When he announced
his candidacy in December 2001 for the State House District 33 seat
just vacated by former NC House speaker Dan Blue, retired educator
Bernard Allen Sr. promised all that “education will be the signature
issue of my campaign.”
The event was a community reception for recently elected Raleigh Mayor
Charles Meeker. Allen, in his trademark blunt and direct way, looked
towards the mayor in the audience and said, “I ran across the
[Southeast Raleigh] district [getting him] support, and I expect him
to do likewise.”
As the crowd laughed, the determined Democrat added, “I am the best
candidate, and I’m not being braggadocios. Check my record.”
Indeed the Southeast Raleigh voters did, sending the one time chairman
of the North Carolina Central University Board of Trustees to the
state House in November 2002, where he continued to serve with vigor,
integrity and compassion for four years until his untimely death due
to complications from a stroke on October 14.
On Wednesday, two-term NC Rep. Bernard Allen, 69, was funeralized at
his beloved St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh. He left behind
his loving wife, Vivian Sneed Allen, two adult sons, Bernard II and
Andre; and a grandson.
Had he lived, Allen, who was unopposed in the Nov. 7 election, would
have been reelected to a third term.
“On behalf of the North Carolina Democratic Party, we are saddened to
hear of Representative Bernard Allen’s passing,” party Chairman Jerry
Meek said in a statement. “Rep. Allen was a tireless advocate for his
constituents, and spent his years in public service improving the
lives of the people of Wake County and North Carolina. Our thoughts
and prayers are with the Allen family during this difficult time.”
At the NC NAACP State Convention in Goldsboro the day after his death,
the leadership of Rep. Allen was remembered.
NC NAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber said the Town Hall meeting on
improving education for the state’s Black children that was held
Saturday was Rep. Allen’s idea. He enlisted the aid of civil rights
attorney Julius Chambers and others to come together and begin
planning the legal strategy to combat the racial resegregation of
public schools.
Rev. Barber recalled that even after Allen went to the hospital Sept.
23rd after suffering a mild stroke, he stayed involved in putting the
Town Hall meeting together.
“He was that passionate about the education of children,” Rev. Barber
said of his late friend. “He had that tenacity and great caring.”
“There is certainly going to be a great void.”
Chambers, who is also the former chancellor of North Carolina Central
University, admonished the convention attendees to remember Rep. Allen
as they fought for the rights of Black children.
Born in Allendale, S.C. in August 1937, Bernard Allen was raised by
his grandparents. In 1956, he attended Voorhees Junior College. The
family soon moved north to New York and New Jersey, later settling in
Raleigh, NC. , where Allen would make his home, and enroll in St.
Augustine’s College in 1959.
In 1960, Allen worked in the successful campaign of John W. Winters to
become the first African-American elected to the Raleigh City Council.
Allen earned his undergraduate degree from St. Aug in 1962, and go on
to earn his graduate degree from North Carolina Central University. He
would spend a good deal of his professional career in public
education, serving from classroom teacher to assistant superintendent
of Vance County Public Schools.
Allen later traveled the state on behalf of the Black Teachers’
Association, advocating for African-American educators were the
victims of bias. When both the Black and white groups merged in 1971,
Allen went on to serve the NC Association of Educators in various
capacities for the next 25 years.
He also served a political lobbyist, most notably in later years for
the Secretary of State’s Office.
Rep. Allen served on the NCCU Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1995,
leading that body as chair for one year in 1990. He also was a member
of the St. Augustine’s College Board of Trustees and the Raleigh-Wake
Citizens Association, among other civic and professional
organizations.
According to his online bio, Rep. Allen was a lifetime member of the
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Beta Xi Chapter, and acted as president
from 1972-1976.
After his election to the state House in 2002, Rep. Allen, the first
St. Augustine’s College alum to ever serve there, was appointed to six
major committees, including the Full Appropriations Committee, through
which he sought funding for the state’s historically Black
universities.
Allen is also credited with being one of the House co-sponsors of the
state lottery bill, which he vigorously defended as a boon for public
education.
Rep. Deborah Ross, who was elected along with Rep. Allen in 2002 and
represents part of Southeast Raleigh, remembered him as her friend,
and a man committed to the needs, not only of his constituents, but
those who struggled throughout the state.
“My action plan for North Carolina is consistent with the concerns and
expectations expressed by many citizens in this great state,” Allen
says on his campaign website. “The issues of Education, Economic
Development, Health and Human Services and Affordable Housing are the
themes that drove my original platform. They are the issues that
resonate with you, and are where I put my legislative efforts during
my first two terms.”
“I have enjoyed my first two terms and would like your support to
continue working for you in the N.C. Legislature.”
Of that, the people who knew and loved Rep. Bernard Allen say, there
was no doubt.
