The History Of the Senior Usher Board
On Their 98th Anniversary
In
1910, under the pastorate of the late Rev. R. A. Collins, Mr. Scippo organized a
Men's Senior Usher Board. Mr. Scippo
served as the president for a number of years.
It
was on 1928 when the late Mr. E.L. Rockhold organized the Women's
Senior Usher Board to assist the men in the ushering duties.
Mr. Rockhold served for a number of years as
their leader, and it was under his leadership that the practice of wearing
uniforms was initiated.
The
first uniforms were given to the Women's Usher Board as a gift
from Mr. Rockhold. The late Dottie Whittaker donated white
material for the second set of uniforms. The ladies on our Senior Usher Board now wear black skirts, white
blouses, and black bow ties.
In
1954 under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. J.D. Howell, the two Usher Boards combined, forming what
is presently known as the Senior Usher Board of St. Paul A.M.E. Church.
The
Usher Board has served under the following pastors:
Rev. J. T. Williams, Rev. R. A. Collins, Rev. J.C.
Anderson,
Rev. Harrison G. Payne, Rev. Hubert Robinson, Rev. A. Sydney King,
Rev. Dr. J.D. Howell, Rev. Alvia Shaw, Rev. Andrew A. Hughey,
Rev. Thomas E. Liggins, and Rev. Dr. Michael R. Bean, Sr.
To
the best of our knowledge, listed below, are the names of all the past presidents: Mr. Scippo, Mr. A.L.
Johnson, Mr. P. Saunders, Mr. J.L. Lewis, Mr. Sollis,
Mr. Paul Randolph, Mrs.
Helen Jackson, Mr. Everett Sanders, Mr. Willis Whaley, Sr.,
Mr. Albert
Copeland, Mr. Nolan Logan, Mr. James Sherfield, Mr. Charles H. Turner,
Mr.Virgil Walters, Mrs. Mamie Loudon,
Mrs. M. Crews, Mrs. Frances Threadgill,
Mrs. Carrie Smith, Mrs. Leslie Dalton, Mrs. Marian Saunders, Mrs. Annie Armstead,
Mrs. Vera Turner, Mrs. Olivia Knightley, Ms. Merzell McGhee, Mrs. Juanita Brown,
Mr. Royal McLean, Mr. Joel
Travis, Mrs. Margaret Armstrong, Mr. Charles Dickerson,
Mrs. Margaret Conrad,
Mr. Cameron Miller, Mrs. Yvonne Starks, Mr. Cleo Saddler,
Mrs. Alzata
Langhorne, Mr. Harold Johnson, Mrs. Maxine Williams, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark,
Mrs.
Jackie Marchetto, Mrs. Ada William, Nathaniel Stewart, and Sevella Lewis
and
Mr. Martin Rutledge and Elizabeth Cook.
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