Douglass, Memphis, Tennessee facts for kids

Douglass is a community located on the north side of Memphis, Tennessee. It was named after Frederick Douglass, a famous leader who fought for freedom. William Rush-Plummer, who owned the land where Douglass now stands, greatly admired Frederick Douglass.

Geography

Douglass is next to the Hyde Park and Hollywood neighborhoods. Railroad tracks surround it on the north, south, and west sides. To the south of Douglass is Binghampton, and to the southeast is Nutbush.

History

Beginnings

William Rush-Plummer was born during a time when many people were enslaved in the Southern United States. His father was a white slave owner, William Rush Sr., and his mother was an enslaved woman from Africa. William Rush Sr. gave his son a special last name, Rush-Plummer, because his wife did not want him to have the Rush family name.

Later, slavery was ended in the South. Many newly freed people were promised land and a mule. William Rush Sr. gave William Rush-Plummer about 40 acres of land in North Memphis, Tennessee. William Rush-Plummer then created a community on this land. He named it Douglass, honoring his friend Frederick Douglass.

William Rush-Plummer became a minister when he was young. He started many churches on his land. These included St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, St. Stephens MB Church, St. John MB Church, and St. Charles MB Church. He also sold other churches to local pastors.

From the very start, faith was very important to the Plummer family and the Douglass Community. In 1900, William Rush-Plummer and his friends decided the community needed a church. They started the first church, called "Need More," under a simple shelter in Douglass Park. Plummer, known as “Father Plummer,” chose this name because he felt the church needed more of everything, like shelter, chairs, and people.

Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church

In 1902, the "Need More Church" moved to Ellington Street and changed its name to "Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church." Rev. Plummer was the first pastor. The church moved again in 1905 to its current spot at 1543 Brookins Street in Memphis. Even though Rev. William Rush-Plummer was a Missionary Baptist, he gave his churches names often used by Catholic churches.

Rev. J.E. Ferguson became the fourth pastor in June 1931. He lived right across the street from the church. He believed that education was very important for the community. So, in the early 1900s, Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church let Douglass High School hold classes there. This happened after a big storm damaged the school. In 1935, the school burned down. Again, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church opened its doors. Rev. Ferguson allowed the school to hold classes until a new school was built. The church also helped the community by feeding those in need. Rev. Ferguson served as pastor for 60 years until he passed away in 1991.

Harry Davis, who lived in the Douglass community, became the next pastor in July 1991. He is still the pastor today. Under his leadership, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church was officially renamed St. Paul (Douglass) Missionary Baptist Church. It is now an important landmark in the "Historic Douglass Community."

Over many years, the "Rush" part of the family name slowly disappeared. Newer generations didn't know the full history and stopped using "Rush." Today, the Plummer family rarely uses "Rush," unless they are talking about their history. Their official last name, even if not on all birth certificates, is Rush-Plummer.

Church of the Living God, Missionary Baptist Church

Pastor Maggie-Judith A. Fluker-Campbell, also known as Pastor Maggie Campbell, is the great-granddaughter of William Rush-Plummer. Her grandmother was Evangelist Maggie B. Plummer-Trout.

When Pastor Maggie Campbell was born, her grandmother insisted she be named Maggie. Her mother, Evelyn Fluker-Williams, first named her Judith A. Fluker. But her grandmother wrote "Maggie-" on the birth certificate form. This is why her first name is Maggie-Judith today.

Pastor Maggie Campbell has been a member of St. Paul ‘Douglass’ Missionary Baptist Church since she was born. She was baptized there around age 12. Her grandmother and family taught her about ministry from her teenage years. She felt called to ministry at age 13 while attending St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.

Pastor Maggie Campbell left Memphis in 1985. She lived in California while serving in the United States Navy, which allowed her to travel the world. In 1993, she started her first ministry in Oakland, California, to support women and children.

Pastor Maggie Campbell now lives in San Diego, California. On December 18, 2005, she created an official partnership between St. Paul Douglass Missionary Baptist Church and her California ministry. She became the first woman in her family to be ordained as a Pastor. This happened on October 13, 2006, in Southern California. Soon after, Pastor Maggie Campbell and her husband, Alvin Campbell, started a new church in Palmdale, California. They named it ‘Church of the Living God’ on February 4, 2009, in memory of her great-grandfather, William Rush-Plummer. They continue to work with St. Paul Douglass Missionary Baptist Church. The ‘Church of the Living God’ helps train and ordain women in ministry leadership. Pastor Maggie has helped graduates start churches and ministries in California, New York, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Missionary Baptist Association established In September 2010, Pastor Maggie Campbell started the “Missionary Baptist Association” (MBA). This group supports women in ministry leadership. The MBA helps churches with similar beliefs connect and fellowship. It also encourages non-denominational churches to join the Missionary Baptist family. The MBA later became the "Annual Women's Conference." This conference is held every May.

