Not everyone who affects history appears in textbooks or on television. Sometimes they are your neighbor, and quietly go about their business without much ado, and sometimes their story is just as unique as the mythological and legendary subjects of classroom fodder.
Jim Owens lives in Latham and if you saw the 75-year-old on the street, you probably wouldn’t think anything of it. But Owens played a part in something people do think about often: The Civil Rights movement.
Owens was the first black student to attend the Salesianum Catholic High School for Boys in Wilmington, Delaware, in the 1950’s.
We made history without a lot of fanfare, Owens said.
Along his journey, eventually landing him in the Capital District, Owens also had the unique experience of sharing morning chats and coffee with music superstar Elvis Presley.
For the second year in a row, Owens shared his story with Boght Hills Elementary School students giving them what one teacher described as a unique learning opportunity.
Peter Hanrahan, who invited Owens to speak, is a sixth grade reading and math teacher and said reading books about Jim Crow Laws and Brown vs. Board of Education does not compare to hearing a first hand accounts the civil rights movement.
Hanrahan said a book club he runs was studying `Leon’s Story,` `Roll of Thunder` and `Here My Cry,` and having Owens as a guest speaker allows the students to see the text put into context.
`He’s really an interesting guy,` Hanrahan said.
He came to speak on Wednesday, June 9 and said although the civil rights movement seems so far off for the students, there are still people who participated in it all around the country and, coincidentally, not too far from the school.
`That’s ancient history to them,` Hanrahan said. `[Owens] helps bring it to life.`
Owens said he met Hanrahan socially and got to talking about his past. Hanrahan said it would be a good idea to have him come speak to the students, and give them a first hand look at desegregation in the U.S.
`Not just read it from a book,` Owens said.
Owens had a Catholic education his whole life, graduating from eighth-grade in 1948 and high school in 1953, and his story is one of political intervention and progressive policies.
`At the time schools were segregated under separate but equal,` he said.
Salesianum Catholic High School for Boys was a segregated Catholic school in walking distance from Owens’ house. Owens attended Catholic school up until high school and wanted to continue to do so.
The only school available for black students was Howard High School where his parents went, and although Owens had nothing against it, he wanted to continue his Catholic education.
When a local legislator Erma Watson got word Owens was still interested in attending Catholic School, she offered, and Owens accepted, to pay for travel expenses so Owens could attend a desegregated Catholic School in Pennsylvanian, where there were no segregation laws for schools.
Every morning during his freshman year Owens took the morning train into Philadelphia so he could continue his Catholic Education.
`I was happier than I ever could be, and special because I was taking the train,` he said.
Soon after Watson’s offer, the Catholic Interracial Council formed in his hometown and both his parents joined.
`They were working toward harmony and desegregation,` Owens said.
One night, during a council meeting, Father Thomas Lawless, principal of Salesianum, was invited to attend and speak. He had learned of Owens’ situation and said `that should not be,` Owens recalled.
Owens’ parents were approached at the meeting by Lawless, who verified there son was traveling interstate to attend high school and the next day Owens was permitted to go to Salesianum as its first black student on Monday. On Tuesday, four other students from Howard High School joined him, he said.
Owens, who liked taking the train and going to Pennsylvania, said he was nervous since he had no idea his parents would have Lawless’ permission to attend Salesianum, and he was not totally prepared for the change. In hindsight, Owens said, it was a good experience and the right decision.
He and the other four Howard students were `five out of 500` and were still a minority in the school.
Owens said the Catholic hierarchy and the `do what father says` mentality helped him adjust, since most students were obedient to Lawless decision and progressive attitude toward desegregation.
There were, though, some threats from parents and Owens cited one parent who bluntly said, `If you let those n****** in I’m taking my kid out of school.`
Not one student left based on Lawless’ decision, Owens said, and the threat ultimately was a bluff.
He said there were occasional derogatory comments from students, but for the most part his experience was good.
He ran track at the school as well, he said.
Eventually Owens, the oldest of 11 children, went on to work for two years, attend seminary for three, although was rejected once due to segregation in the seminary program, but learned it was not the right fit anyway after he was accepted.
He was drafted into the army between the Korean and Vietnam wars and served in Germany alongside rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley, as both were company commander drivers. Often, the two shared coffee together.
Owens said at one point while he was playing football for the Army, Presley would disguise himself as a water-boy to avoid fans.
Owens said his children are still impressed by stories about the music icon serving him water during games.
`He was such a nice guy,` Owens said.
Owens married a friend of his sister upon arrival to the U.S. and moved to the Albany area where she lived.
His family owns a home in Albany on Delaware Avenue and he now lives in Latham.
At 75-years-old, Owens is still channeling his high school track days, is preparing to run in the ValleyCats 5K run on Saturday, June 26, he said.
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