Pittsburgh's Black leaders reflect on Franco Harris' contributions to community
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The impact Franco Harris had reached far beyond the football field.
He put his platform to good use for numerous causes and charities, including the services he performed within his own community.
Black leaders in the city are reflecting on his life, legacy and contributions.
Some say it's hard to live in Pittsburgh, let alone grow up here, without hearing about the influence Harris has had on the city. They say his impact on the community, especially minority communities, has been significant. And now with him gone, the leaders KDKA-TV's Royce Jones spoke with say they feel like an important slice of what makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh is missing.
Franco Harris was great on the field. But even greater on the mic. At a celebration in 2019 outside the former Crawford Grill, a historic music venue dedicated to Black performers in the Hill District, he showed off his singing skills.
Harris actually invested in the property with hopes to renovate it. It's a project that as of October, Harris was ready to push forward with, according to Bill Generett, who was a partner on the project.
William Generett Jr., Sr. VP of Civic Engagement & External Relations, Duquesne University
"One of the things we discussed was his desire to make sure there was significant minority business participation and to make sure that entrepreneurs who hadn't had the chance to do business here in Pittsburgh had that opportunity. That was something he was incredibly passionate about," said Generett, the vice president of civic engagement and external relations at Duquesne University.
That was just one of many times Harris lent his voice, time and resources to people in the Black community.
Esther Bush, the former president and CEO of the Urban League of Pittsburgh, of which Harris was a longtime member, said he always cared, made himself accessible and always followed through.
"He helped the Urban League with the capital campaign," Bush said. "He had no problem cutting the checks himself or making phone calls or showing up at meetings. Indeed he would come when we held special events."
Tim Stevens, Chairman of the Black Political Empowerment Movement, also shared his reflections Wednesday, calling him a symbol of pride in the community.
"He represented us well, and those of us of color always feel good when someone of color is representing us well," Stevens said. "And who could represent us better than Franco Harris?"
And while his contributions to the Black community were plentiful, the one thing everyone has expressed about Franco Harris Wednesday is that he was a man who represented all genders, ethnicities, races and backgrounds. And that is part of what made him an all-around immaculate guy.