Hecky Powell
Hecky Powell (November 6, 1948 – May 22, 2020) was an American businessman, philanthropist and community leader from Evanston, Illinois.
Early life and education
[edit]Hecky Powell was born to Verna Jenkins Powell, a Creole woman from New Orleans, and Forrest Powell; both were service workers.[1] His given name was Harry William Powell.[2] He grew up in Evanston.[3] Powell earned a degree from Northeastern Illinois University at the University Without Walls.[1]
Hecky's Barbecue
[edit]Powell and wife Cheryl Judice opened Hecky's Barbecue in 1983.[1] Their menu takes heavy inspiration from the Creole cooking of Powell's mother and grandmother. Hecky Powell's mother, Verna Powell, worked at the restaurant for 10 years when it was newly opened.[4] Some menu items took their names from Black history, notably the "Juneteenth strawberry soda." The restaurant sells ribs, rib tips, chicken, muffins, sandwiches, fries, soft drinks, and other fast food items. Powell and Judice opened a second location in Lincoln Park in 2004, which closed.[5] The Evanston restaurant closed for repairs following Powell's death in May 2020, and reopened later that same year with Judice as the owner.[6][7]
The restaurant's motto is "It's the Sauce," referring to a barbecue sauce Hecky used on his cooking.[8] Powell sold this sauce by the bottle.[5]
In 2014, the street corner on which Hecky's Barbecue sits gained the honorary name "Hecky Powell Way."[9]
Other work
[edit]Before opening Hecky's Barbecue with his wife, Hecky Powell was an executive director for Neighbors at Work, an Evanston social services program.[4] The program aims to alleviate poverty; some of the services it offers are cheap meals for seniors and food vouchers low-income mothers.[3]
In addition to his restaurant career, Powell participated in local politics. He was the president of the Evanston branch of the NAACP and the former president of the District 65 school board, which covers Evanston and parts of Skokie.[10][11] In a 2003 discussion on racial identification categories on school forms, Powell said, "In this country, we basically are all mutts anyway."[12] He also said, "In America we’re all mutts. I am a mutt. I am a Creole." Parents complained about the use of the word "mutt" to describe biracial people, especially children. After the incident, Powell decided not to run for school board again.[13][14][15]
Philanthropy
[edit]Hecky Powell was well-known in the Evanston area for offering jobs and free food to Evanstonians, especially young people.[10][16] In 2014, Powell received a key to the city for his work with young adults.[17] He also incentivized drug addicts to stay clean by paying them to attend rehab meetings.[18]
In 1994, Hecky Powell founded the Forrest E. Powell foundation, named for his father. The foundation provides scholarships and grants to high school students, especially those looking to work in the trades.[19] His philanthropy focused on young people in the Evanston area. Former Evanston mayor Steve Haggerty said, "[Powell's] work to support our youth was unparalleled."[20]
Later, in 2017, Powell co-founded the Evanston Work Ethic (WE) program as a subset of the Forrest E. Powell foundation.[21] The WE program works with students at ETHS, the local public high school. WE provides students with paid internships, soft-skills workshops, career exploration opportunities, and mentors in their fields of interest.[22][23]
Personal life and death
[edit]Powell's wife, Cheryl Judice, is a sociologist and professor.[2][24] They have multiple children.
He died from COVID-19 complications on May 22, 2020, at age 71, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois.[8][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Green, Penelope (June 9, 2020). "Hecky Powell, Barbecue Master and Civic Leader, Dies at 71". New York Times.
- ^ a b "Illinois Restaurant Owner Who Died Of COVID-19 Remembered By Wife". NPR WBEZ Chicago. National Public Radio. June 13, 2020.
- ^ a b Crockett, Sandra (August 28, 1984). "Evanston not so idyllic, activist". ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Defender. p. 4.
- ^ a b Dey, Sneha (May 23, 2020). "It's the sauce and more: Hecky Powell, barbecue king and champion of the youth, dies at 71". The Daily Northwestern. Northwestern University.
- ^ a b c Waxman, Naomi (May 22, 2020). "Hecky Powell, Founder of Evanston's Landmark Barbecue Restaurant, Has Died". Eater Chicago.
- ^ Randhava, Heidi (November 6, 2020). "Hecky's Grand Re-Opening: 'It's What Community Is All About'". Evanston Round Table.
- ^ Chu, Louisa. "HECKY'S BARBECUE KEEPS GOING [Corrected 02/17/2021]: Evanston Institution Wants to 'Live Up' to Lofty Reputation." Chicago Tribune, February 17, 2021, p. 1. ProQuest.
- ^ a b Maureen O'Donnell (May 22, 2020). "Hecky Powell, rib king and Evanston icon, has died at 71". Chicago Sun Times.
- ^ Mizroch, Marissa (November 9, 2014). "Hecky's Barbecue owner honored with street name". The Daily Northwestern.
- ^ a b Heidii Stevens (May 26, 2020). "Column: That time Hecky Powell saved Thanksgiving for a Northwestern student and his roommates. 'That's Mr. Hecky.'". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "A Tribute to Hecky Powell". Evanston NAACP News. NAACP Evanston Branch. May 22, 2020.
- ^ Black, Lisa. "School Official Offers Apology ; Board Member Under Fire for 'mutts' Remarks: [North Shore Final , NS Edition]." Chicago Tribune, April 18, 2003, p. 1. ProQuest.
- ^ Jagannathan, Malavika (May 26, 2003). ""I Am a Mutt"". The Daily Northwestern.
- ^ "Obama "Mutt" Remark Gets Evanston Man Out of the Dog House". NBC Chicago. July 30, 2009.
- ^ Hamill, Sean D. "Critics Aim to Silence 'Mutt' ; He Puts Controversy on Platter Once again: [North Shore Final , NS Edition]." Chicago Tribune, July 24, 2005, p. 2. ProQuest.
- ^ Shorefront Journal. Shorefront Legacy Center. 2013. p. 43. ISBN 9780976523222.
- ^ Jones, Shawn (September 10, 2014). "Four Receive Keys to the City". Evanston Round Table.
- ^ Grumman, Cornelia. "PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE WHILE COOKING UP A FAMOUS BARBECUE RESTAURANT IN EVANSTON, OWNER HECKY POWELL HAS BECOME A PROMINENT COMMUNITY ACTIVIST.: [CHICAGO SPORTS FINAL EDITION]." Chicago Tribune, Apr 3, 2000, p. 1. ProQuest.
- ^ Messenger, Janet G. (May 12, 2009). "Powell Foundation Salutes Mayor Morton, Kevin Kelly at Jazz Brunch". Evanston Round Table.
- ^ Jones, Billy (May 23, 2020). "Coronavirus deaths: Hecky Powell, founder of Evanston's Hecky's Barbecue, dies from COVID-19". ABC 7 Eyewitness News.
- ^ "New Work Ethic Program Focuses on Lifelong Employability Rather Than College Prep". Evanston Round Table. February 22, 2017.
- ^ "Hecky Powell, Longtime Evanston BBQ Restaurant Owner, Philanthropist, Dies Of Pneumonia, Was Exposed To COVID-19". CBS Chicago. May 22, 2020.
- ^ Brown, Kristin (February 22, 2021). "Paid Internships Offer ETHS Grads an Immediate Path to Career". Evanston Round Table.
- ^ Rowley, Storer (May 26, 2020). "Northwestern friends pay tribute to Hecky Powell". Northwestern. Northwestern University.