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Woman’s Club Scrapbook Reveals Unsung Heroes of Stuart’s Black Community

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The Woman’s Club of Stuart was working with Fredericka and Felix Williams and Lizzie Mae Allen, not only in securing the statue “Abundance” but also in improving parks and other facilities in East Stuart.

This photograph of Fredericka and Felix Williams with Lizzie Mae Allen was in Aura Fike Jones’ Woman’s Club scrapbook book. It is important to have a quality photograph of these civic leaders of Stuart’s Black community. I submitted it, along with many other photographs when we were gathering material for theMartin County Centennial Magazine published by Indian River Media.

I was thrilled when Michelle Moore-Burney, the designer, chose to feature the photograph predominantly on the front of the magazine. However, no names went with the people on the cover. The other unnamed people were, John W. Martin, Governor of Florida and Fingy Conners, who built a highway from West Palm Beach to Okeechobee City.

Now our Black leaders, the Williamses and Lizzie Mae Allen can be given their due.

Aura Fike Jones had her son-in-law, Clyde Coutant, photograph the Williamses and Lizzie Mae Allen because they were instrumental in collecting donations toward acquiring “Abundance” from their community. The itemized list of donations was included in her scrapbook.   

These pages list many people who have disappeared for local history because of Jim Crow laws. It is important to have their names and participation in community improvement documented.

Lizzie Mae Allen was a leader who served on a number of boards and was active in her community and church. The home where the Allens lived and raised their children was the first residence in Stuart to receive an historic marker but the emphasis is on Lizzie’s husband, Tom Allen, and the white man who constructed the house. https://www.stuartfl.gov/660/7491/Thomas-J-Allen-Home-in-East-Stuart?activeLiveTab=widgets

Fredericka Williams was an outstanding woman who supported her husband in every way, was active in her community and church and taught six graders for 34 years. Felix Williams had a distinguished career and was more in the public eye. Felix A. Williams Elementary School is named in his honor. https://www.stuartfl.gov/664/Felix-A-Williams

Abundance, the statue for which Stuart’s Black community contributed hard earned cash, now stands in Haney Circle. .

It was the Woman’s Club 2025 tour of homes decorated for the holidays that caused me to revisit Aura Fike Jones’ scrapbook about acquiring the beautiful statue.

MORE ABOUT ABUNDANCE WILL FOLLOW.