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INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON VOL. 75 No. 37
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Courtesy Reine Bethany
at Major general Joseph a. Mcneil’s funeral on Monday, his son, Joseph a. Mcneil, Jr., far right, narrated memories of his father’s humor and warmth to his family and a large gathering of friends and officials. the funeral was held at union Baptist Church in Hempstead Village to honor Mcneil, one of the greensboro Four, who sparked a huge desegregation movement in 1960. Mcneil died on Sept. 4 at age 83.
Funeral in Hempstead for civil rights icon Maj. Gen. Joseph A. McNeil was one of the Greensboro Four
got old enough to understand who he was. Vanessa, who used to babysit Joseph At Monday’s funeral for Major Gener- Jr. and Frank, was in middle school with al Joseph A. McNeil, a civil rights icon, Alan. “They showed a [civil rights] movie in the people filling the pews of Union Baptist Church in Hempstead were not only our class. His mother was in the movie civic and military officials. They were because she was an activist for the Indians,” Vanessa said. “Alan said, ‘That’s McNeil’s closest neighbors and friends. McNeil moved to Angevine Avenue in my mother.’ The other kids wouldn’t believe it until I told them, yes, that’s his the Eldridge Estates neighborhood of mother. The teacher Hempstead village in sent the movie home 1969. While continuing with Alan so Ina could with civil rights involvesee it.” ment and with their Unique Redd, a longcareers, the McNeils time teaching assistant raised their four sons in the Hempstead Public and daughter (Ronny, Schools, saw General Alan, Joseph Jr., Frank, McNeil speaking to and Jacqueline). They classrooms over and also built a lively netover. Her young son did work of friends. a report on him. “It was Next door to the McNeils lived the Henry REv. DR. SEDGwICK EASlEY such an honor to know that he lived right here family, three of whom Pastor, Union Baptist Church in Hempstead,” she came to the funeral: (Hempstead) said. Mrs. Fanny Henry and The general’s genuine, kind personalidaughters Tanya and former Hempstead ty was recalled by his professional careParks Commissioner Vanessa. “When he came outside, we would just taker for the past two years, Jonathan talk and have a good time,” Fanny Athena Lipscomb. “Very talkative, very straightforward, recalled. “He was never prideful about being willing to teach, loved his family very, one of the Greensboro Four,” said Tanya, very much,” said Lipscomb. “And he had adding that she felt honored when she COntinued On Page 3
By REINE BETHANY
Special to the Herald
G
eneral McNeil sat down so we could speak up. He sat down so we could look up. And he sat down so we could never shut up.
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Remembering Uniondale’s ‘Mama Del’ Many called Delmira McFarlane’s home the first stop in the country
things.” Born in Panama on Dec. 13, 1932, sdriks@liherald.com McFarlane immigrated to Jamaica at age Delmira McFarlane, of Uniondale, 12 and met Dorothy Lee. The two worked gave many immigrants from Jamaica together at an airport in Montego Bay in and Panama a chance to live the “Ameri- the quarantine department, overseeing can dream,” ushering them into the people with medical issues. The pair country and then putting them up in her became very close, almost like sisters. After McFarlane immigrated to the home until they could get settled. Affectionately known as “Mama Del” U.S., she stayed in touch with the Lee by the many she nurtured, McFarlane family and eventually helped them, along died of a stroke and other health compli- with a mutual friend, come to the United cations on July 14 at age States from Jamaica. 92. Her death left a pro“Del was like my sisfound void in her comt e r, w e h av e b e e n munity, but her legacy through so much — I lives on in the lives she intend to write a book,” transformed — one famiLee said during funeral ly at a time. services for McFarlane “She brought over sevin the First Baptist eral people from JamaiChurch of Hempstead on ca, sponsored them to July 26. “I have five kids come into the country, let here, nine grandkids, them live in her home five g reat-g randkids, until they got on their NICollE MCFARlANE born here because of my feet and they could get sister Del.” jobs,” Nicolle, McFarlane’s youngest Lee emphasized the word “born” as daughter, said. she spoke. For about a decade beginning in the Nicolle said her mom considered Lee’s 1960s, McFarlane first welcomed rela- children her godchildren. What began as tives into her home, in Cambria Heights, one act of sponsorship grew into a multiQueens, where she lived with her hus- generational legacy, with many still in band, Noel. In 1976, when Nicolle was 5, close contact with the McFarlane family. the family moved to Virginia for two After arriving in New York in the years before settling in Uniondale in 1980 1960s, armed with an EB-3 visa — an to give her children a better education. employment-based green card for skilled “She believed everybody deserved a workers — McFarlane worked as a nurse chance,” Nicolle said. “My mom believed at hospitals, including Beth Israel Medithat people are essentially good, and that cal Center and at a methadone clinic in if you’re a good person, you do good COntinued On Page 11
By STACY DRIKS
M
y mom believed that people are essentially good, and that if you’re a good person, you do good things.