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'''Daisy D. Myers''' (10 February 1925 – 5 December 2011) was an African American woman who moved with her family to the all-white town of [[Levittown, Pennsylvania]], in August 1957 and |
'''Daisy D. Myers''' (10 February 1925 – 5 December 2011) was an African American woman who moved with her family to the all-white town of [[Levittown, Pennsylvania]], in August 1957 and faced months of harassment and violence before security forces intervened to protect them. Myers has been dubbed as the “[[Rosa Parks]] of the North".<ref name="The Hollywood Reporter" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Randy|title=Attorney who represented Daisy Myers family in Levittown civil rights case dead at 99|url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2019/01/11/attorney-samuel-snipes-daisy-myers-levittown-civil-rights-case-dies-racial-discrimination-housing/2548207002/|access-date=2021-03-27|website=York Daily Record|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Integrating Levittown 1957|url=https://www.nosue.org/civil-rights/integrating-levittown-1957/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Justice Network|language=en}}</ref> |
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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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[[File:William and Daisy Myers.jpg|thumb|300px|William and Daisy Myers socializing with their neighbors]] |
[[File:William and Daisy Myers.jpg|thumb|300px|William and Daisy Myers socializing with their neighbors]] |
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Daisy was born in [[York, Pennsylvania]], on 10 February 1925, to |
Daisy was born in [[York, Pennsylvania]], on 10 February 1925, to William Lester and Alma Hockett, and was raised by the Dailey's of Richmond. Daisy had a master's degree's in education, and guidance and counseling.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Daisy Myers Obituary (2011) - York, PA - York Daily Record|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/york/154941095|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Legacy}}</ref> Her husband William Edward Myers, Jr, an electrical engineer, and her met at [[Hampton University|Hampton Institute]] and decided to move with their three children to [[Levittown, Pennsylvania]] in the summer of 1957,<ref name="The Hollywood Reporter">{{Cite news|title=The Real-Life Racial Battle That Inspired George Clooney's 'Suburbicon'|language=en|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/suburbicon-real-life-racial-battle-inspired-george-clooneys-film-1034430|access-date=2018-01-30}}</ref> whose 15,500 already occupied homes had been sold only to whites during the five previous years, using what can best be described as blatant racial discrimination, in the Dogwood Hollow Section, at 43 Deepgreen Lane, being the first African American family to move to the neighborhood.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining|url=https://dsl.richmond.edu/socialvulnerability/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-27|website=[[University of Richmond]]}}</ref> All other potential buyers had been systematically turned away by the [[real-estate developer|real-estate development]] [[William Levitt|Levitt organization]]. To avoid possible rejection from the organization, the Myers purchased the home from a previous owner who had moved back to Philadelphia.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Jonas|first=Jerry|date=12 August 2017|title=60 years later, the Levittown shame that still lingers|url=https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/1cd299e6-7e1a-11e7-92bb-bf5ca2295519.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Bucks County Courier Times}}</ref> |
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Neighbors who wanted them to leave directed increasingly violent attacks against the Myers during nine continuous days of threats, harassment and violence,<ref name=":3" /> including [[cross burning]] and damage both to the home and to the property. Myers’ white neighbors had to intervene after both state and local forces and their efforts did not stop the harassment.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=2017-12-20|title=Little Known Black History Fact: William And Daisy Myers|url=https://woldcnews.com/1607709/little-known-black-history-fact-william-and-daisy-myers/|access-date=2021-03-27|website=WOL-AM 1450 AM & 95.9 FM|language=en-US}}</ref> The town's police failed to enforce the court ordered protection for the Myers, which prohibited that more than three people assembled close to the house at once. Mobs consequently gathered similarly each night and only finally subsided due to the intervention from the state police. Riots ended after fourteen days and harassment to the Myers continued for nearly three months.<ref name=":1" /> The action led to an injunction and criminal charges against the attackers; the Myers and their supporters refused to give up, receiving national acclaim for their efforts.<ref name=":2" /> |
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The harassment gradually stopped after residents realized that the Myers were |
The harassment gradually stopped after residents realized that the Myers were going to remain. The Myers family stayed in the house for four years before William Myers accepted a job in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] and moving to York. According to their daughter, Lynda Myers, her parents did not focus on the negative aspects of the stay in Levittown, praising instead the neighbors that helped them. William Myers died at his home in York in 1987, at age 65.<ref name=":4" /> |
