Enola Maxwell
American civil rights activist (1919–2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Enola D. "Miz" Maxwell (August 30, 1919 – June 24, 2003)[1] was an American civil rights activist from San Francisco in the United States.[2] She was a community leader, active in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.
Biography
In 1968, Maxwell became the first woman – and first black person – to be named as lay minister at a Presbyterian Church, she served at Olivet Presbyterian Church in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.[1][3]
Maxwell was later appointed by the church as the executive director of the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House from 1971 until 2003,[4][5] a role she served until her death at the age of 83.[6]: 76 The Potrero Hill Neighborhood House serves the local community with adult education classes, youth and summer school classes, a kindergarten, a meeting hall, and offers theatre performances and dramatics classes.[7]
In 2001, the Potrero Hill Middle School was renamed to the Enola D. Maxwell Middle School of the Arts.[6]: 77 The Enola D. Maxwell Middle School of the Arts is located at the same site as a 1950s public housing site that Maxwell had lived in.[4] Her daughter, Sophie Maxwell, was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2000.[6]: 77
