Elmira bridge renamed in honor of two local trailblazers
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – In a unanimous 7-0 vote, the Elmira City Council approved the renaming of the Madison Avenue bridge in honor of two local trailblazers: Bessie Berry and A’Don Allen. Both were civil rights leaders who shattered several glass ceilings in the 1960’s and 70’s.
The bridge renaming was first proposed by former Elmira Mayor Jim Hare. Mr. Hare knew Mr. Allen, who served as his Deputy Mayor.
Resolution 2024-91 stated:
“WHEREAS, the most easterly vehicular bridge within the City spanning the Chemung River is currently known as the Madison Avenue Bridge; and WHEREAS, Mrs. Bessie T. Berry and Mr. A’Don Allen were not only residents of the City of Elmira but were visionary pioneers who transformed the City by tireless advocacy for education, community development, and social justice; and
WHEREAS, by renaming the Madison Avenue Bridge in their honor, it will be a
testament to present and future generations of these extraordinary pioneers who paved a
way for a more connected and vibrant City; NOW, THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED, that the Madison Avenue Bridge be renamed the Berry-Allen Bridge in honor of Bessie Berry and A’Don Allen, who were bridge builders in government and education; and be it further RESOLVED, that a plaque be erected at the north end of the Bridge to acknowledge and memorialize their accomplishments.“
In 1968, Allen became the first black member of the Elmira Civil Service Commission. The next year, he became Chemung County’s first black legislator. In 1977, Allen became the Elmira’s first black city council member.
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“A’Don is a historic figure,” former Elmira Mayor Jim Hare told 18 News. In 1988, Hare asked Allen to be his Deputy Mayor. “A’Don was almost like a father figure to me and a great mentor. We used to joke because I am somewhat loquacious, and he was somewhat reticent to speak. But he was like E.F. Hutton, when he spoke, people listened. Bessie Barry, I knew less well, but Bessie was the same way, she was more outspoken than A’Don,” Hare added.
On February 28th, we spoke with A’Don Allen’s grandson, A’Don Allen III.
“I just spoke about him at a Black History Month event this past Sunday,” said his grandson, A’Don Allen III. “It’s just unbelievable that it’ll be 30 years this June since he unfortunately passed away, but he’s still revered. He’s still relevant.” Allen III is the Head Coach of the Elmira Express Girls Varsity basketball team. He is also the Director of Youth Services at the YMCA in Elmira.
In 1967, Bessie Berry became Chemung County’s first black Social Worker and Probation Officer. In 1981, she became the first black counselor at the Elmira Correctional Facility. Berry was also the first black person elected to the Elmira School District Board of Education. In 1988, she asked Georgia Verdier to take over her role as President of the Elmira-Corning NAACP.
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“Bessie was a visionary, a trailblazer and a bridge builder,” Verdier told 18 News. “So, I was excited to hear that they were thinking of naming a bridge in her memory. She came from Memphis, Tennessee, and she flew in like a track champion and just got busy. She was president of the NAACP during the 1980s and she was just all over the place. She left footprints in the sands of time everywhere she went, and I met her on her journey. She challenged me to be a better me.”
“She taught I was already part of NAACP when I came here from Indiana because I’m coming from a family who have activists, and I met her, and we partnered together. I traveled with her, and she talked with me about that organization, and she said, When I step down, will you take over? Will you run for the position?” Verdier said.
“And I said, no way, no how. Because I didn’t feel that I was ready to do something of that nature or because I believe leadership carries a heavy-duty responsibility, and if you’re not ready to lead, don’t get up there just for the name. You need to be able to carry the weight of a leader. So, I said no, but then I kept working with her and learned from her and other people that I was able to interface with. I found out what leadership really meant and what was the responsibility of an effective leader. At that time, I decided to run for the office, and I’ve been president ever since. She was my, what can I call her? My leaning tower. She got me started and she gave me the confidence that if you if you want to be an activist, you have to go for it and you can’t be on the sidelines talking about it. You have to get in the game and play.”
“It’s important to keep leaders in any community, but in particular, in the black community here,” said Adon Allen III. “There’s a lot of progress that has been made, but we’re still making progress, which is kind of a sad state of affairs in 2024, but the fact is, you have to keep pushing forward. It is nice that there are a lot of young people who are doing some great things and trying to move forward and keep the progress alive.”
Mayor Mandell told 18 News the city will now update its maps to reflect the bridge’s new name. An official renaming ceremony is expected to be held at the bridge next February.
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