Courtesy Info by Jason Boyett, The Brick and Elm Magazine
Mary Lou Harris Hazelrigg
Mary Lou Harris Hazelrigg moved to Amarillo in 1940 with her husband, Alexander, working as janitors before retiring in 1960. In 1965, they began hosting Christmas parties for underprivileged children in their small home, growing the tradition into a major community event. Hazelrigg also lobbied for a park in her neighborhood, which was later named in her honor. She was the first African American named Amarillo Globe-News Woman of the Year in 1982. Remembered for her generosity, she inspired philanthropy beyond wealth, leaving a legacy that influenced today’s Northside Toy Drive. She passed away in 1990.
“I grew up at 202 N. Jefferson. I used to walk one block over, across the alley, to Mrs. Hazelrigg’s house. I would get there and stand in line then go in the front door, through the living room, and out the back door and she would have a toy for you. She was our philanthropist. She had a lot of love,” says Keith Grays, who serves in the music ministry at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and owns In This Moment, a downtown event venue.
Ruby Lewis
Ruby Lewis, born in 1922, was a pioneering Black radio disc jockey in the Texas Panhandle and the first woman in that role. Nicknamed “Lady Cool Breeze”, she started her career in 1954 at KAMQ-AM, she played jazz and R&B before moving to KGNC, where she hosted music, news, and a theater drama. Despite racial and gender barriers, she persevered, becoming a respected broadcaster. Before radio, she broke racial barriers as one of the first Black employees at Woolworth’s. Known as Lady Cool Breeze, she influenced many, including broadcaster David Lovejoy. A longtime member of Carter Chapel CME Church, she passed away in 2016.
“A woman like Ruby Lewis, she had two strikes against her. She was of color and she was a woman. But she didn’t let those obstacles deter her message. She was told several times ‘They’re not going to hire you. They won’t let you do that.’ But Ruby didn’t back down from a challenge.” says broadcaster David Lovejoy.
Charles E. Warford
Charles Warford moved to Amarillo in 1937 and later served in the Navy during World War II. After attending mortuary school, he founded Warford Mortuary in 1962, now the city’s oldest continuously operated Black-owned business. Dedicated to serving the African American community, Warford helped residents with everyday needs beyond funerals. He believed in building relationships over profit. A deacon and trustee at Mount Zion Baptist Church, he also co-founded Amarillo’s United Citizens Forum in 1981. Honored by the NAACP in 2002, his legacy continues through the Charles E. Warford Activity Center. He passed away in 2017.
“He just truly loved people for who they were,” says Freda Powell, Amarillo’s Mayor Pro Tem and first Black councilwoman.
The First Black Students at AC
On October 1, 1951, Celia Ann Bennett, Freddie Imogene Jackson, Willetta F. Jackson, and Dorothy Reese became the first Black students at Amarillo College, three years before national desegregation. Despite resistance—including a cross burning on campus—the women persevered. Celia Ann Bennett made history as AC’s first Black graduate in 1953. Their enrollment was the result of advocacy from Amarillo’s Black community, led by Dr. J.O. Wyatt, who pushed for full integration rather than separate classes. AC’s decision to admit Black students marked a milestone in Texas education, making it one of the first desegregated public colleges in the state.
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