espite the problems he faced during the last 10 years of his life, my father was at peace with himself. He had lived his values. His service to the black community and the general citizenry of New Haven had been exemplary. As a result, he had the admiration and respect of countless numbers of people.

He had achieved a number of firsts. While he was not pompous or pretentious about the recognition he received, it meant a great deal to him. He broke a lot of barriers. For example, both the New Haven Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club had selected him as their first black director.

On March 24, 1971, in an evening devoted entirely to honoring him, he received the Chamber's Community Leadership Award at their annual dinner.

My father, other Chamber Directors, and guest speaker David Frost (to the left of my father) share a joke at the 1971 Community Leadership Award Dinner.