Hartford-based social worker and the first employee on the state’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, Dr. Simpson is described in the letter by State Rep. McGee and fellow members of the Beta Sigma Lamda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha as “a leading figure in Connecticut’s civil rights movement.”
[cid:image006.jpg@01D65900.F9F148E0]Hartford Conn. – State Representative Brandon McGee (D-Hartford and Windsor) has penned a letter alongside fellow members of the Beta Sigma Lamda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity to City of Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin (D), members of the City Council and state Governor Ned Lamont (D) requesting the name of Columbus Boulevard, which runs parallel to Interstate 91 through downtown Hartford, be changed to honor the memory of Connecticut civil rights leader Dr. Frank T. Simpson.
.Dr. Simpson’s daughter Ann Jennings issued the following statement on behalf of the family: “FTS was considered one of the foremost promoters of civil rights, human relations and education. Connecticut received the major benefits of his many years of service. Thank you, Alpha Phi Alpha.”
“At a moment when the general public has had enough and demands elected officials confront symbols and systems that perpetuate the violence of colonialism and slavery, we must uproot hate in our own backyard,” Rep. McGee said. “Dr. Simpson, a fellow member of Beta Sigma Lamda, dedicated much of his life to public service and helping residents across our state as well as more locally in Hartford through his work and advocacy in the fields of education and health. He is an exemplary civil servant and we hope to honor his legacy in renaming the Boulevard.”
The letter, which was sent today, can be read in full below:
Representing my fellow members of the Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., I would like to request the changing the name of Columbus Boulevard to Dr. Frank T. Simpson Boulevard. As nationwide calls for the removal of statues glorifying colonialism and white supremacy have now reached our city, which is evidenced in the recent removal of the Columbus statue downtown, we believe that the renaming of Columbus Boulevard must be a part of the conversation and that the new name should reflect a true champion for change.
Dr. Frank T. Simpson was born in Florence, Alabama. After graduating from Tougaloo College in Mississippi, he came to Hartford in 1929. He is also a deceased member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Greater Hartford, Conn., founded in 1940. He began his civil rights activities in Hartford as a social worker for the Independent Social Worker, a North Hartford agency.
In 1944 he was the first paid employee of the fledgling state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. For fifteen years, he served as Executive Director of the commission, the first state civil rights commission in the United States. Among his accomplishments were the opening of an astronomical construction union for African American workers and the hiring of the first African American saleswomen by downtown Hartford department stores.
Dr. Simpson traveled widely throughout the country, advocating desegregation as a consultant to state governments and educational institutions. In 1960 he became an executive assistant to the state welfare commissioner. In 1959 the United Negro College Fund gave him its meritorious service award in recognition of his efforts on behalf of higher education for African Americans as the chairman of the fund. In 1966 he was the first African American to receive an extraordinary citation of merit from the Hartford Seminary Foundation Alumni Association. He was also honored by the Lions Club of Hartford, the Prince Hall Masonic Chapter of New England.
For over 20 years, the Dr. Frank T. Simpson scholarship through the Beta Sigma Lambda Educational Foundation Inc. has given over $75,000 in scholarship to Greater Hartford high school seniors attending college in the Fall. These young adults have distinguished themselves through their passionate commitment to their communities and in their high schools. Dr. Frank T. Simpson scholarship mission supports African American students in their pursuits of higher education, enabling them to attain their fullest potential as individuals, enjoy rewarding and fulfilling lives, and contribute to global peace and prosperity.
In honor of his legacy, Hartford has jointly named Dr. Frank T. Simpson-Waverly Elementary School after him and another long-time neighborhood resident and the first employee of Connecticut’s first civil rights agency. The school is located in Northeast Hartford. Finally, The Dr. Frank T. Simpson House is a historic house at 27 Keney Terrace in Hartford, Connecticut. Built-in 1913, it is an excellent local example of Tudor Revival and was the home of Frank T. Simpson, a leading figure in Connecticut’s civil rights movement of the mid-20th century.
Dr. Simpson’s dedication and efforts are well known to those in the communities he served, which is why as we begin to rename and take down symbols of racism in this country, when it comes time to rededicate these spaces, they must honor the lives of residents who went above and beyond for the public interest. I can think of no other individual as deserving as Dr. Simpson to be recognized in this way.
