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Humanitarian Of The Year
Whitlow to be honored

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - He knows the concept of "it takes a village ..." has become cliche.

Al Whitlow was raised by two loving and hard-working parents, Louis and Mary Whitlow. But the community's support, whether it came from his church, schools or neighborhood, influenced his notion of raising children while he was growing up and when he began his teaching career.

Whitlow is Michigan City's Humanitarian of the Year, the Michigan City Human Rights Commission announced.

A 1957 Elston High School graduate, Whitlow was an assistant coach in 1966 when Elston won the state basketball title.

"We had so much spirit in those days," he said, "so much spirit in the school and in the city. It seemed as if everyone supported the team and the school and the students."

Whitlow has been executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City for 5 1/2 years now. It was an uphill race from the beginning, he says, but it is humming along now, at the main site in the NECA/IBEW center and in after-school programs at Pine and Niemann elementary schools.

A graduate of St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Ind., Whitlow attended school on athletic scholarships.

"I remember when Al graduated, we went down to his graduation," said Earnestine "Tiny" Allen, a long-time friend of he and his wife, Pat. "It seemed like everybody from (Bethel African Methodist Episcopal) church was there to see him graduate."

Later, Whitlow earned advanced degrees from Michigan State University and an EDS, which qualified him for a superintendent's license.

"I grew up in Coolspring Township, in a two-parent family because that's the way it was done then," Whitlow said. "My dad worked hard at the Pullman car factory and my mom worked at home, raising my brother and me."

While often working long hours, Whitlow said, his father made it clear he and his brother were to pursue education because it was the key to a better life, one not based on physical labor.

Whitlow recalls when he graduated in 1957, there were no black employees at the school corporation.

"They didn't even have a black custodian," he said.

Whitlow broke the color barrier several times when he worked for it. He was the first black secondary teacher, principal, coach and administrator (as assistant superintendent in the central office).

For a year, he also served as interim superintendent.

Whitlow moved to Indianapolis to be an assistant superintendent in the Franklin Township schools.

He thought he had retired from working with youngsters when he was tapped to take on the Boys & Girls Club.

"Al is absolutely perfect for this position," said JoAnn Engquist, the club's assistant director.

She tried retirement once, but Whitlow enticed her to the club, where she loves the work.

Whitlow does, too, and that's why he puts in so many hours.

"The Boys & Girls Club is a great agency. You can pick up the phone and talk to anyone in the organization," he said. "And they have these national programs, proven programs."

He has seen the programs work as young people grow in self-confidence and in a greater understanding about the world around them.

Whitlow wants all children to succeed.

"My dad grew up at a time when it was difficult to progress in a job or sometimes to get in the door if you were African American," Whitlow said. "My dad's philosophy was, 'If I can't do it, I can make it easier for someone else to do it'."

During the Civil Rights movement, Whitlow said, "My dad said he could have raised us to be militants." But that wasn't his dad's style. It's not the son's either. He has encountered discrimination and he knows youngsters still face it.

His advice to youngsters is to learn as much as they can - from even a racist teacher - and to leave it to adults to take up the case against racism.

Sylvia Bankoff, the Humanitarian of the Year in 2000, said she has long admired Whitlow.

"I am very impressed with what he does for young people," Bankoff said. "We are very lucky to have him in our community."

Allen agrees.

"Al has touched the lives of countless children," she said. "And he has influenced the lives of a lot of young people because he genuinely cares about them."

Contact Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com

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Whitlow To De Honored Friday
Tickets still available for Humanitarian of the Year dinner celebrating local educator, mentor.

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Tickets are available for the annual dinner of the Michigan City Human Rights Commission on Friday where the Humanitarian of the Year award will be presented to Al Whitlow.

The executive director of The Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City, Whitlow has served as teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent for Michigan City Area Schools.

A graduate of the Elston High School Class of 1957, Whitlow was an assistant coach when Michigan City won the state basketball championship in 1966.

Having broken the color barrier in MCAS on several occasions, Whitlow now works to help youngsters of all colors succeed through the programs of The Boys and Girls Club.

JoAnn Engquist, assistant director of the club, said, "Al is absolutely perfect for this position (with The Boys & Girls Club)."

Engquist nominated Whitlow for Humanitarian of the Year and believes he is the proper choice for that honor as well because he is a living example of this year's theme: "I'm in the world to help change the world."

Tickets for Friday's dinner at the Michigan City Senior Center in Washington Park are $20 for adults and $12 for students. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Human Rights Commission office at City Hall.

For more information, call 873-1429.

Contact Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com.

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Community Honors Whitlow
Like two other grads of the class of 1957, long-time educator is named Humanitarian of the Year for the city.

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The executive director of the Boys and Girls Club on Friday evening became the third member of the Elston High School Class of 1957 to be named Michigan City's Humanitarian of the Year.

Al Whitlow was honored at the Michigan City Human Rights Annual Award Dinner at the Michigan City Senior Center.

Other class of '57 Humanitarians were De Nita Ton, community services director at The Salvation Army in 1998 and the late Henry Lange, a columnist for The News-Dispatch, in 1984.

It was a remarkable class, Whitlow said, who acknowledged the presence of one of the teachers near and dear to the hearts of his classmates, Bernie Lootens.

JoAnn Engquist, assistant director of the Boys and Girls Club, and president of the Human Rights Commission, found herself in a position to sing the praises of her boss and long-time friend.

The consummate educator, who has been a teacher, coach, principal and assistant superintendent, Whitlow works to make a difference in the lives of the young people who cross his path, Engquist said.

"He turned around the Boys and Girls Club," Engquist noted.

During deliberation of the selection committee, she said, Whitlow's name rose to the top and created a consensus.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie said he is proud of Whitlow and his work. Michigan City is blessed to have many "who work to make this a better community," he said.

For his part, Whitlow said he is honored to be in the company of the men and women who have been honored as Humanitarians over the years.

He spoke philosophically about his profession.

"People don't go into education to see people fail," he said. "We do it to help people be the best they can be," he said.

Contact reporter Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com