Disciplines
African American Studies
Abstract
Shirley Fearon was born on July 8, 1945 in Harlem. However, she spent her early years in the South Bronx on Brook Avenue. Her parents met in Harlem and then moved to the Bronx. Shortly after she was born, her parents split up and she and her mother moved to Williamsbridge with her grandparents. This neighborhood was mostly Italians, but all the children got along well. Her grandparents lived in a private home. She and her family attended New Bedford, which is part of St. Luke’s. This church was predominately black, with both people from the Caribbean and African-Americans.
She attended grade school at PS 113 and middle school at P.S 78. She really enjoyed school and had good experiences with many of her teachers. Although neither one of her grandparents, nor her mother, had good educations, they all stressed its importance to Shirley. When she graduated high school, she did not have enough money to go to college. However, she got a job and was able to save enough money to enroll in the spring semester at Long Island University. That quickly became too expensive and she transferred to Hunter College. She had to leave college though when she got married and had her son. When she re-enrolled at Hunter, she began working on an Elementary Education degree. Upon graduating, she became a teacher in the Bronx at PS 64. When she initially started teaching, she experienced racism.
In her many years of teaching, she has seen many changes in the school system. She believes that less interaction by the parents is one cause for the decline of schools.
She began to notice more and more drugs popping up in her neighborhood and among friends in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Although her grandfather was involved with the NAACP, and got her involved with picketing, politics was not a frequent topic of conversation at her house. She got involved with the NAACP in 1988, when she came to the realization she needed to get involved in the community. She also was involved with the Northeast Bronx Democratic Club with Al Tuitt. One of the main works this branch is involved with is voter registration. The group also sets up Health Fairs for the community. The group is also involved with other organizations in the community, like the National Council of Negro Women.
Recommended Citation
Fearon, Shirley. Interview with the Bronx African American History Project. Digital Archive at Fordham University.
