Page 33 - Florida Sentinel 2-4-22

Black History: The History Behind The Names
Little is publicized about Isaac Howard who was born around 1840 in Ala- bama. Howard and his mother, Virginia Asberry, arrived in Tampa six years later as a bondsman of James McKay. After the Civil War, Howard remained in Tampa and became an em- ployee of the United States Customs Service. He re- mained in the service of the government for the majority of his life and is said to have amassed a personal worth of $10,000.
Howard emerged as a leader in the Republican Party and a proponent of bet- ter education for African Americans. He was chosen to serve on the Hillsborough County School Board in July 1873 and remained in that ca- pacity until June 1875. He
filled the role again from May 1876 until March 1877. In the interim, Howard taught school in 1874.
In 1876, Howard served as a delegate representing Hillsborough County at the Republican State Convention, and in 1902, Howard and his friend, Thomas McKnight, organized Tampa’s African American voters to protect the interests of the Black com- munity.
Howard and his wife, Mary “Polly” Washing-
ton, were also active in the African Methodist Church and in 1870, the couple acted as founders of what became St. Paul AME Church. They were the parents of two sons and six daughters.
During his lifetime, Howard was a community activist and often mentored others, including George S. Middleton, who married his daughter, Margaret Jane, who would also leave his fin- gerprint on Tampa’s African American history.
First Black School Board Member
Elementary Schools
Mary E. Bryant Elementary School
A Tampa native, Mary Bryant graduated from Mid- dleton High School in 1951. Mrs. Bryant earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elemen- tary Education from Bethune-Cookman College in 1955.
She returned to Hillsbor- ough County and launched a career in education that spanned more than 40 years. In 1986, Mrs. Bryant be- came the Area Director for Area II, and in 1992, was ap- pointed as Assistant Superin- tendent for Support Services.
She became the first African American woman to serve in both positions. She retired in 1997. The Mary E.
MARY E. BRYANT
Bryant Elementary School, located in Keystone, was named in her honor in 2002. She died in 2011 at the age of 75.
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