Lowcountry Black Historical Society to honor community leaders Sunday
Born in McClellanville, Dorothy Brown attended Benedict College, then St. Leo College, graduating with a BA in psychology. She worked in the Dade County, Florida and Ann Arundel, Maryland school systems until moving back to South Carolina in 1983. She worked with the SC Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs until 2007. Deeply involved in her community, Brown has worked with the SC Coalition for Voter Participation, League of Women Voters, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and NAACP. She is currently 2nd vice chair of the Dorchester County Democratic Party and is an active member of St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church. She and her husband, Paul B. Brown Jr., have two children and five grandchildren.
Albert Alexander Glover and his wife, Edna Elaine Glover, own and operate Albert A. Glover Funeral Home. He is a licensed embalmer and funeral director; she is a retired educator and licensed funeral director. They have two children, son A.J. and daughter Alaine, and four grandchildren. Albert graduated from Alston High School and attended the College of Charleston. He attended the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1972. A sergeant in the U.S. Army, he was honorably discharged in 1971. He is a member of South Carolina Morticians Association and National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and has served on the SC State Board of Funeral Service. He is a Member of New Eden Lodge #329 PHA and New Eden Chapter #204 Order of the Eastern Star, Martin Luther King Consistory, and a lifetime member of the National Registry of Who’s Who. He is a member of Bethel AME Church, Summerville. Edna Elaine Glover is a 1966 graduate of Bonds-Wilson High School. She received her BA degree from South Carolina State College in 1970, and a M.Ed. from The Citadel. She is a member of Ebenezer AME Church, Lincolnville and is a charter member of Sigma Upsilon Omega Chapter of AKA Sorority and #204 Order of the Eastern Star.
Born in Summerville, Carolyn Alston Howard earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Education from North Carolina A&T State University. She taught at Colleton High School, Walterboro, Alston Elementary School, Summerville, and Stratford High School, Goose Creek. She was Head of Vocational Education and taught Adult Education in Dorchester District Two as well as served as Site Director for the Berkeley County Adult Education Program. She also worked with the U.S. Naval Supply Center, U.S. Naval Base, Charleston. She served on the DD2 board of trustees from 1979 until 2008, and was board chairman from 1995 until 1999. She has worked with the S.C. School Board Association and National School Board Association in many roles. She is a charter member of Lambda Nu Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. A lifelong member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Summerville, she has served in many leadership/ministry roles and served on the Charleston District of the United Methodist Church trustee board for many years. She has three sons, two daughters-in-law, and eight grandchildren.
Dr. Lemon earned a BS degree from Claflin University, Masters in Teaching and Educational Specialist degrees from the Citadel, and Ed.D from S.C. State University – which he earned while working as a principal full time; he was Dubose Middle School’s first principal. He also worked for the S.C. Department of Education and served on the Trident Tech Area Commission as well as several civic boards in Summerville. He is the first African American municipal judge for the Town of Summerville. He also works with his church, Brownsville Church of God and has been part of many positive changes such as membership increase, sanctuary and fellowship hall expansions, construction of a family life center, and property acquisition. Lemon and his wife, Jo-Ann have four children and four grandchildren.
Owens earned a BS degree from Charleston Southern University in 1974, during which time he also worked full-time as a state trooper. In 1981, he completed his MPA degree at Golden Gate University, also while working full-time. He was Assistant Chief of Police of Summerville for six years prior to becoming Police Chief in 2004. Owens began his law enforcement career as a S.C. State Trooper in 1970 after returning from military service in Vietnam in 1969. After earning his undergraduate degree, he worked as a civilian special agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. He returned to active duty as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps where he completed training as an intelligence officer and counterintelligence officer. He later transferred to the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, retiring in 1993. For the past 38 years, he has taught criminal justice as an adjunct for several universities, including Charleston Southern University. Owens and his wife, Vilma, have a son. He also has three children from a previous marriage.
Raynor graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism; she is currently DD2 Public Information Officer. Prior to that she worked with a Charlotte, NC advertising agency and a trade association in Washington, D.C. She has served with Meals on Wheels of Summerville, Summerville Family YMCA, and Junior Service League of Summerville. In addition, she was a member of the South Carolina School/Family/Community Partnership Team and the state advisory board for early childhood education initiative, First Steps. Raynor also has worked extensively with the Parent Teacher Association at local, state, and national levels, and was named SC PTA Volunteer of the Year in 1994. She and her husband, Jet B. Raynor, have lived in Summerville for 28 years and have two children.
Townsend earned a BS degree from the College of Charleston and an MA degree from the University of Charleston. She taught at Summerville High School for 27 years, where she was named Teacher of The Year, before retiring in 1996. She has served on the DD2 Board of Trustees for the past 14 years, including as board chair. She also served as Assistant Program Director, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and was past president of the Summerville Education Association. She has also worked with community organizations such as Summerville Family YMCA and Summerville Medical Outreach Clinic. A member of the French Huguenot Church, Charleston, she is married to H. Evans Townsend III and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Born in Charleston, Williams moved to New York City when he was 13 and joined Greater Central Baptist Church where he served on the Youth Choir. He attended New York City Public Schools, graduating from Brooklyn Automotive High School. He served three years the U.S. Army with the 101st Airborne. He also worked with the U.S. Postal Service and the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Operating Authority. He joined the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve in 1974. He joined Faith Mission Baptist Church in 1985 where he was ordained a Deacon. He served in Operation Desert Storm, during which time he started a weekly Bible study and prayer meeting. He gave his Initial Sermon and received his license to preach the Gospel in 1991. He was ordained on June 26,1992. He moved to North Charleston in 1992 and joined The New Holmes Street Baptist Church where he assisted the pastor until November, 1995, when he was asked to assist St. Luke Baptist Church, which was without a pastor; the congregation elected him pastor in 1996. He served as President of the Cooper River 5th Sunday Union from 2006 until 2012. He and his wife, Jean Joyce, have a daughter and three grandchildren.
Sand Hill United Methodist Church, Ridgeville, was organized in 1883, when several community leaders were selected as trustees to buy land to build a church. Sand Hill’s membership grew rapidly and a larger church was built in 1907 and remodeled in 1939. A new church was built in 1957 and a piece of land was purchased for additional burial ground in 1974. In 1982, the church was again remodeled. In 1997, the church bought more land for a family life center, sanctuary and community park. In addition, the church built a road around the cemetery and added a senior citizens ministry. The church has been blessed with many great ministers over the years. Currently, Rev. Mack C. McClam and First Lady Gwendolyn McClam lead the church. The present structure was planned, funded, and completed under the leadership of Rev. James C. Lane, with the Family Life Center opening April 21, 2002 and Consecration Services held for the current sanctuary July 26, 2003. Under the leadership of Rev. McClam, the church has added many new ministries, created a church website, and appointed its first Associate Pastor, Rev. Paige C. Roper, Over the years, the church has produced a number of accomplished individuals across a wide spectrum of professions and continues to work for the benefit of the community.
As the community newspaper for this area, the Summerville Journal Scene strives to continue a long tradition of keeping a watchful eye on community issues, and to cover all aspects of the Summerville and Dorchester County community fairly, impartially, and with dignity.