Vallejo NAACP honors six ‘living legends’ for Black History Month

VALLEJO – Vallejo’s NAACP branch celebrated the 100th anniversary of Black History Month last week by honoring six individuals who have made extraordinary and lasting contributions to the city through their work as teachers, council members, and veteran advocates at an event held at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. 

NAACP branch President Patricia Hunter came up with the idea for the celebration because she grew up watching how these residents’ lifelong efforts shaped both the city and the generations that came after them.

“The thread that holds them together is that they've all touched the lives of many youth here in Vallejo,” said Hunter. “They spent time serving in our school district and in our city so that they could have a voice, and so that we could all have a voice.” 

Hunter noted that even though some of them are now retired, they’re still putting in the work by volunteering with community organizations and offering their expertise. “I thank them for that,”  said Hunter. “I stand on the shoulders of those six and all that they’ve done.” 

Among those who were honored was Lynda Daniels, who was one of the first members of the city’s Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee. She was instrumental in implementing participatory budgeting, a process that lets residents tell the City Council how they’d like certain public funds to be spent. 

Thanks to Daniels’ efforts, Vallejo was the first city in the U.S. to establish citywide participatory budgeting in 2012. 

“The city needed to be more transparent with its citizens,” said Daniels. “We need an open government because the people that live, work, and play here are paying your salary. So you need to be considerate of their wants and needs for the city they live in.“

Daniels added that she fought to drop the age limit for voting in participatory budgeting from 18 to 14 years old to ensure that young people could have a say in their city, too. 

Daniels still serves on the Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee, as well as on the Housing and Community Development Commission and as secretary for Vallejo’s NAACP.

“I just love helping people,” said Daniels. The joy that a person experiences from somebody reaching out a hand and helping them? That fills my heart. I don't need a certificate or an award. I would do it anyway. Until God takes that ability away from me, I will continue to serve you.”

Longtime Vallejo educator Joseph Jones was also one of the honorees. He worked as a teacher and later became the first Black principal at both Hogan High School and Vallejo High School. He also established the first charter school in Vallejo, and has worked on various city commissions and on the Vallejo school board. 

“That's what my life has been about: helping and mentoring and making sure that students have a way forward,” said Jones. “I've been all over the world, and I always remember the principles, the values, and the integrity that I learned here in Vallejo.”

Hazel Wilson, Elissa Shanks Stewart, and Foster Hicks have also spent their lives teaching Vallejo’s youth. Wilson served on the Vallejo school board for over a decade and currently works with organizations that provide supplies and food to students. Stewart worked as a teacher and principal for over 40 years and was a founding member of the Community Democratic Club. And Hicks was a civics teacher who became a city councilmember, and later the vice mayor, in 1991.

“Foster Hicks was responsible for me getting involved in the community engagement,” said Liat Meitzenheimer, the president of Fresh Air Vallejo and a member of the board of directors for the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. “I’m proud to see that we’re honoring our people here in the city for doing the work they did. Because it would not happen if not for us, if not for the people of Vallejo caring about what happens and getting involved.” 

Delphine Metcalf-Foster’s accomplishments include being a retired U.S. Army first sergeant who became the first woman elected as National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. She continues to volunteer at local VA facilities, and has served on numerous committees that advocate for female veterans and veteran’s health services. 

“I’ve had a good run. I’m mentoring people now,” said Metcalf-Foster in an NAACP video about her accomplishments. “Like Kamala Harris, I might have been the first, but I don’t want to be the last.” 

Hunter said that the NAACP plans to celebrate a different class of “living legends” every year, and a new subcommittee will be in charge of picking the next honorees.

You can watch short videos of each honoree on the NAACP Vallejo Facebook and their YouTube page.