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In 2005, Myers published the autobiography ''Sticks’N Stones: The Myers Family In Levittown''. Long after |
In 2005, Myers published the autobiography ''Sticks’N Stones: The Myers Family In Levittown''. Long after William died, Daisy was invited to the town for a public apology and planted a tree in front of the Levittown's city hall, called affectionately "Miss Daisy."<ref name=":4" /> She retired from the [[York City School District]] after thirty years of employment and was a district assistant for Congressman [[William F. Goodling]]. Among the organizations that Daisy was involved with included [[Alpha Kappa Alpha|Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority]], the Crispus Attucks AARP Group, Golden UU's; she was also part of the YWCA Board formerly.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Daisy Myers died on 5 December 2011 in York, at age 86.<ref name=":2" /> |
Daisy Myers died on 5 December 2011 in York, at age 86.<ref name=":2" /> |
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The 2017 film ''[[Suburbicon]],'' starring [[Matt Damon]] and directed by [[George Clooney]], was |
The 2017 film ''[[Suburbicon]],'' starring [[Matt Damon]] and directed by [[George Clooney]], was inspired by the couple.<ref name="The Hollywood Reporter" /><ref name=":4" /> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 14:53, 8 May 2021
Daisy D. Myers (10 February 1925 – 5 December 2011) was an African American woman who moved with her family to the all-white town of Levittown, Pennsylvania, in August 1957 and faced months of harassment and violence before security forces intervened to protect them. Myers has been dubbed as the “Rosa Parks of the North".[1][2][3]
Biography
Daisy was born in York, Pennsylvania, on 10 February 1925, to William Lester and Alma Hockett, and was raised by the Dailey's of Richmond. Daisy had a master's degree's in education, and guidance and counseling.[4] Her husband William Edward Myers, Jr, an electrical engineer, and her met at Hampton Institute and decided to move with their three children to Levittown, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1957,[1] whose 15,500 already occupied homes had been sold only to whites during the five previous years, using what can best be described as blatant racial discrimination, in the Dogwood Hollow Section, at 43 Deepgreen Lane, being the first African American family to move to the neighborhood.[2][3][5] All other potential buyers had been systematically turned away by the real-estate development Levitt organization. To avoid possible rejection from the organization, the Myers purchased the home from a previous owner who had moved back to Philadelphia.[6]
Neighbors who wanted them to leave directed increasingly violent attacks against the Myers during nine continuous days of threats, harassment and violence,[6] including cross burning and damage both to the home and to the property. Myers’ white neighbors had to intervene after both state and local forces and their efforts did not stop the harassment.[7] The town's police failed to enforce the court ordered protection for the Myers, which prohibited that more than three people assembled close to the house at once. Mobs consequently gathered similarly each night and only finally subsided due to the intervention from the state police. Riots ended after fourteen days and harassment to the Myers continued for nearly three months.[5] The action led to an injunction and criminal charges against the attackers; the Myers and their supporters refused to give up, receiving national acclaim for their efforts.[3]
The harassment gradually stopped after residents realized that the Myers were going to remain. The Myers family stayed in the house for four years before William Myers accepted a job in Harrisburg and moving to York. According to their daughter, Lynda Myers, her parents did not focus on the negative aspects of the stay in Levittown, praising instead the neighbors that helped them. William Myers died at his home in York in 1987, at age 65.[7]
In 2005, Myers published the autobiography Sticks’N Stones: The Myers Family In Levittown. Long after William died, Daisy was invited to the town for a public apology and planted a tree in front of the Levittown's city hall, called affectionately "Miss Daisy."[7] She retired from the York City School District after thirty years of employment and was a district assistant for Congressman William F. Goodling. Among the organizations that Daisy was involved with included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Crispus Attucks AARP Group, Golden UU's; she was also part of the YWCA Board formerly.[4]
Daisy Myers died on 5 December 2011 in York, at age 86.[3]
The 2017 film Suburbicon, starring Matt Damon and directed by George Clooney, was inspired by the couple.[1][7]
References
- ^ a b c "The Real-Life Racial Battle That Inspired George Clooney's 'Suburbicon'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
- ^ a b Parker, Randy. "Attorney who represented Daisy Myers family in Levittown civil rights case dead at 99". York Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ^ a b c d "Integrating Levittown 1957". Justice Network. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Daisy Myers Obituary (2011) - York, PA - York Daily Record". Legacy. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining". University of Richmond. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Jonas, Jerry (12 August 2017). "60 years later, the Levittown shame that still lingers". Bucks County Courier Times. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d "Little Known Black History Fact: William And Daisy Myers". WOL-AM 1450 AM & 95.9 FM. 2017-12-20. Retrieved 2021-03-27.