The Annual Women's Conference The Women's Conference welcomes women of all ages and backgrounds. Its goal is to help women heal and deal with daily challenges. The conference, through the Church of the Living God, aims to inspire, motivate, educate, and support women. This includes helping them with their education and career goals. The Church of the Living God believes women should support each other. Older women should teach life skills to younger women. Younger women should learn from the wisdom of older women.

The Women's Conference discusses important topics for women. These topics are often not talked about in regular church services. They include forgiveness, the power of prayer, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. They also cover women in ministry leadership and much more. Women often understand other women's issues best.

The Women's Conference lasts for three days. It includes praise, worship, inspiring music, sermons, motivational speakers, and celebrations. There are also chances for women to connect, plus breakfast, receptions, and dinner.

Pastor Maggie Campbell Accepts the Call to the Office of Bishop On May 7, 2013, the Church of the Living God and its partner ministries congratulated Pastor Maggie Campbell. She accepted the role of Bishop. From then on, she was officially called "Bishop Maggie Campbell."

Bishop Campbell has worked hard for over 10 years. She has followed in her great-grandfather William Rush-Plummer's footsteps. She has helped many women and some men succeed in ministry. She has overseen churches and ministries for years. She has helped graduates start new churches in New York, Tennessee, and California. She has also helped staff existing churches with newly trained women of God.

As a teacher at the 'Women in Ministry Leadership Training Institute,' Bishop Campbell has taught many women. These women are now Pastors, Ministers, Evangelists, and Missionaries. Several are senior or associate pastors in churches across the United States.

She is the first female pastor in her family, which had male pastors since the 1800s. She is also the first woman in her family to be called to the Office of Bishop. She had already been doing many of these duties for years before her official acceptance in May 2013.

Bishop Campbell's new role opens doors for many women in ministry. This includes women in the Rush-Plummer and Fluker families. She is a smart woman with many talents. She uses these talents to spread God's word. She is a role model for women and teen girls. She has worked extremely hard. She shares her qualities with all women in ministry who are ready to follow God's call.

Bishop Campbell's hard work has created one of the best 'Women in Ministry Leadership Training Institutes' in America. It continues to grow every year. Many women seek her guidance and training. They know she will give her best to help them succeed. All of this began in the Douglass Community in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by her great-grandfather, William Rush-Plummer.

Education

The Douglass community has Douglass Elementary School on Ash Street. From when it was built until the 1963-64 school year, Douglass also had a Junior High School (grades 7–9) and a High School (grades 10–12). In the mid-1970s, students going from 6th grade to junior high were bused to Gragg Junior High School. This school was outside Douglass and initially had only white students. When students went from 9th to 10th grade, they were bused to Craigmont High School. This was a new school in the Raleigh community. It looked like a prison from the outside. Different groups of students came together there. The teachers were white and not always ready to teach African American or multiethnic children. Soon after, students could choose to return to Douglass High School for 10th grade. Not all students returned; many stayed at Craigmont High School.

The Douglass Community also has a Community Center on Ash Street. Many full-time and part-time workers have been employed there over the years. Terry E. Fluker Sr. was one of the most successful directors. He graduated from the original Douglass High School with a scholarship to Alcorn State University for baseball. Terry returned to Memphis in 1977. He became the Director of the Douglass Community Center from 2000 to 2014, retiring on January 14, 2014.

In high school, Terry Fluker Sr. led Douglass High School to the 1973 District Championship. He scored 14 points in the last quarter with a special left-handed jump shot. He was also an excellent baseball player. He still plays in adult baseball leagues for players over 40. He has two national championship rings from this league, from 2005 and 2006. Terry was added to the Alcorn State University Sports Hall of Fame for baseball in 2011.

In July 2019, Terry received an 'Outstanding Volunteer Service Award' from the Douglass National Alumni Corporation. This was the J. D. Springer Award. His volunteer work includes coaching the Douglass High School baseball team for four years. Terry helped get donations for the team, organized old school vs. new school basketball games, and found players.

