Lorenzo Hamilton 8/26/1938 - Lorenzo Hamilton was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong>’s most celebrated 20th century educators, not solely for executing <strong>the</strong> duties and responsibilities on his job description, but for going beyond <strong>the</strong> call <strong>of</strong> duty. He was a coach, teacher, and administrator who implemented a comprehensive vision <strong>of</strong> community recreation and engagement. He arrived in <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> in 1965, as Moton High School athletic director, football and basketball coach, physical and driver education, science teacher, and summer recreation program director. In a short time, he enhanced <strong>the</strong> basketball program <strong>by</strong> relocating <strong>the</strong> court from <strong>the</strong> school’s entrance closer to <strong>the</strong> athletic complex and expanding <strong>the</strong> court from two goals to six. His basketball team won <strong>the</strong> Mid-8 Atlantic Conference Class B Basketball Championship, <strong>the</strong> first in <strong>the</strong> school’s history. He added track and field to <strong>the</strong> athletic program. The summer youth baseball program was expanded from two casual teams to four in uniforms, award ceremonies, and trophies were added. He made a public campaign <strong>of</strong> his student’s successes <strong>by</strong> having <strong>the</strong>ir stories published in The Sun Journal, <strong>the</strong> local newspaper. Thus, he successfully brea<strong>the</strong>d needed reverence into a struggling Kennedy Park, <strong>the</strong> first public park in <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> for African Americans when he relocated <strong>the</strong> youth program from Moton Field to <strong>the</strong> park where <strong>the</strong> fields had lights, and public accommodations. A women’s s<strong>of</strong>tball program emerged from <strong>the</strong> Wednesday Night Community Recreation Evening. Eventually he started a competitive girls’ s<strong>of</strong>tball team, <strong>the</strong> Jets, that won <strong>the</strong> state championship in 1976. From <strong>the</strong> two youth ball programs, Kennedy Youth Club (KYC) was formed to aid <strong>Black</strong> students navigating <strong>the</strong> cultural transitions from Moton during <strong>the</strong> desegregation <strong>of</strong> public schools. KYC nurtured empowerment skills fostered positive socialization skills and <strong>the</strong>ir successful completion <strong>of</strong> high school and college. He also founded <strong>the</strong> Human Relations Club at HHS, a forerunner to equity, diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism. He organized <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Organization and he stepped forward and joined <strong>the</strong> Community Alliance, a community-based organization that was formed in <strong>the</strong> early 90s’ to address racial matters. He was <strong>the</strong> only male to join <strong>the</strong> <strong>Black</strong> Educators’ <strong>Caucus</strong>, <strong>Inc</strong>., <strong>of</strong> <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> and would eventually serve as its President 2001-2003. In February 1970, he coordinated <strong>the</strong> first <strong>Black</strong> History Month Celebration Assembly at <strong>Hernando</strong> High School and he was a member <strong>of</strong> Moton High School Reunion 50th Anniversary Celebration, 1939-1989 Steering Committee. Mr. Hamilton’s efforts to enhance <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> life in <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> have not gone unnoticed. Graduates <strong>of</strong> his youth programs sponsored three appreciation events in his honor; <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> Branch NAACP recognized him as an Unsung Hero in Recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> national organization’s centennial, he was inducted into <strong>Hernando</strong> High School Sports Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame, Central High School Yearbook was dedicated to him, <strong>the</strong> Kennedy Park(KP) Community Center was renamed <strong>the</strong> Lorenzo Hamilton Community Center and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> School Board promoted him from teacher/coach to assistant principal to principal and giving him <strong>the</strong> honor <strong>of</strong> opening Springstead High School in 1977. A plaque was placed on <strong>the</strong> Mid-Community Services Head Start Office wall on School Street in his honor <strong>by</strong> his mentees. Coach Lorenzo Hamilton was born in Cotton Plant, Florida in Marion <strong>County</strong> and raised in Frostpro<strong>of</strong>, Polk <strong>County</strong>, Florida. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Lake Wales, FL, 1956, earned his bachelor’s degree from Bethune Cookman (College) University 1960, and a master’s degree from Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University in 1971. He retired as an educator after 33 years and worked several years for <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Corrections. He was married to <strong>the</strong> late Mae Lois Hamilton and <strong>the</strong>y had one son, Keenan Hamilton. <strong>Hernando</strong> <strong>County</strong> in particularly and <strong>the</strong> world more general, are better places because <strong>of</strong> his service. Education was his pr<strong>of</strong>ession and providing leadership and wholesome recreational opportunities for youth was his vocation. Sponsors: Colonel Peter Burnett USA (Ret.) & Family “Success is to be measured not so much <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> position that one has reached in life as <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington
MARCH <strong>2022</strong> 1st Day <strong>of</strong> Women's History Month Mardi Gras 1914, Ralph W. Ellison, author, educator, born Ash Wednesday 1867, U.S. Congress enacts charter to establish Howard University BEC’s <strong>Black</strong> History Month Essay & Poster Competition Daylight Savings Time Begins St. Patrick's Day 1822, The Phoenix Society, literary and educational group founded <strong>by</strong> <strong>Black</strong>s in New York City First Day <strong>of</strong> Spring 2009, John Hope Franklin, prolific scholar <strong>of</strong> African American history who influenced thinking about slavery and reconstruction dies