New Haven’s Historic Freddy Fixer Parade

Dr. Smith was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, before moving to New York, and then finding himself in Milford, Connecticut. While in New York he studied medicine at Columbia University and then Howard University Medical School. He worked for some time in Harlem before moving his medical practice to Dixwell Avenue. As he saw a need for neighborhood cleanup, he began to work with other community members to start the first Freddy Fixer Parade. He stayed chairman for five years before stepping down to work with the parade in other ways. Dr. Smith also served as the New Haven Housing Commissioner from 1956-67 and was the first Black Police Commissioner for the Yale University Police Department from 1967-1971.

Image Source: New Haven Register (November 29, 1970). “Bridging Two Worlds,” by David Rabe, photos by Kenneth R. Randolph.

Dr. Twyman’s involvement as a founder began because of his deep care for the New Haven and Dixwell communities. For 34 years, he was an educator at Abraham Lincoln School. He earned himself a series of firsts in New Haven history: New Haven’s first Black school principal in 1963, and the first Black chief administrator when he became the acting superintendent in 1983. Dr. Twyman also served on The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s board on the Dixwell Community Council and was a member of The Ashanti Club of Connecticut. He served three years and three months during WWII and was discharged as a Master Sergeant.

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As a New Haven native, Baker-Carnegie dedicated herself to being deeply involved with the New Haven community. She served as a teacher in New Haven for 25 years and is known as being an instrumental part of the building of the New Winchester School. At St. Luke’s Episcopal church, she was a schoolteacher for 70 years. Her involvement at the church led her to being recognized through the Edna B. Carnegie Scholarship fund. Her other New Haven-based accolades include being a founding member of the Elm Housing Project tenants’ council, the president of the Dixwell Senior Citizens Club, board member of the Connecticut Afro-American Historical Society, and Vice President of the New Haven unit of Churchwoman United. 

Image Source: New Haven Register (October 28, 1984). “Edna Carnegie, a Lifetime of Teaching is Rewarded,” photo by Brad Clift.

Grant’s involvement in the Freddy Fixer Parades started because of his both ecological and Black activism in New Haven. Grant was a member of the Freddy Fixer Parades at their conception, and he served as the chairman for 20 years with the hope to better the Dixwell community through a beautification project. Aside from his work with the Freddy Fixer parade, he organized the Black Coalition and the Angry Young Black Men groups in the 60s. Grant is also known for creating a recycling program in Greater New Haven and was awarded New Haven’s first Green Award in 2005, alongside the New Haven Ecology Project. Grant also had a musical background, creating the first Black color guard in Connecticut.

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