Rosena Gaines

Ms. Rosena Gaines is one of fourteen children and was born on March 8, 1918 to Willie and Marthena Haygood. Ms. Gaines married William H. Gaines, Jr. and has no children of her own. Mr. Gaines is no longer living. She attended Myers Street Elementary School and Second Ward High School. Upon graduating from Second Ward, Ms. Gaines attended Livingstone College and did her graduate work at Columbia University Teachers College. Ms. Gaines was a student, English teacher, and counselor at Second Ward High School. She is able to give two perspectives of attending Second Ward as a student and working at Second Ward as a faculty member. She has a great love of the school and the close-knit Brooklyn community. Ms. Gaines speaks of urban renewal and states that the community was very sad to see Brooklyn go but the community was not adverse to progress. Ms. Gaines’s interview provides good insight into life as a Second Ward student and teacher.