Boca Raton honors lifelong Pearl City resident, educator, activist Lois D. Martin with street
BOCA RATON — A portion of Glades road between Federal Highway and Dixie Highway will now be known as “Lois D. Martin Way.”
On Saturday, Sept. 23, officials dedicated the street to Martin, who was an activist, educator and lifelong resident of Pearl City, Boca Raton’s historic Black community. Martin died last year at the age of 94.
The designation was led by the local organization Developing Interracial Social Change and the Boca Raton City Council. The Florida legislature voted the honorary street renaming into law this summer.
Here’s what else you should know:
Who was Lois D. Martin?
Born in September 1928 in Boca Raton, Martin was the youngest of seven children to Sallie and Jasper Dolphus, who were originally from Georgia.
After graduating from Carver High School in Delray Beach, she earned her associate’s degree from Florida Normal College in 1948 and her bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M College in 1950. She later pursued her graduate studies at Boston College.
Martin taught math for nearly 40 years at Carver High School, Booker T. Washington High School and Carver Middle School. She had one son, Edward.
"Mrs. Martin was considered a community champion," President of D.I.S.C. Marie Hester said. "She was a public official, community leader, concerned citizen, a human/health service worker, and volunteer. She was always there willing to do whatever had to be done to keep things going."
What did Lois D. Martin bring to Boca Raton?
Martin was an avid member of her community.
In addition to her career as an educator, from which she retired in 1988, she served as secretary to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, vice chairman for the Housing Authority, vice chairman for the Pearl City Blue Ribbon Committee, treasurer for the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee, a member of Boca Raton’s Historic Preservation Board and a contributor to Habitat for Humanity.
She also served as a Sunday school teacher and treasurer for the Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The Lois Martin Community Center in Boca Raton, named in her honor, serves the underprivileged communities of the city and offers a variety of services for children and teens, including tutoring and after-school programs.
"Lois D. Martin's legacy as an educator and community leader shines as a beacon of inspiration in the City of Boca Raton," Mayor Scott Singer said. "Her unwavering commitment to fostering positive change has resonated deeply, particularly within the historic Pearl City neighborhood. In naming a street in her honor, we pay tribute to her life of advocacy and substantial contributions to our city and hope it will inspire generations to come."
What is Pearl City in Boca Raton?
Pearl City, the community Martin championed, was founded in 1915 as a three-block neighborhood for blue-collar African-American residents who worked at the Boca Raton Resort and similar establishments, on area farms and in construction nearby.
Pearl City uncovered: Exploring Black Boca neighborhood's rich history through portraits
The neighborhood grew to the point of establishing its own churches, businesses and schooling during the time of segretation. It’s Boca Raton’s oldest surviving neighborhood, earning a historic designation from the city in 2002.
Recently, Pearl City was approved by the state of Florida for historic designation on the National Register of Historical Places. It’s since been forwarded to Washington, D.C., for signatures and the Department of Interior for final approval, Boca Raton officials said.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton honors Pearl City educator, activist Lois D. Martin