Douglass High School

The original Douglass High School served the neighborhood starting in 1938. It burned down and classes moved to the "Need More" church. This was one of the first churches founded by William Rush-Plummer. A new school was built and used from 1946 to 1981.

The original Douglass High School closed because not enough students attended. Many children from the community had grown up and moved away. So, the old school didn't have enough students to stay open. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. It was torn down in the Summer of 2006 without the Rush-Plummer family's full agreement. Maggie Judith Fluker-Campbell, William Rush Plummer's great-granddaughter, was against tearing down this historic landmark. But alumni members and the school superintendent moved forward with tearing down the old school to build a new one.

The new Douglass School opened for the 2008–09 school year. It was expected to have at least 800 students. The New Frederick Douglass High School opened under Janet Ware Thompson, a 1975 graduate of Douglass High School. It is one of Memphis City Schools' oldest but newest schools. It has a modern 1,500-seat gym, an 1,100-seat auditorium, a football stadium with a track in Douglass Park, and a baseball stadium.

Terry E. Fluker Jr., the son of Terry E. Fluker Sr., was among the first class to graduate from the new Douglass High School.

Community

Recreation

Douglass Park is located behind the old and new Douglass High Schools. Many children have gathered there since the 1960s for summer day camps. Evelyn Fluker-Williams directed Douglass Park during the 1960s–1970s. In Douglass Park, children like Bishop Maggie Campbell and her family learned sports such as basketball and swimming. They also learned tennis, children's theater, arts, and crafts. They competed against other parks in Memphis. Evelyn Fluker-Williams was a leader who supported women's rights and was very patriotic. She made sure children fully participated in the Flag Ceremony daily and helped at election polls.

Evelyn Fluker-Williams also worked part-time indoors at the Douglass Community Center during the fall and winter. Her children and other community children learned indoor sports, arts and crafts, and games like pool and table tennis. They also had Girl and Boy Scout meetings and piano lessons. They competed against other community centers in Memphis.

Evelyn Fluker-Williams helped organize the yearly Douglass Expo in Douglass Park until the late 1970s. Today, celebrations like Juneteenth are held in Douglass Park. The park has changed a lot since the 1960s and 1970s.

Community Center

Evelyn Fluker-Williams worked indoors at the Douglass Community Center from the 1960s through the 1970s. There, children learned indoor sports, arts and crafts, and various games. They also had Girl and Boy Scout meetings and piano lessons. They competed against other community centers in Memphis. The Community Center has a gym, a banquet room, a kitchen, a game room, and other useful spaces. Terry E. Fluker Sr. took over from his mother, Evelyn Fluker-Williams, working at the Douglass Community Center for over 15 years.

Terry E. Fluker Sr. was a talented athlete. He was named Most Valuable Player in basketball throughout his high school years. He is also a baseball player and coach. He earned a baseball scholarship to Alcorn State University because of his great performance at the original Douglass High School.

Terry E. Fluker Sr. was inducted into the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 as a Youth Team Manager/Coach. His cousin, Odessa Dickens-Hayes, was also inducted for golf. She taught children how to play golf. Terry E. Fluker Sr. was also inducted into the Alcorn State University Sports Hall of Fame for baseball in October 2011.

As director from 2000 to 2014, Terry E. Fluker Sr. led many events at the Douglass Community Center. These included a Senior Citizen's group, cheerleading, dance, fitness, and a summer baseball program sponsored by the Memphis Red Birds. He also ran programs for drawing, coloring, tumbling, and little league games in flag football, basketball, and baseball. He worked a total of 32 years as a full-time director.

Terry E. Fluker Sr. retired on January 14, 2014, after serving the City of Memphis Parks and Neighborhoods Division for 32 years. He is currently a volunteer coach for the new Douglass High School varsity baseball team. He also plays in a baseball league for players over 40 years old.

Economy

Douglass has several factories in the area. Some are still working, while others are not. All are connected to a rail line, including the John Morrell Meats factory. Douglass is next to Hyde Park and Hollywood, and is surrounded by railroad tracks. For many years, residents often found their way blocked by stopped or slow trains. Many accidents have happened over the years when people tried to cross the tracks. Even though promises were made to build an overpass in the 1970s, this project never happened.