She Had A Dream

Today, we celebrate the life, legacy and lessons of Martin Luther King Jr.

And I’m struck by the fact that this is the first MLK Day we will celebrate without Vera Farrington. Ms. Farrington, a friend to so many and an influence on generations of people in Delray Beach and beyond, passed away on Jan. 12. She will be deeply missed, and remembered for as long as we tell stories about those who paved the way.

Ms. Farrington was a founder and long-time champion of the S.D. Spady Museum. The Spady Museum, founded in 2001, is dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing the Black history and heritage of Palm Beach County.

The opening of the museum was a dream come true for Ms. Farrington and it was her passion, commitment, energy and ability to get others excited about the vision that made it happen. If you haven’t visited the Spady Museum at 170 N.W. Fifth Avenue, please make it a point to do so. The museum, once the home of Delray’s first Black principal, Solomon D. Spady, has been lovingly and expertly restored. It anchors 5^th Avenue, a wonderful street that features decorative sidewalks and a rich history.

That history was at risk of being lost before Ms. Farrington and several other leaders stepped forward to form EPOCH (Expanding and Preserving our Cultural History), the organization which incubated the Spady Museum.

I was fortunate to be around during that special era. I remember frequent meetings with Ms. Farrington, Daisy Fulton (a former executive director of the museum), the Pompey’s, Alfred “Zack” Straghn, Commissioner David Randolph and others and was moved by the passion behind the effort.

These visionaries understood the power of stories to shape our communities. They knew that if stories weren’t collected, preserved and presented history would fail to remember them and we’d all be poorer as a result.

The Spady Museum sponsors an array of programs and exhibits to share those stories with people of all ages, but especially important are their efforts to educate our children. Children were important to Ms. Farrington. She spent 37 years as an educator, shaping countless minds.

I’m reminded of an African proverb that is an essential part of the Spady Museum’s DNA and the spirit of Ms. Farrington: “Until the lions have their historians, the tales of the hunt will continue to glorify the hunter.”

I hope you ponder that beautiful and truthful phrase. It packs a lot of meaning into a few words.

History meant a lot to our friend Vera Farrington. And it meant a lot to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well.

So, Ms. Farrington and MLK are linked in spirit and deed.

Both believed in the importance of understanding history. Both saw stories as a crucial tool for driving social change and achieving civil rights. MLK often said that “we are made by history” – meaning our current realities are shaped by the past, and to create a better future, we must actively confront and learn from it.

Vera Farrington championed those ideals. Her legacy will endure until the lions have their historians.