Again this year, Port Authority of Allegheny County along with the Kingsley Association, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New Pittsburgh Courier, will add two more names to its list of more than 40 celebrated community leaders when it presents the families of the late K. Leroy Irvis and the late Anderson Little with the 2015 Spirit of King Award on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. at the Kingsley Association, located at 6435 Frankstown Ave., in East Liberty.
The honor, awarded posthumously, is given to Pittsburgh area community leaders who have, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., been diligent and committed in their fight to achieve equality.
Irvis, who died March 2006, worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of residents both locally and statewide. He was first elected as the Pennsylvania state Representative of the 19th Legislative District, a position he held for 15 terms. While in office, Irvis was elected to serve as the Democratic Caucus Chairman, making him the first African-American elected to a leadership position, and later as the Majority Caucus Chairman as well as the Minority Whip and Majority leader. Several years later he was unanimously elected to serve as the Speaker of the House, a position he later regained in 1983 and held until his retirement in November 1988.
During his terms, Irvis is recognized for sponsoring more than 1,000 pieces of legislation that addressed issues such as civil rights, education, health, housing and much more. He is credited with sponsoring legislation that led to the creation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Equal Opportunity Program and the Minority Business Development Authority, just to name a few. He is also noted for the introduction of the state’s Community College system.
Among his governmental duties, Irvis also was civically engaged. He served on several boards, which includes the United Black Front, Community Action Pittsburgh, Bidwell Training Center, as well as a trustee of the University of Pittsburgh and a lifetime member of the NAACP.
While Irvis worked through politics, Little, who also died in 2006, used the power of the airways to make his impact. He began his more than three-decade career in Pittsburgh at the Hill City Youth Municipality radio station. After some time he would later go on to DJ at a few out of town stations.
Nonetheless, Pittsburgh was always in his heart. He later returned, working at radio stations, WAMO and KQV, as well as WQED-TV, where he hosted music and talk shows. In the early ’70s, Little was hired at Duquesne University’s WDUQ-FM. He was known for often giving African-Americans a voice and capturing their struggle for equality. Over the years Little would host numerous shows including “The Anderson Little Report.”
The Spirit of King recognition began in 1986 with a tree planting ceremony and has grown to include the establishment of the Wilhelmina Byrd Brown Parklet, named after the first recipient and, now, the rededication of the Spirit of King Award Plaque, which is presented with the addition of the honoree’s name.
On Jan. 15, Irvis and Little will be added to the list that includes Roberto Clemente, Dr. Alma Johnson Illery, Charles “Teenie” Harris and Edna B. McKenzie, just to name a few.
