Joan Maynard (preservationist) facts for kids

Joan Bacchus Maynard (born Joan Cooper) was an amazing American artist, writer, and community leader. She was born on August 29, 1928, and passed away on January 22, 2006. Joan helped start a group in the late 1960s. Their goal was to save the history of Weeksville. This was a special African American community in Brooklyn, New York that existed even before the Civil War.

Early Life and Education

Joan Maynard was born in Brooklyn, New York. She went to Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School. Her father, John W. Cooper, was a ventriloquist. Her mother, Julia St. Bernard, came from the island of Grenada.

Joan received a scholarship to attend the Art Career School in Manhattan. She later graduated from Empire State College. She also studied at Columbia University as a Revson Fellow.

Her Work as an Artist and Writer

Joan Maynard used her talents as an artist and writer. She created cover art for The Crisis magazine. This magazine is the official publication of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

She also worked on the Golden Legacy comic series. This series was started by Bertram Fitzgerald in 1966. Joan wrote and drew stories about important Black historical figures. She worked with Tom Feelings on a comic about Harriet Tubman. She also created comics about Matthew Henson and Joseph Cinqué, who led the La Amistad mutiny.

Saving the History of Weeksville

One of Joan Maynard's most important contributions was helping to save Weeksville. Weeksville was a community founded in the 1830s. It was a place where formerly enslaved people and free Black people lived. Owning property in Weeksville allowed Black men to vote. This community thrived for almost 100 years.

In the late 1960s, Joan Maynard and others formed a group. They wanted to preserve Weeksville's history. Other founding members included James Hurley, Dewey Harley, Dolores McCullough, and Patricia Johnson.

Joan later became the director of the Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford Stuyvesant. This group later became the Weeksville Heritage Center. She worked for over 25 years to restore Weeksville's legacy. Its history had been left off many maps of the area.

Joan Maynard also co-wrote a book about the community. It was called Weeksville, Then & Now. The book shared the story of discovering and preserving Weeksville's memories.

From 1974 to 1999, Joan was the Executive Director of the Weeksville Heritage Society. In 2017, a street in Brooklyn was named after her. This honored her important work in preserving Weeksville.

Awards and Recognition

Joan Maynard received many honors for her work. She was given an honorary doctorate from the Bank Street College of Education. She also received a Louise DuPont Crowninshield Award. This award came from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.