Obituary for Roberta Hughes Wright
Roberta V. Hughes Wright, Ph.D, J.D. (nee Greenidge) was born in Detroit, Michigan. She was predeceased by her parents Barbara Grace Greenidge (nee Morris), Robert Isaac Greenidge, MD, her sister Marjorie Greenidge Powell Rogers and husbands Wilbur B. Hughes, II and Charles H. Wright, MD. She is survived by two children, Barbara K. Hughes Smith, Ph.D. (Joseph W.) and Wilbur B. Hughes, III (Adawork); daughters through marriage Stephanie Wright Griggs (William) and Carla Wright, MD; grandchildren Brent G. Hughes, Blythe Allen Mansfield, M.D. (Richard), Brett W. Allen, J.D., Christina Hughes Green (Morris), Samrawit Tsadik, Christian Wright Hughes, Alexandria B. Hughes, and Louisa Wright Griggs, MD (Anthony); four great grandchildren Britney Diane, Canon VanLane, G. Joely and Logan Alexandria; great-great granddaughter Naomi; nephew Charles Powell( Karen) and niece Marjorie Rogers; goddaughters Marcia Green and Carla Diggs Smith and a host of nieces and nephews through marriage, cousins, and dear friends.
Roberta held a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master’s degree, and a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy degree in behavioral sciences in education from the University of Michigan. She was a Detroit Public School teacher and a school social worker; director of the City of Detroit Commission on Children and Youth; faculty member at Lawrence Technological University; and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Shaw College. She was a partner with Waterman, Hooe, Curry & Hughes Law Firm; an Oakland County Public Administrator appointed by the State Attorney General; and a member of the Bar of the State of Michigan and the District of Columbia. She was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Roberta was active in the Detroit community all of her adult life. She was a diamond member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Rho Omega Chapter; a life member of the NAACP; a charter member of the Great Lakes Chapter of Links, Incorporated; and a member of three social clubs, the GaZelles, the Sophisticates, and the Contempos. She was a member of the Board of Directors at Home Federal Savings & Loan Association; a founder and ten year member of the Board of Directors of the First Independence National Bank of Detroit; a founding member of the Inner City Business Forum; and a member of the Board of Directors of Detroit Memorial Park Association where she also served on the Finance Committee for the corporation’s multiple cemeteries.
Roberta was an avid history enthusiast and always proud of her African Canadian, African American, and Afro Caribbean heritage. As the widow of Charles H. Wright, M.D., founder of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Roberta was a member of three Museum Support and Advisory Committees. As a founding member of the Michigan Support Group for Penn Center, St. Helena, South Carolina, she persuaded the South Carolina Historic Department and the United States Historical Commission to award and erect a beautiful, tall plaque near the ruins of Old Fort Frederick on the banks of the Beaufort River in Port Royal, South Carolina, the Camp Saxton site of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. She and her husband spent a year of research and letter writing before the state and federal governments agreed.
She was the author of fourteen published books and co-author of three. Titles included Reflections, A Book of Poems; The Birth of the Montgomery Bus Boycott; A Tribute to Charlotte Forten, 1837-1914; Detroit Memorial Park: The Evolution of an African American Corporation; Penn Center, Inc. The Emancipation Proclamation; Lay Down Body: Living History in African American Cemeteries by Wright and Wilbur B. Hughes, III; The Wright Man: A Biograph; The Ring of Genealogy – Museum Rotunda by Wright and Barbara K. Hughes Smith; Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery (2nd edition); The Wiregrass Warrior by Wright and C. Wright; Reflections, My Life; The Death-Care Industry: African American Cemeteries and Funeral Homes by Wright and Wilbur B. Hughes, III; My Father! My Father! This Beneath the Sky: A Novel; and An Annotated Biography of My Writings.
