I met Mrs. Hendricks when I was selected to participate in the Young Scholars internship program at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI). Mrs. Hendricks was a fixture at BCRI and spent most of her time telling the story of the Movement through tours, public programs and through the Institute's Oral History Program that my former professor, Dr. Horace Huntley, directed. As I worked on more and more programs, I got to know Mrs. Hendricks personally. She was a very bright woman and a tireless worker. Her determination to make sure that she documented the stories of the Movement was unmatched. She was critical in making sure that the stories from participants and activists of the ACMHR and the Birmingham Movement were recorded, documented and preserved. As the former ACMHR corresponding secretary, she also helped to identify archival collections and organizational papers that were useful to historians studying the civil rights revolution in Birmingham. My relationship with her took a turn one day at the former WENN radio station. She and I were there to promote upcoming BCRI programs. As we waited for news director Bennie Myles to complete her segment before our interview, Hendricks told me that she had heard that I was on my way to graduate school. I told her that I was excited about the new opportunity, a little hesitant about my pending move to upstate New York, and at a loss for what I would study once I arrived in Cooperstown. Without batting an eyelash, Hendricks told me that I already had a topic for my masters thesis. Stunned, I looked at her and asked her to continue. She then TOLD me that I would write my masters thesis on the women in the Birmingham Movement. In typical black Southern fashion, I said "Yes ma'am" and we kept going. I did not question her request (demand??). Once I got to Cooperstown, I immediately told my professors that I had a topic and started the research.
During the course of this project, Mrs. Hendricks did not waver in her commitment to assist me with completing the thesis for my M.A. She gave me the same focus and dedicated assistance that she gave to every project. She made contacts and cajoled, fussed out, pleaded and flattered to get former activists to talk to me. And, she gave of her own time, months on end, to review, revise, correct and explain things that I did not understand. She was kind and warm, and I remember many days meeting her in her lovely Center Street home to review the latest. Sometimes, there were meals but there were always words of encouragement and a commitment to seeing the thesis project through. Over time, we talked about life and adulthood ( I was every bit of 25!) and she had advice there, too. I was one of her children and I looked forward to visiting BCRI and seeing her beautiful smile and those deep dimples in her cheeks! She was precious to me then and she remains so. My very last conversation with her was after she got her Alzheimer's diagnosis. She was worried about it but was determined to do whatever she could "before it all went away." From time to time, I would ask others about her. I got an opportunity to chat with her daughter Audrey in 2007 about her before her untimely death. Mrs. Hendricks was a lovely lady, a jewel, really. And I am grateful that she chose me to tell her story and the stories of the countless women leaders of the Birmingham Movement.
HENDRICKS, LOLA H. passed away on May 17, 2013 at the age of 80. Interment will be held at Elmwood Cemetery on Friday, May 24, 2013 at 11 am. A Memorial service will follow at 12 noon at New Pilgrim Baptist Church. Davenport & Harris directing.
Published in The Birmingham News from May 21 to May 22, 2013
Links to other stories about Hendricks' death: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/lola_hendricks_key_behind_the.html
