William Menifee of Grand Prairie was awarded the Juanita Craft Humanitarian Spark Award at a ceremony on October 6, 2019, at the Texas State Fair for making an impact in his community here in Grand Prairie and the surrounding area. William Menifee was invited to speak at the Dallas City Council by Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua. You can hear William speak by selecting item #14 from the link below https://dallastx.swagit.com/play/10082019-1833
Juanita Craft was an NAACP leader, former Democratic Precinct Chair, and the first black woman in Texas history to be deputized as a poll tax collector. Craft was a tireless advocate for desegregation, equal pay, equality in health care, and other civil rights issues. She moved to this Warren Avenue home during the 1950s when racial tension in the neighborhood was high. There were 11 bombings in the surrounding area from 1950 to 1951 alone. Despite this, her home became a meeting place for African American youth, whom Craft educated on civil rights issues and she believed would shape the future of the civil rights struggle. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and politicians such as Lyndon B. Johnson also visited Craft’s home. The house, built in 1930, is a typical example of the Craftsman Bungalow style and retains much of its original historic features. Mrs. Craft also played a crucial role in integrating the State Fair of Texas among other universities, restaurants, and theaters around Dallas — due to her tireless efforts and this significant achievement, we would like to honor her legacy.