She was the recipient of many honors including the Michigan Chronicle Citizen of the Year; the Detroit Urban League’s 2010 Distinguished Warrior Award; Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Award; Alpha Kappa Alpha Recognition Award; NAACP Freedom Award; 2011 Spirit of Dorothy Height Award; North American Black Historical Museum Recognition Award (Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada); Rosa and Raymond Parks Certificate of Appreciation; Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council; Harriet Tubman Award from St Paul A. M. E. Zion Church; U. S. Food & Drug Administration Black History Award; Detroit Academy of Arts & Science Amazing Hero Award; Blue Diamond Award from Spelman College; the Grandparent’s Day Award from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History; First Independence Bank Trail Blazer - Original Founder Award; and Women’s Equality Day recognition by Council Member JoAnn Watson.
Roberta was a member of Brightmoor Christian Church (Novi, Michigan.)
Roberta held a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master’s degree, and a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy degree in behavioral sciences in education from the University of Michigan. She was a Detroit Public School teacher and a school social worker; director of the City of Detroit Commission on Children and Youth; faculty member at Lawrence Technological University; and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Shaw College. She was a partner with Waterman, Hooe, Curry & Hughes Law Firm; an Oakland County Public Administrator appointed by the State Attorney General; and a member of the Bar of the State of Michigan and the District of Columbia. She was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Roberta was active in the Detroit community all of her adult life. She was a diamond member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Rho Omega Chapter; a life member of the NAACP; a charter member of the Great Lakes Chapter of Links, Incorporated; and a member of three social clubs, the GaZelles, the Sophisticates, and the Contempos. She was a member of the Board of Directors at Home Federal Savings & Loan Association; a founder and ten year member of the Board of Directors of the First Independence National Bank of Detroit; a founding member of the Inner City Business Forum; and a member of the Board of Directors of Detroit Memorial Park Association where she also served on the Finance Committee for the corporation’s multiple cemeteries.
Roberta was an avid history enthusiast and always proud of her African Canadian, African American, and Afro Caribbean heritage. As the widow of Charles H. Wright, M.D., founder of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Roberta was a member of three Museum Support and Advisory Committees. As a founding member of the Michigan Support Group for Penn Center, St. Helena, South Carolina, she persuaded the South Carolina Historic Department and the United States Historical Commission to award and erect a beautiful, tall plaque near the ruins of Old Fort Frederick on the banks of the Beaufort River in Port Royal, South Carolina, the Camp Saxton site of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. She and her husband spent a year of research and letter writing before the state and federal governments agreed.
She was the author of fourteen published books and co-author of three. Titles included Reflections, A Book of Poems; The Birth of the Montgomery Bus Boycott; A Tribute to Charlotte Forten, 1837-1914; Detroit Memorial Park: The Evolution of an African American Corporation; Penn Center, Inc. The Emancipation Proclamation; Lay Down Body: Living History in African American Cemeteries by Wright and Wilbur B. Hughes, III; The Wright Man: A Biograph; The Ring of Genealogy – Museum Rotunda by Wright and Barbara K. Hughes Smith; Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery (2nd edition); The Wiregrass Warrior by Wright and C. Wright; Reflections, My Life; The Death-Care Industry: African American Cemeteries and Funeral Homes by Wright and Wilbur B. Hughes, III; My Father! My Father! This Beneath the Sky: A Novel; and An Annotated Biography of My Writings.
She was the recipient of many honors including the Michigan Chronicle Citizen of the Year; the Detroit Urban League’s 2010 Distinguished Warrior Award; Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Award; Alpha Kappa Alpha Recognition Award; NAACP Freedom Award; 2011 Spirit of Dorothy Height Award; North American Black Historical Museum Recognition Award (Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada); Rosa and Raymond Parks Certificate of Appreciation; Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council; Harriet Tubman Award from St Paul A. M. E. Zion Church; U. S. Food & Drug Administration Black History Award; Detroit Academy of Arts & Science Amazing Hero Award; Blue Diamond Award from Spelman College; the Grandparent’s Day Award from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History; First Independence Bank Trail Blazer - Original Founder Award; and Women’s Equality Day recognition by Council Member JoAnn Watson.
Roberta was a member of Brightmoor Christian Church (Novi, Michigan.)