Her Story, 1968
What do you get when you combine activism, love of faith and independence? Connie Perry, Atlanta’s jazziest 73-year-old fun-loving woman, who is full of life, soul, and attitude.
Perry was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, a transient city, centrally located between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The population of Altoona in the 60's was approximately 159,000 and 6% Black.
While she holds fond memories of her childhood in Altoona, she unfortunately suffered two great losses before becoming an adult. Her dad passed at 14, while her mom passed away four years later. “I had no choice but to rely on myself as I got older, since my parents passed,” she tells Kin + Dignity Magazine.
Finding her way
Connie moved to Wilmington, Delaware, at 18 years old after graduating high school to start her life’s journey. During this time, the Great Migration was in full effect. Millions of Black southerners relocated to northern cities like Chicago, New York, and Cleveland for better -- better work, better pay, and a better life. Surprisingly, Wilmington’s Black population was booming too, with a noted 42%.
“Many Blacks who wanted to work in factory jobs moved to Wilmington instead of Detroit,” Perry says. The state of Delaware was a great place for jobs. In fact, her brother was gainfully employed and thriving in Wilmington at General Motors.
While living on the Eastside of Wilmington with her brother, she became connected socially, as well as politically. Some of Wilmington's greatest politicians and activists lived and worked on the Eastside.
“Although Delaware was all new to me, and had a higher percentage of Blacks, I could relate better," she says. On weekends, she enjoyed traveling to Philadelphia on the Amtrak train to go shopping. With direct access to New York City and Washington, D.C., fun activities were all around her.
Because she and her brother lived in one of the crime-infested areas of the city, she had to make sure she was safe and protected. She listened to her brother’s advice: “Don’t sit outside on the stoop.” He also told her not to hang around certain guys. Her brother was well-connected, so his advice made a huge difference in her life.
Photo courtesy of Connie Perry.
Making ends meet
Connie had odd jobs here and there to pay the rent, while taking classes at the University of Delaware. She maintained those jobs even after moving out of her brother’s house.
Immediately after the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in April, 1968, rioting and looting became commonplace. The Governor of Delaware called in the National Guard and they remained in the city for more than nine months, the longest military occupancy in a U.S. city since the Civil War.
Connie's first official job was during that time, working in the front office of an activism organization called the Wilmington Youth Emergency Action Council (WYEAC), which, as Connie described, was similar to The Black Panthers of Oakland, CA. This role was a major catalyst into her work as an activist during the Wilmington riots of 1968 and the entire civil rights movement in Delaware.
Connie raising her Black Power fist
Like many programs that need consistent funding, WYEAC had to be shut down when monies were no longer allocated. Everyone had to find other ways to earn a living, and so did Connie. “I went back to working small part-time jobs and got my associate’s degree at University of Delaware.
Because of her activism background with WYEAC, Connie wanted to pursue a career in law. She applied for a docket clerk internship with the Family Court in Delaware. This was a chance opportunity, likely from one of her brother’s connections within the community, that helped her land the job.
It was there that she met U.S. Senator and future 46th President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, or as she likes to call him, “Joey” Biden. He was a young attorney at the time, and she managed his court calendar and schedule on Wednesdays and Fridays.
“I clerked for about two years for him, and I was there when his first wife and daughter passed away. He took a leave of absence and never returned, but became U.S. Senator after that.” Connie says she had no idea he would become President of the United States.
After her clerkship ended, Perry realized she didn’t want to go into law after all, and it wasn’t her ultimate goal in the end. The type of opportunities she wanted to pursue, such as community support and activism, didn’t have enough funding. However, she was able to work with the OIC, a career readiness center, and Community Action, a Reagan Administration-funded program.
Connie posing in celebration of her recent birthday in 2021.
Connie finds her calling
In the late 1970s, Perry made a decision to revisit what was introduced to her as a child, her relationship with Jesus Christ. This culminated in her being baptized in 1980 and attending one of the largest churches in Wilmington. “I became involved in my church and became aware that the movement and ministry were one in the same.”
Her move to Atlanta in 1984 was the beginning of her career in Public Relations Administration in the healthcare industry, with Grady Hospital. After working in healthcare for 20 years, Perry stayed connected within the Christian community and her activism by coordinating women's conferences, volunteering to support voter registration, educational workshops regarding voter suppression, and hosting financial literacy workshops.
Her daughters spearheaded a nonprofit called Champion Kids, an organization in honor of Connie's late husband, who was a minister, advocate and counselor. “We transport young people from the suburbs and rural areas into the inner city, taking historical tours and allowing them to share lunch with those who are disenfranchised and homeless. This gives them a very real and personal experience," Perry says. Both daughters have taken a role in activism, as they head up their own nonprofits, emphasizing Autism support and women’s health.
Connie Perry (middle), along with her daughters.
Thinking positive
What’s next for Connie Perry? Continuing to bring awareness to young people about the importance of being involved, whether it is faith-based or community-based. In the fall of 2021, Champion Kids will host an all day workshop for teens, with millennial facilitators, to focus on financial awareness, health and wellness and some fun sessions for self-expression.
Connie leaves us with a word of wisdom to carry in life each day and strong advice for women: “You have got to believe in yourself. There’s a God in me that enables me to do just that.”
Lady in red. Photo courtesy of Connie Perry.
