are our stars and stood up in BDA conferences and showed their talent, and their talent encouraged the next generation to develop their talents.
Chuck Williams: For me, it surprised me and I’m very happy that I learned some things from our Black people. During that time in 1981 and forward, in our hosted workshops, meetings and conferences, many of them were Black Deaf people who were from the South and we didn’t realize they didn’t go to integrated schools at that time. So, we came and learned about them and so did they. When they signed… What the hell is that? I learned… They do not spell their names. They will say “You know baseball number 84?” Who is 84? I don’t know! Their signs were unique. I learned so much but they smiled and we dressed the same and their communication was a little bit different.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: As for my current experience, I live in the Washington DC era where NAOBI, National Association of Black Interpreters, are often at the Washington DC NBDA and BDA meetings, so the interpreters would be involved in the BDA group and have a strong bond and support each other, so… That’s a strong pro, plus many new NAOBI members go to our NBDA meetings to improve their interpreting skills with hands-on community involvement with Black Deaf people. That’s one new strong impact that I’ve seen.
Sheryl Emery: Those interpreters got their start with NBDA. We actively recruited Black interpreters for our conferences and so when NAOBI started, they started in BDA and later were different organizations, NBDA, just like NAD and RID.
Chuck Williams: It happened when we had a Black Deaf preacher from Detroit, named Andrew Foster.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: Yes, Andrew Foster.
Chuck Williams: He came to Cleveland every Friday and helped recruit Deaf people for the church and preached. Many read the Bible, so we had to get money and earned five dollars for gas to go back home. That opened our eyes. A Black person… That shows that he’s motivated to help other people, and the church gave him a free room. I applaud him. Interestingly, we can’t forget that he pulled me to drive to Gallaudet on Sunday to register me to join and the President of Gallaudet almost caught me on Sunday with his German Shepherd dog! He bit my pants. He was like “get the hell out of here!” Andrew Foster had been going there for college. He would go in the dorm and live in House One, at that time he’d sleep in House One, and I saw the room. There were giant rats at least a foot long. Rats were really big and were in his bed. He picked them and put them away. He was tough! These white Deaf people failed to get them out. He taught me a lesson. Stand your ground.
Alex: So Foster was a big part of NBDA? In the beginning? Was he a part of it? I’m curious.
Ernie and Sheryl: No.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: It was before that.
Alex: Another name I want to mention is Linwood Smith.
Chuck Williams: Wonderful.
Alex: He was part of NBDA at the beginning, but unfortunately passed away… So can you share any memories of Linwood Smith?
Dr. Ernest Hairston: I call Linwood my little brother. He was interesting… He also wrote poetry. He has his own book of poems and we both…
[He holds up the “Black and Deaf in America” book and points at Linwood Smith’s name.]
So, Linwood and I both worked on that book. I worked on the part about the history of BDA and Black history, and Linwood wrote some things about role models. He always loved children and teaching so he said you need to include different role models. That’s why the rest of the book has that. Identify many Black successful people… not all are college graduates, but Black successful people to show to children that many Black people have different jobs. Children would read that book and know that Black woman did that and that Black man can do that, and so forth. But not all people have to have a college degree, so the book… So Linwood Smith’s idea was that addition to the book.
Chuck Williams: But he and Ernie were both biking all the time!
Dr. Ernest Hairston: What?
Chuck Williams: You were biking all the time.
Alex: Any final thoughts?
Sheryl Emery: If you’re not a member of NBDA, you should be a member of NBDA. Join! Renew your membership for NBDA!
Chuck Williams: Right!
Sheryl Emery: Share this with your community. We represent the Black Deaf community and we do give Black Deaf community a voice and a vote. If you want to join, contact NBDA to become a member and be involved.
Chuck Williams: My dream is for the NBDA office to improve and rise and let NAD look up to us! Some day, someday! Someday.
Dr. Ernest Hairston: Thank you for the opportunity. I’m glad to see you.
Chuck Williams: Let’s talk on VP.
Sheryl Emery: Thank you. Bye.
Reference: https://www.nbda.org/blog/30-years-of-nbda-history-by-dr.-anderson-k.-cooke-s.-emery-b.-ogunyipe-p.-l