Glennys E. Fleming students so much. He talked about what happened to him, to his
When I graduated, I was employed by the City of Richmond at
home; it was bombed. He encouraged us to do the very best that
the Social Service Bureau. I was a child-welfare worker. Later, I
you can. Actually, he reinforced what our parents taught us. He
went into AFDC [Aid to Families with Dependent Children] and
was just a brilliant person. His love for people shone through as
did some group counseling. I enjoyed my work very much. I was
he talked, along with his nonviolent attitude.
interested in young people and the way they think. It was a good career for me.
I was there, trying to get his autograph. There were students from
W
e were a very small family. We grew up in the
We’re getting older, and we’ve never really identified our
churches as well. And so, for me, that was my
feelings about those days. It impacted everybody. It impacted
safety net, just being there with my family. When
the teachers because many of them were shifted around to
I mix family, education, and church together, that
different schools. It impacted families. A lot of families moved
combination has helped to make me the person I am today. And
away if they weren’t comfortable with their children going to
it also includes the experiences I’ve had in dealing with the ups
the school.
and downs. I think some of the struggles and challenges that
RPI, which is now VCU, and some of them were very tall. I was
We are descendants of kings and queens. The Lord has brought
I experienced with people of different races — they’ve just all
I’ve been disabled since 2006 and have had a lot of health
getting beat in the face with their elbows, trying to get to him. He
us a long way as a race. I want young people today to know that.
shaped me and made me stronger and made me aware that I don’t
challenges. I was actually 33 when my son came into my life,
stopped and said, “One moment please.” Everything just stopped.
And I want them to realize that people suffered and died so that
want to be like that. I want to always just love people, because
which seemed late at that time. He put a lot of joy in my life
He said, “This young lady has been standing here, waiting for a
we could have this partial freedom that we are experiencing now.
that’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re here for a purpose: we’re
because I had somewhere to put my focus — not on myself
long time,” and he reached out for my book and signed it.
We’re not there yet. But I want them to know our heritage. ■
here to love and help one another.
with my health challenges, or ups and downs in my career. I recognized that I had to accept what I was doing in life
My brother, Louis, left for New York in '57. He lived for a short while
I went to John Marshall High School. The Mighty Justices. We
for work because I needed to be able to provide for my son.
at the Sloane House YMCA, in a neighborhood called the Bowery,
were there in '68 and '69. 1970 was the big year of change. A few
And that’s really, for me, the bigger thing — making sure
and he wound up living down the hall from Langston Hughes.
years ago, two other ladies and I talked about trying to get seven
I could provide for him.
Mr. Hughes had purchased this brownstone in New York from his
Richmond high schools to do a reunion together. Our goal was to
aunt. He had roomers, and my brother happened to have been
have at least 300 people from the seven schools. Considering that
I’m a mentor to young folks. Young people need to see some
one of those roomers. We all went up to see him there and met
one of them had over 300 students in the class, it seemed like it
positive role models. I always had positive role models in my life,
Mr. Hughes, who was a very handsome, noble-looking man. He had
should be a small accomplishment, but it was very challenging. We
be it my grandmother, my parents, or some of my teachers. They
this smoking jacket and this Sherlock Holmes pipe. He seemed like
hit a little bit of a snag that hurt us in some ways because it almost
were always very positive and encouraged me. I just want to
a very kind person. That was a big moment in my life because he
looked like it did 40 years ago, with some people not wanting to
be that same type of person and lift someone up to a different
was one of the great poets of our time.
be part of this citywide reunion. I really do believe that it’s a racial
environment because a lot of them are from environments
thing. One lady from John Marshall — she is the only white person
where they don’t have an opportunity to experience things.
who has been to every reunion with us.
Children are my life. ■
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