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Community

There is a beauty in inner-city communities that is often overlooked. There is a uniqueness that brings excitement even in the shadow of hardship. While people living in these communities may not always have everything they need, they rarely feel sorry for themselves. Instead, there is resilience, pride, and a deep sense of belonging.

In my early years walking the streets of Wilmington, I felt that beauty immediately. There was a sense of pageantry and connection that felt different from other places. It was alive. It was human. And it drew me in.

African Americans have long lived within a communal atmosphere rooted in traditions brought from Africa. The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” was never just a saying. It meant neighbors looking out for children, grandparents stepping in, and families extending beyond bloodlines.

That village was exactly what I experienced when I began working with children in inner-city neighborhoods. I was young, I had no wealth, and I had no grand plan. But I cared deeply, I showed up consistently, and I was accepted. I cannot recall many mornings when I did not want to get up and go to work. Not because the work was easy, but because it mattered.

As I grew older and spent more years rooted in the community, my love for the work only deepened. Although I was not consciously seeking recognition, credibility and trust grew naturally through years of consistent presence. Eventually, there was no part of the city where I did not feel comfortable walking, and no neighborhood where I did not feel welcomed. There was no place I feared entering during the day or night. A mutual respect had developed, not because of authority or position, but because of the relationship. That trust was built over time. It was built by showing up, listening, holding standards, and caring deeply. In the end, the community did not just see me as someone working with children. They saw me as someone who belonged.

Big Brother

What everyone truly wants is to feel safe and secure. Not only within their physical surroundings, but also with the people they encounter every day. What I tried to provide in the community was consistency. I worked hard to be the same person in every setting.

Because the work involved children, I understood that my image and reputation mattered even when I was not present to defend them. Parents needed to feel secure. Families needed to trust. And children needed to know that the person guiding them would not change based on convenience or circumstance.

For the sake of the children I served, consistency was not optional. It was a responsibility

Reflections

“Mr. Larry Morris was instrumental in providing me with my first opportunity to play organized basketball in a league format via the NAACP Youth Basketball League (late 70’s) in Wilmington, DE. This league was a great opportunity for me and my brother Darryl. It also prepared us for Junior and Senior High school basketball, learning teamwork and sportsmanship. On a number of occasions, Mr. Larry would pick us up for games and practice if we did not have a ride to and from what was then known as West Center City Community Center. To this day I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Larry because he was always looking for positive and meaningful opportunities for the youth throughout Wilmington and New Castle County. The experience and the friendships forged from my participation in the league is priceless and would not have been possible had it not been for the sacrifices made by Mr. Larry. After moving away from Wilmington to play college basketball at the University Maryland Eastern Shore, I will never forget the time Mr. Larry organized a bus trip for the youth of Wilmington to come down and watch me play. First of all, I was surprised because I was not aware they were coming down to watch me play and secondly I was grateful that Mr. Larry thought that highly of me to organize such a trip. On behalf of me, my Mom and brother Darryl, we say Thank You Mr. Larry!”

Donnell Boney

“How would I describe Mr. Morris? First words, great man. Secondly, he’s an awesome father and thirdly, a very well known activist in the community. I’ve always said that if I didn’t have a father, I would want him to be my father. Growing up he interacted with us ladies as he would interact with his own daughters. He speaks with a soft tone but his words are powerful. I’m honored to know Mr. Morris.”

Ishia Watson

“I met Mr. Larry around 1985 during a time when my mother, who was a single mother raising 3 other children, was in desperate need of a male figure to assist in the molding and shaping of my character from a man’s perspective. What began as Homework Night from Mr. Larry, quickly turned into what many called a Father and Son relationship between the two of us. Mr. Larry immediately shared identical morals and values with me that I also witnessed that he shared with his very own children. He welcomed me into his home and transparently showed me what the true meaning of family meant. This relationship between Mr. Larry, his family, and myself unexpectedly had given me a boost of confidence that I failed to possess while struggling with issues of identity from the absence of my biological father. Mr. Larry exposed myself and others to life outside our neighborhoods and life where education and hard work paid off. Mr.Larry believed in us when we failed to possess a belief and challenged our gifts and talents until we established our very own confidence. He taught me the importance of self sufficiency, independence, and respect for all people from all walks of life. To this day I continue to model many characteristics learned from Mr. Larry for my very own children and youth I come in contact with on a daily basis.”

Lamotte Williams

“The ancestors brought Larry Morris and the Lenape Tribe together. As Native Americans we are often ignored or overlooked. We are very proud of who we are and always excited to find the cousins that have been lost. Being lost was designed purposely by the American system. We know fully well the overall intent of America was to eliminate our people from the face of the earth.

It was pure coincidence that Larry Morris of Congressman Carney’s office was assigned to help our Tribe with an issue. At that time I was the Chairperson of the Genealogy Committee. And since I knew that Morris was one of our core family names, I questioned Larry about his grandparents. And it was determined that we are cousins. And that was the beginning of a long-term relationship.

There are official Tribal documentations from the 1900’s showing the Tribe was trying to reclaim acquisition of a school located across the street from our burial grounds. In the document there is a list of the people who were leading the charge. Oscar Burton Morris, born 1872, was one of the trustees. We were excited to see included in the list, the name of Larry’s Great Grandfather, Oscar B. Morris. And across the street in the Native American Cemetery is where Oscar B Morris and his wife are buried today.

Now here we were in the 2000’s, Oscar’s great grandson, Larry M. Morris was helping us with the land in question. Since those early years, Larry has helped the Tribe in any way he could. We have taken long walks in our different burial grounds in the Dover area where we all were happy to see many grave markers with the name Morris that are direct blood lineage to Larry.

We have been impressed with Larry’s commitment to helping us. Perhaps that was because he was one of us!

Larry has since attended Tribal Pow Wows, The annual Meeting of the Elders and other Lenape gatherings. He always appears to be genuinely happy to be there and we all are happy he is with us.”

Theo Braunskill - Lenape Tribe

“The first word that come to mind when speak the name Larry Morris is the “GOAT” as in “Greatest of All Time”.. If you did not know who Larry Morris was or is you were simply unattached.. An ambassador, a mentor & mouthpiece for all generations & eras of our city… His education & counseling of the basic fundamentals of life were simple, never flashy .. Leaders can teach what they know, but only produce what they are & I will forever be grateful & proud to be a product of #TheLegend #LarryLegend , Mr. Larry Morris!!”

Barry Milburn Jr.