Harry Bonner: Albion's Godfather
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Distinguished warrior Harry Bonner Sr. has been mentoring young people of color in Albion, Michigan for decades, helping ensure bright futures for many hundreds of them. With the help of local writer, Michelle Mueller, Mr. Bonner has told his story for a biography entitled “Mr. Bonner: A Mentoring Journey.” In the book, chapters describe the Bonner family’s arrival in Albion, Harry’s school years, his meeting and marrying his beloved wife Jerlene, and his very first mentoring job as a hall monitor at Albion High School in 1975. That was, literally, the beginning of the rest of their lives, because without the support and sacrifices of Jeri and their sons, Elgin and Harry Jr., Harry Sr. could never have done the work he did.
The book goes on to describe the lessons he learned from his own mentors over the years, the non-profit organizations that Bonner formed to continue his quest to help kids, and key partners such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Michigan State University’s Calhoun County 4-H program. There is fascinating information about the ways in which Bonner’s youth mentoring work had to evolve and adapt to follow not only funding streams, but also the powerful economic and cultural ebbs and flows in Albion itself through the rest of the century and on into the 2000s.
Alternating with the historical sections of the biography are individual chapters featuring interviews with some of the children – now adults – to whom Mr. Bonner became especially close; who he, in fact, considers just some of his many “godchildren.” They include Terry Langston (AHS ’88), Paula Langston Ware (AHS ’88), Sedgwick Harris (AHS ’88), Donetta "FeFe" Moye (AHS '91), Andrea Armstrong (AHS '91) and Elijah Armstrong Jr. (AHS '94), Twynette McCormick (AHS '94), Aisha Ridley-Melton (AHS '97), SeQuita Craig (AHS ’98), Shymetha Wilson (AHS ’99), Lekia Blake (AHS '02) , and Michael Culliver (AHS ’04) and Hongmin "Nancy" Feng Zhang (AHS '11).
Donors’ generosity will support the publication of the book in softcover, as well as the creation of an e-version which will be available on Amazon. As incentives to donors, several reward levels are being offered:
· $15: an e-book version will be sent to the donor
· $50: a soft cover edition of the book, signed by Harry Bonner Sr., will be shipped to the donor
· $100: a soft cover edition of the book, personally inscribed to the donor (or designated recipient) by Mr. Bonner, will be shipped to the donor.
· $200 or more: In addition to a personally inscribed soft cover book, the donor’s name will be included in the “Acknowledgements” section of the printed book and e-book.
Today, in his seventies, Bonner continues to mentor kids in Albion. He’s cut back a little, and with Jeri at his side travels as often as he can to visit their sons and grandchildren in Illinois and North Carolina. Any funds that are raised in this campaign beyond the writing, editing, design, publication, and shipping fees needed to produce the finished biography will be used at the discretion of Mr. Bonner to continue the work of mentoring Albion’s youth of color. Please help us share the important lessons he, Albion’s children, and the community have learned about the value of mentorship.
The date for the book launch celebration is the 2019 Festival of the Forks in Albion, September 21.
Thank You!
The book goes on to describe the lessons he learned from his own mentors over the years, the non-profit organizations that Bonner formed to continue his quest to help kids, and key partners such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Michigan State University’s Calhoun County 4-H program. There is fascinating information about the ways in which Bonner’s youth mentoring work had to evolve and adapt to follow not only funding streams, but also the powerful economic and cultural ebbs and flows in Albion itself through the rest of the century and on into the 2000s.
Alternating with the historical sections of the biography are individual chapters featuring interviews with some of the children – now adults – to whom Mr. Bonner became especially close; who he, in fact, considers just some of his many “godchildren.” They include Terry Langston (AHS ’88), Paula Langston Ware (AHS ’88), Sedgwick Harris (AHS ’88), Donetta "FeFe" Moye (AHS '91), Andrea Armstrong (AHS '91) and Elijah Armstrong Jr. (AHS '94), Twynette McCormick (AHS '94), Aisha Ridley-Melton (AHS '97), SeQuita Craig (AHS ’98), Shymetha Wilson (AHS ’99), Lekia Blake (AHS '02) , and Michael Culliver (AHS ’04) and Hongmin "Nancy" Feng Zhang (AHS '11).
Donors’ generosity will support the publication of the book in softcover, as well as the creation of an e-version which will be available on Amazon. As incentives to donors, several reward levels are being offered:
· $15: an e-book version will be sent to the donor
· $50: a soft cover edition of the book, signed by Harry Bonner Sr., will be shipped to the donor
· $100: a soft cover edition of the book, personally inscribed to the donor (or designated recipient) by Mr. Bonner, will be shipped to the donor.
· $200 or more: In addition to a personally inscribed soft cover book, the donor’s name will be included in the “Acknowledgements” section of the printed book and e-book.
Today, in his seventies, Bonner continues to mentor kids in Albion. He’s cut back a little, and with Jeri at his side travels as often as he can to visit their sons and grandchildren in Illinois and North Carolina. Any funds that are raised in this campaign beyond the writing, editing, design, publication, and shipping fees needed to produce the finished biography will be used at the discretion of Mr. Bonner to continue the work of mentoring Albion’s youth of color. Please help us share the important lessons he, Albion’s children, and the community have learned about the value of mentorship.
The date for the book launch celebration is the 2019 Festival of the Forks in Albion, September 21.
Thank You!
Organizer
Michelle Mueller
Organizer
Albion, MI