Racine Insider News

Community Women’s Club holds event in honor of civil rights leader Corrine Reid-Owens

Shown is newly appointed Racine Police Chief Art Howell and his wife April Howell, along with Al Gardner and his wife Denise Gardner, who is president of the Community Women’s Club.

The Racine Community Women’s Club for months had planned to celebrate the birthday of one of the club’s founding members Corrine Reid-Owens. The event was altered when Owens died Tuesday, Nov. 6, one day before she would have turned 100.
Denise Gardner, the club’s president, said the group felt it was important to continue by honoring Owens for all the things that she had done for the community through civil rights, housing, and for the people of Racine. 
About 150 people, made up of elected officials, church members and friends, attended the event to pay homage to the woman who arrived in Racine from Mississippi in 1946.
George Stinson a retired businessman, who himself served as Racine Branch President for over 20 years, said that Owens is leaving a big void in Racine when it comes to civil rights.  “I hope that others can step in and take her place and be as productive as she was”
Soon after arriving, Owens began to devote her time to education and quality of life issues. She joined the local branch of the NAACP in 1947, and was elected as its president in 1953. Her fight for what was right, however, began even earlier with her own quest to be an educator.
Alderman Michael Shields, who served one term as the branch president, said, “When she first came to Racine she wanted to be a teacher, but she could only get hired as a janitor, even though she had a teaching degree” 
Owens would later become one of the first black teachers in the Racine Unified School District and then went on to become the first black woman to be elected to the board of directors for Gateway Technical Institute.
Morris Reece, who heads the city’s Fair Housing Program, said Corrine Owens is not only a legend that will be missed in the Racine community, but she left so many things that we have built on and continue to build on and we so gracefully admire her courage for standing up when she came to this community.  He said for her achievement, Racine will always remember her as an icon and she will never be forgotten
Owens was also a kind, considerate person — one who never hesitated to speak up for what she believed in, said Shields. “She was just a wonderful person, who really stood up for justice. She is going to be missed”
Al Gardner, a community activist, said that Owens was a grand lady and should be an example to the Black community to speak up on issues and not remain silent.  “Hopefully we can do what Mrs. Owens did, open our mouths so we can get fed.  If you keep your mouth shut you will not get fed.  She always opened her mouth for the rights of all people”
Thomas White, a long time friend of Owens and State President of the NAACP, remembers when he came to Racine in 1965 and met Owens.  He described her as having lots of energy.  “If she didn’t feel well and you mentioned the NAACP she would perk right up, that was the kind of person she was” he stated.
In the 1970’s, Owens, with the help of  Joe Harris, formed the Concerned Citizens Group, which led to the hiring of a record number of African American police officers.  Our current Chief of Police, Art Howell, was a member of that initial group of hirees.  He described Owens as a visionary and said that many of his accomplishments are directly attributable to some of her early efforts.  
Rev. Ernest Garrison,  who recently became pastor of  Wayman AME Church, said that he has had many opportunities for a blessing.  Early on he was astonished when he had the opportunity to pastor a small church in Detroit, not knowing that the church would be the one that Rosa Parks would choose to be her place of worship.  “The same thing happen when I came to Racine, and I had the opportunity to pastor a woman of the same caliber as Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm and Barbara Jordan”