Louise Kerr-Hines

Louise Lyles Kerr was born on the ides of March (March 15, 1916) in Baltimore, MD. She was one of four children of the late Dr. Thomas Henderson and Mrs. Geneva Louise Lyles Kerr. She was graduated with honors from Douglass High School in the class of February 1934, and later in June of 1937, she was graduated as salutatorian from Coppin Normal School (now Coppin State University). All of her childhood was spent in the 1900 block of Division Street, where she lived with her parents and brothers, Thomas, Jr. and Judson, until she married her high school classmate, C. Morsell Hines in 1946. Her first job was as an elementary school teacher, which only lasted five years. Teaching was not her cup of tea. She later served briefly as office secretary of the local NAACP branch and still later joined the staff of the Afro American Newspapers as a reporter. Her hobbies included freelance and creative writing, designing greeting cards, sewing, cooking, piano playing, reading and traveling.Louise made a major contribution to the Civil Rights Program when she and her father brought suit against the Enoch Pratt Library for refusing to allow African Americans to be trained and employed by the Library. Although they did not win the case at the U.S. Circuit Court, the case aroused public opinion to the point where the Library soon relented and admitted Negroes for employment. During the Library’s 100th Anniversary Celebration, Mrs. Hines was honored for this effort. After her stint at the Afro, she worked at the Maryland Department of Human Resources from whence she retired in 1978. After retirement, she volunteered as a tour guide at the Maryland Historical Society. She did oral histories on some local citizens and collected Black History items for the society. In 1981, the Philamathians cited her for her work with the MHS. Mrs. Hines was a life member of the NAACP, was affiliated with the Baltimore Urban League, and the Coppin State College Alumni Association where she contributed greatly to its scholarship fund. Her spiritual journey began in Sharp St. Memorial United Methodist Church, and she transferred her membership to Heritage United Church of Christ in the early years of its existence. She was instrumental in starting the morning meditation service that preceded the Sunday morning worship service, and took that responsibility joyfully and very seriously. She loved God and Heritage Church dearly and was the first major contributor to its elevator and accessibility project. During the latter part of her life, she was a resident of Manor Care and later, Future Care-Charles Village Nursing Homes. Once, when she reflected on her life, she said “I have accomplished three things in my life - I killed a chicken, milked a cow, and rode ten miles on the back of a motorcycle.” Her motto was “Keep looking up, for God never fails.”Her survivors include: nephews, Thomas Ill, Judson Jr., James, Jerald and David Kerr; nieces, Judy and Jessie Louise; sisters-in-law, Zelma Cheatham, Sylvia Hines, as well as Delores Kerr, who Louise characterized as her “earth angel;” and a long-time, devoted caregiver and friend, Leonard Patterson.

Tributes

Louise Kerr-Hines

March 15, 1916 - April 9, 2007