District of Columbia. Department of Recreation Search this
Extent:
2.42 Linear feet (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Fliers (printed matter)
Certificates
Grant proposals
Newspaper clippings
Place:
Adams Morgan (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1960-2000
Summary:
Walter C. Pierce (1946-1991) was a civic leader and founder of the Ontario Lakers Youth Organization in Washington, DC. The collection includes correspondence, certificates, flyers, proposals, newspaper clippings, political posters, city council resolutions, basketball tournament programs, and other items documenting Pierce's activism and activities of the Ontario Lakers.
Biographical / Historical:
The Ontario Lakers Youth organization was founded in 1964 by Walter C. Pierce (1946-1991) and his brother Ronald, in the Adams Morgan section of Washington, DC. Walter created the organization to provide the local youth with recreation and jobs. Youths from Adams Morgan joined the club's football, baseball, and basketball teams and competed against other teams throughout the city. The strength of their programs led to the creation of the Ghetto Invitational, a citywide basketball tournament. In addition to sports, members of the Ontario Lakers created a community garden, hosted community dances, participated in activities ranging from kung fu to tie-dye, took field trips around the region, and performed yard work and sold Christmas trees to raise fund for their activities.
Much of the Ontario Lakers programming took place at the Community Park West. This park was once a lot owned by a developer who planned to erect a luxury apartment building on the site. The land's history as a burial ground prevented initial building construction; in the interim, Pierce organized neighborhood youth to clear the lot and transform the space into a much-needed community park. This instigated a multi-year legal battle with developers, historic groups, and Congress before the lot was ultimately designated a public park in 1978.
Mr. Pierce was involved in numerous civic activities and served as the chairman of the Adams Morgan Organization (AMO). Prior to his untimely death in 1991; Walter C. Pierce was recognized by several organizations, including the Washington, D.C. City Council, for his dedicated service to the community. After his death, the large and heavily used green space that he helped to turn into a public park was renamed Walter Pierce Park, in his honor.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Rights:
The Walter Pierce Ontario Lakers collection are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
District of Columbia. Department of Recreation Search this
Extent:
3.58 Linear feet (2 boxes and 1 oversize photograph)
Culture:
Hispanic Americans -- Washington, D.C. -- Social conditions Search this
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Newspaper clippings
Grant proposals
Brochures
Newsletters
Press releases
Photographic prints
Date:
1955-1998; 2006
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents the activities of Garry Garber, a founder and 35-year member of the Roving Leaders Program of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation in Washington, DC. Materials include correspondence, brochures, reports, newsletters, financial records, meeting minutes, and the personal daily work diaries of Mr. Garber. It also contains meeting minutes from the 1965 Community Conference of Northwest Washington and the District of Columbia Commissioners' Youth Council from the years: 1957, 1958, and 1959.
Biographical / Historical:
Garry Garber, a Mexican American and California native, was a founding member of the Roving Leaders Program of Washington, DC's Department of Parks & Recreation. The program embedded mentors in underserved neighborhoods to cultivate leadership, civic engagement, and a sense of purpose among young residents. Serving in that role from 1956 to 1991, Mr. Garber mentored generations of Washingtonians and played a vital role in the city's early efforts to serve its Latino immigrant communities by advocating for resources, social services, and support from the local government. Largely prior to (but sometimes simultaneously with) his employment with the DC Department of Parks & Recreation, Mr. Garber was a collegiate, semi-professional, and professional boxer, having won the NCAA boxing championship in 1954, the Second Army Championship in 1948, 1949, and 1950, the Worldwide All Army Championship in 1950, the 1967 North American Bantamweight Championship, and was the only American to win a title and gold medal at Israel's 1965 Maccabiah Games. He is a member of both the District of Columbia and Maryland Boxing Hall of Fame.
Provenance:
Donated by Leslie Garber in 2017 August. Additional materials donated by Leslie Garber 2019 June.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Metal award platter recognizing Garry Garber's service to the District of Columbia Department of Recreation as a founding member of the D.C. Department of Recreation's Roving Leaders Program.
