This Day in Local History: Sept. 29, 1957 - Community Center is “Democracy in Action”
This Day in History, Sept 29, 1957
was the Dedication Day of the Progressive Recreation Center, which still stands at 414 Olive Street.
The Progressive Center’s legacy spans more than a century
Charitable organizations that provide public aid existed in the area, however much of the assistance was not made available to the black community. Dr. James E. Foster, Howard University Graduate, African American physician, and prominent figure to the black community, introduced the idea and advantage of creating a central meeting hall where adequate facilities were accessible to the Black community. Five charter members collaborated to form The Progressive Recreation and Social Service Association, that was first located at 500 E. Gibson Street. In 1923, members of Bethel A.M.E. opened a small settlement house to serve the needs of the black community. The center relocated three times before settling into its permanent home of 414 Olive Street.
Mrs. Leona Bray a graduate of Fisk University was the executive director at its 602 Adams Avenue headquarters in 1929. At the time, there were approximately 250 Black Scrantonians enrolled in the Progressive Association, 150 were children, both boys and girls. The center provided activities for all ages, including scout troops, handicrafts, music and drama classes. The Progressive Center on Adams Avenue held a small library that was popular with both the young and older members.
In 1927 the Center was welcomed and supported by the Bureau of Recreation and the Community Chest, making the Progressive Recreation and Social Service Association the “first named works among the colored people of the community.” The Progressive Association’s mission emphasized the building of character through recreational phases as music, dramatics, athletics, sewing, and other activities with the intent to develop and improve skills among the lBack population of Scranton.
The Progressive Association warmly opened its arms to the community priding itself as a community center in which the Scranton Republican column described in 1927 as a space “where the colored stranger in town can find a friend, and advice. It is a place where colored people are free to carry on their activities in their own way.” In 1970, 414 Olive street location was reconstructed when the Progressive Center joined forces with another settlement house that had been serving other immigrant populations since 1924. They merged with another settlement house that had been serving other immigrant populations to form United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania another settlement house that had been serving other immigrant populations.
The Progressive Center/ UNC continues to serve the community in numerous ways, however the black community is no longer associated with its leadership.
The work continues, if we want to continue to see “democracy in action”
Black Scranton Project is working on creating a Center for Arts & Culture, which will continue to the original mission and legacy of the Progressive Recreation Center. We no longer have a space in this city that service our Black community as a priority and made “for us by us.”. As we get closer to opening a new “center” we will continue to share stories and examples of the people and programs that supported Black Scrantonians.
