Flora D. Crittenden
Flora D. Crittenden | |
---|---|
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 95th district | |
In office January 13, 1993 – January 14, 2004 | |
Preceded by | W. Henry Maxwell |
Succeeded by | Mamye BaCote |
Personal details | |
Born | Flora Lonette Davis August 10, 1924 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
Died | November 2, 2021 | (aged 97)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Raymond Crittenden Jr.
(m. 1944; died 2010) |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Virginia State University Indiana University |
Flora Lonette Davis Crittenden (August 10, 1924 – November 2, 2021) was an American educator and
Early life
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2021) |
Flora Lonette Davis was born in
She spent summers with relatives in Virginia's
Davis attended and in 1941 graduated from the former Huntington High School in East End, Newport News (the only all-black high school in the area until George Washington Carver High School was built in 1949). She then attended Virginia State University,[3] and received a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1945 (although she had wanted to study mathematics at Spellman College in Atlanta). She pledged with the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, but her class and work schedule were too heavy to permit full involvement, although Davis later joined the graduate chapter.
Career in education
This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (November 2021) |
Upon receiving her bachelor's degree, Crittenden then taught physical education, English and social studies at the new Carver High School in Warwick (which would later be incorporated into Newport News) for seven years. She found its principal Homer L. Hines supported his teachers as well as the community.
In 1956, she and her husband moved their young family to Indiana where they experienced racial segregation while she earned a Master of Science degree in physical education, health sciences and counseling from Indiana University. Both Crittendens received their graduate degrees from that university in 1959.
In 1971, Flora Crittenden studied Advanced Guidance Theory at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, which helped her to establish a career counseling program at Carver High School.[4]
Crittenden worked in the Newport News public schools for 32 years—as a teacher and department head for 15 years, and as a guidance counselor and guidance director for another 17 years. Newport News schools did not fully integrate until 1971. She was also long active in the NAACP (including as the chapter president in 1981) as well as Trinity Baptist Church.
Political career
Her political career began in 1986, when Flora Crittenden won election to a four-year term on the Newport News City Council, and she served there until 1990. Prior to the election, Flora was Campaign Manager for Bobby Scott working with a formidable volunteer staff each day. This staff included Richard Jones (assistant Campaign Manager), Lillie Estes, and Shelby Watson to name a few. When delegate
Personal life
For 65 years she was married to Raymond Celester ("Coach") Crittenden Jr. (1926–2010), born in Richmond and also an athlete at and graduate of Virginia State University. For fifty years Coach Crittenden also worked as teacher, athletic coach and administrator in the Newport News public schools. Coach died in 2010 after a long illness. They had three surviving children, Raymond III, Thursa, and Alonzo, "Lonnie" who played briefly in the WFL (Wiffle) football league, a short-lived league that folded midway through its second season. His son, her grandson, Alonzo ll died after a tragic, short illness in 2016.[6]
Later life, honors and death
From 2000, Crittenden until retiring for health reasons, Crittenden served as chairperson of the board of Christopher Newport University, the first black woman to hold that post. The former George Washington Carver High School in Newport News was renamed the Flora D. Crittenden Middle School in 1995, and now serves as a magnet school for science and mathematics, although some alumni had opposed the name change desiring to preserve the African-American inventor's name. A new high school was built and honors former Carver High principal Homer L. Hines. The Daily Press, a small town local newspaper named her one of the top ten most influential black women for that part of the Peninsula.
In her final years, Crittenden suffered from Alzheimer's disease and resided in a senior retirement community in Suffolk, Virginia. Crittenden died on November 2, 2021, at the age of 97.[7]
References
- ^ "House Joint Resolution, No. 807, Commending Flora Davis Crittenden, former member of the House of Delegates of Virginia" available at https://leg1.state.va.us/cgibin/legp504.exe?051+ful+HJ807ER[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Virginia Women in History 2016 Flora Lonette Davis Crittenden". virginia.gov. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ a b Ress, Dave (November 3, 2021). "'So mild, so courteous ... so persistent': Former Newport News Del. Flora Crittenden dies at 97". Daily Press. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
- ^ Flora Crittenden Oral History, available at http://dc.lib.odu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/dove/id/99
- ^ "Elections for Crittenden, Flora D". vpap.org. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ "Raymond C. Critterden Jr.'s Obituary". Daily Press. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ Former Newport News delegate, educator passes away at 97