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Inspiring Mentorship and Community

Larry Morris is a role model’s role model especially in understanding that you have to practice what you preach and believe in what you speak. And for over three decades Larry Morris has been doing just that! He is a community activist, community leader, father, grandfather and a voice for the people. He has not just been a role model but a real model who has and continues to mentor, teach, coach, inspire, discipline, love and encourage young people to live up to their potential with a compassionate, determined heart and a focused vision.

Morris expects all the youth he comes in contact with to achieve and succeed. He is touching hearts and changing lives. He is living proof that with a vision and high expectations you can make more than a difference but you can save and change lives!

Mr. Morris is knowledgeable, experienced and creates thought provoking dialog that is creating changes in thoughts and actions. He has created a formula to enable others who are working with our youth to be able to enjoy the same success has experienced by utilizing his Mr. Larry technique: Learning, Attitude, Responsibility, Recognition and You.

Morris believes that America is best when the richness of its cultural diversity is embraced, supported and celebrated!! He further believes that it is the responsibility of all parts of our society to bridge the gaps that have caused our children to abandon those values that nurture success in America!!

As a community activist and leader, Larry Morris has earned the respect of the people through transforming a vacant building in a high crime and drug neighborhood, to an encouraging safe haven for children, through revitalizing the Wilmington NAACP as its former two term President and through proudly serving as Director of Community Affairs for Delaware Lt. Governor John Carney.

Although valuing his formal educational experience at Goldey Beacom College, Lincoln University and University of Delaware, Larry Morris is most proud of the comprehensive education he has received participating in over 3 decades of direct service to the inner city community in general including youth at risk and their families!!

For his knowledge and performance in the field, Mr. Morris has received numerous forms of awards and recognition including:

  • Unsung Hero Award
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Convocation
  • Dupont Company – 2000 Year Celebration: Unsung Hero Award
  • The Spirit of Philadelphia Award
  • WCAU – Channel 10
  • The Jefferson Award
  • The American Institute for Public Service
  • The Wallace M. Johnson Award for Community Service
  • New Castle County Chamber of Commerce
  • Inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Gallery
  • Goldey Beacom Jr. College
  • Outstanding Young Man of the Year
  • Delaware State and the Wilmington Chapters of Jaycees
  • Big Brother of the Year
  • Big Brothers/Big Sisters of DE, Inc

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.