NFKs Church St.

All my life I have lived in Norfolk; a city which for almost thirty six years has taught me to fear Church Street. It was the red light district of Norfolk, home to drugs, sex, violence, and most importantly home to the weakest, and poorest of Norfolk. A lot of these imagines in my head are placed their by words told to me, because I was never allowed in that part of town. Many members of my family and connected members weren’t fast drivers, yet anytime we’d find ourselves in or near Church Street, the engine would begin to race, the scene become blurred, as we smoked through those 10-12 blocks as fast as we could.

All my life, African Americans were on the decline, many barley getting by. I can only remember little stints of black America here in Norfolk. People like Conney’s Barber Shop over on St. Julian, or Riddick’s Quickshop, which was attached to Community Funeral Home over on Ballentine. These were the days of the candy lady, and yard auto repair centers, even the journal n guide was buried behind an old grocery store off Campostella. One would argue, Norfolk Community Hospital was thriving, or Norfolk State University, who both filled the pews of First Baptist Church, Bute Street, and Covenant Presbyterian. Yes you could argue and even prove black America even tho taking on water was still strong in Norfolk. Now some thirty years later everything from Thomas Market in Huntersville, to Welch’s Fine Cleaners on Olney Road slowly dwindled away with every passing moment. Norfolk Community Once a sole owned Black Hospital, Gone.. Covenant once one of the only black Presbyterian churches in HRVA, GONE.. First Baptist Bute Street who’s excitement could be heard from the Church Street Post office Parking lot, now barley known by anyone. It’s crazy how I am sad for a day when blacks were at seventy percent capacity, not knowing of a time when American Americans in Norfolk were literally a force to be reckoned with..

The Imfamous Church Street, with its now estimated twelve city blocks known in the 90s as being infested with destruction, was some 90 years prior known as an African American financial, and entertainment gold mind. Its was matched only by its Caucasian twin Granby Street, which saw everything and everyone, from Lena Horne, to Redd Foxx, from crusades with Dr. Martin Luther King assisted by Rev. Milton Reed of New Calvary Baptist Church to black empowerment with Bishops I. Joseph Williams and L.E. Wills Sr. Bishop Willis, who’s empire sat on the corner of Brambleton and Church; along with Hortense Barbershop, and other thriving businesses destroyed long before I was thought of.

I can see how this emboldens the narrative, strengthening the argument that I am trying to push us back into segregation. That I hate white people, or wish they’d stay out of blacks business. What I really want is a fair shot. I get it, a lot of these advancements were created on the backs of evil, destructive men who wanted nothing more than to distance themselves as far away from African Americans as they could. I get it, Whites on Granby, and Blacks on Church is a horrible way for anyone to live their lives, but at the same time, what is wrong with blacks having their corner and whites having same? What is wrong with true separate BUT EQUAL? What is wrong with a part of our democracy for black, with blacks, by blacks? How will we ever know if we can do it on our own if no one will let us try?

I didn’t bring this up as a triggering statement; even though its literally no way around this without emotions flaring.. History has taught me that calling African Americans a group of resourceful, resilient, and yes even a defiant people is a massive understatement. We can do anything we put our minds too. All it takes is not someone saying we can.. But someone PROVING WE CAN....