The Horton family had been working to make Erie a more inclusive place for several decades with their work from Erie County government to programs for youth, immigrants and community engagement.
Denise Horton, a member of the political action committee for the NAACP Erie branch, said her first memories go back to 1962 with her mother who was recruited by the then president of the Erie NAACP branch, Jesse Thompson.
“He recruited my mother to come and work with the branch to help sell memberships. They were trying to increase the membership among the local branch, so my mother started there,” said Denise Horton.
The current president of the local branch, Gary N. Horton, recalled the Erie School District being taken to court in the 1960s by the Human Relations Commission due to a desegregation plan.
He said during this time, 50 African Americans were recruited from the South to come teach in the Erie School District and said this was one of the victories of his family.