Loretta Millender

Wisdom Keepers from Lawrenceville United

Ms. Loretta aka “the Bible of Lawrenceville” was a longtime Lawrenceville resident who helped found Lawrenceville United and stayed involved up until her passing in 2023. She was a true community builder: an incredible champion for Lawrenceville, a longtime civil rights activist across many causes, a cornerstone of her Trinity Baptist Church in the 6th Ward, a keeper of neighborhood history, and a devoted and loving family member, friend, and neighbor to so many.

Throughout her many decades in Lawrenceville, she was always bringing people together, finding ways to make the neighborhood a better place, and jumping quickly into action whenever injustice presented itself. She organized with other residents for home repairs and sanitary housing conditions, helped create a new playground for children, exposed and challenged housing discrimination against Black residents, addressed local incidents of police brutality, and shut down 40th Street with a number of moms to demand safer conditions and a crossing guard at the Butler Street intersection for students at Arsenal, among many other causes. Even in her older years, she continued to serve on the LU Board, spoke up at City Council for affordable housing, and helped distribute food to neighbors who needed it. She always had a kind word ("Hey babes!" was her classic greeting) and a hug for everyone.

Local magazine Steel This Magazine began a regular series across issues 5-11 called "Ms. Loretta's Corner" through which she shared many stories of growing up in Lawrenceville and the causes she was a happy warrior for. You can find those issues online at https://issuu.com/steelthismagazine/docs and they are so worth reading in full! You can find her portrait on the Wisdom Keepers mural at 48th and Butler.

Artwork by Maggie Lynn Negrete