Barba-Del Campbell was in the hallway at the overflow Council meeting this past July on Cedar Creek Park. She handed me a handwritten letter which I put into my pocket. I met Barba-Del a few years earlier at the first meeting for the Lanta merchants. There were at least two passions in her life, activism and art; Apparently, she had a long relationship with both. This past summer, The Morning Call had a feature story about her role in commemorating Paul Robeson with a postage stamp.
I typed and printed Barba-Del's letter and faxed it along with my own to the Morning Call. Both our editorials appeared side by side in the paper. My effort resulted in a handwritten thank you note. Barba-Del didn't have a computer. I would print out pieces I wrote on the merchants or on the parks, and leave them at her "office", that would be the first table to the left at The House of Chen.
There will be a gathering this Saturday in her memory at the restaurant. Barba-Del is on the far right in photo above, which was taken after that Lanta meeting by participant Bernie O'Hare. Ann Elizabeth Schlegel and Heather Sincavage also remember this remarkable woman.
ADDENDUM: I STOPPED INTO THE HOUSE OF CHEN TRIBUTE TO BARBA-DEL TO PAY MY RESPECTS, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
Heather Sincavage reflects on the memorial service
reprinted from March 2010
Thank you. MM, it's so important to remember the great people who have left us.
ReplyDeleteNow here was a women who was not mean or vindictive but gracious and gloried in the presence of art , beauty and justice for all.
And.....a great character!
@9:12, you're complimenting one women i profiled, by insulting the other. neither of them were mean or vindictive. your comment is only published to honor barba-del.
ReplyDeleteVery nice,well done.
ReplyDeleteShe was something.
Totally great photo!
Hey,good. She was very cool. As long as the Baum School has openings and the Atown Art Museum has a gift shop she lives!
ReplyDelete