OBITUARY Release Mar 13, 2002
COYT LEROY JONES (FATHER OF POET-POLITICAL ACTIVIST, AMIRI BARAKA)
Nov 8, 1910 – Mar 11, 2002
Coyette ( later changed to Coyt) LeRoy Jones was born in Hartsville, South Carolina , Nov 8. 1910. He left a letter from the Darlington County Commissioner of Records, dated 1929, answering his request for his birth certificate which said “since there were no records kept before 1916” (on Black folk) that there was no record of this birth. Mr. Jones needed the birth certificate for a new job he had applied for in the US Postal Service. A letter from his mother dated the same year says , “thank you for sending the package and the money, we needed it. If you get a job driving for the postal service be careful because there are many accidents”
The son of a Minister-Brick Layer, George Jones, who was also Head Chef for the local Coker College and dignified well educated, Dress Maker, Fannie Jones, the family, which later moved to Columbia, South Carolina and raised, along with Mr. Jones, three sisters, who became High School teachers and administrators at Benedict College, Allen University and South Carolina State. One identifiable characteristic that continued from Mr. Jones origins in South Carolina was the family nick-name”Bubba”.
Mr. Jones had come to Newark at age 17, leaving Hartsville suddenly after a
spontaneous discussion with a movie house usher on Civil Rights. Working various jobs, he met and married the daughter of Thomas Everett Russ, a Newark store keeper and Republican politician, Anna Lois Russ. Mr. Jones also had another informal name, “Dark Gable”. Lois Jones was a well known city social worker, who worked in Newark’s Hayes Homes for years. They had two children, Everett LeRoi, the activist-poet, Amiri Baraka, and Sandra Elaine, a Broadway actress, dancer, and political activist, Kimako Baraka.
Not only did Mr. Jones get the job with the postal service, but worked there for over 30 years, reaching the level of Supervisor, before retiring in 1968. Coyt & Lois Jones were a very visible social duo within the young black socially conscious and sociable circle in Newark during the 40’s and 50’s. Particularly Mr. Jones association with the Black proto-Postal Union, the National Association of Postal Employees. He and Mrs. Jones belonged to a whole host of social organizations.
One of these, was an early scholarship generating organization for Afro-American youth, formed with the late Joe Thomas and Chick Strother, The Student Council.
Coyt Jones was a founding member of Newark’s legendary Bridge Club,
along with Carl Jones and others. He was also a well known tournament bowler, and founding member and consistently returning President of one of Newark’s oldest and most prestigious Bowling Organization, named with not a little irony, The Nemderolocs, or Colored Men spelled backwards.
During the 60’s when Amiri Baraka and his wife, Amina Baraka, led Newark’s African oriented Committee for Unified Newark and Congress of Afrikan People, Mr. Jones was proprietor of a popular shop on Clinton Place, which specialized in goods and apparel from Africa. One of the events that transformed Mr. Jones consciousness was witnessing his son brutalized by the police during the 1967 rebellions. So that one of the photos he was most proud of was an Ebony magazine shot of him with his new born grandson , Ras, both clad in dashikis riding high on his shoulder.
In the 80’s Mr. Jones, joined Bethany Baptist Church, and with the same industry and orderliness which characterized much of his life, became a well loved and highly respected Deacon in the church. He also joined the Men’s Chorus and
Poured himself into helping create and publicize the wide spread good works of the church. He was , to quote Bethany’s Rev. William Howard, one of the “lights” of the church. He was also very active in Sr. Citizens association at his Court St. Residence.
Mr. Jones was also a rather well known raconteur, story teller and droll humorist, whose favorite name for his famous son was “McGee” after the old radio hero of the “Fibber McGee & Molly Show”.
Mr. Jones is survived by a son, Amiri Baraka, of Newark, Three Sisters, Gottlieb Harvest, Georgia Elam and Elise Martin of Columbia , SC; Grandchildren, Kellie, & Lisa Jones of New York, Dominique Cespedes , Los Angeles, Maria Jones, Washington, D.C.; Obalaji Baraka , Ras Baraka , Shani Baraka , Amiri Baraka , Jr, Ahi Baraka of Newark. Nephews, Percy Harvest of Newark, George Harvest, his sons Gary & Keith Harvest of Orange, Montez Martin, South Carolina, Loretta Green, Palo Alto, Ca. As well as his devoted friend of the last decade, Ms Arlene Tyson.
The Wake is at Bethany Baptist Church 275 W.Market St, Newark Sunday, Mar 16, 2002 7-9pm. The Funeral at Bethany, Monday , Mar 17, 2002 11AM
For information Call 973 242-1346 fax 1509 amirib@aol.com
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