COMMENTS OF THE DEATH OF CIVIL RIGHTS ICON
HARVEY ADAMS
BY TIM STEVEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE BLACK POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

When one thinks of the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch one the names that first comes to mind is that of Harvey Adams who served as the Branch’s President from 1976 through 2002, some sixteen years.

As a former ten year Branch President myself I can tell anyone that sixteen years of service is a lot of service! That was a huge commitment. Harvey was constantly a powerful, clear and passionate voice for the African American community of Pittsburgh.

If one agreed with Harvey Adams or not one always knew where he stood, even when it may have not have been in Harvey’s best interest as when he confronted former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy while he served as the City of Pittsburgh’s Housing Authority and lost his job. Harvey was founder of one the nation’s first Black police fraternities, the Guardians of Greater Pittsburgh.

That organization tried to look out for the collective interests of people of color in the area of police procedures, and the public at large. In the late 70’s the NAACP, the Guardians of Greater Pittsburgh and the National Organization for Women (NOW) sued the city due to its discriminatory procedures against women and minorities, which led to the historic Weber Consent Decree which mandated that one Black and one female be hired out of every four hires. My understanding is that not only did the numbers of Black police officers swell significantly, but the percentage of female officers was among the highest in the country as a result of this decree.

Unfortunately, the Weber Consent Decree was lifted a few years ago and the numbers of women and minorities has plummeted. I had the honor of serving as a Vice President of the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch during part of Harvey’s term as President. He also continued to provide our Branch leadership during my ten years as Branch President as our Chair of the Police Affairs Committee. Harvey’s bold profile and leadership will always be remembered by those of us who knew him!

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