In honor of Black History Month, which begins next month, we’d like to share some “Hidden History” from the Mystic Valley region.
As you may know, Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) has a Supportive Housing Program. This program places our staff at more than 20 residential sites in the communities we serve, providing personalized support and promoting social engagement. One of these sites is the Steele House in Melrose.
The Steele House is named for a housing advocate and Civil Rights activist who deserves to be a household name in Massachusetts: Julian Steele. After graduating with honors from Harvard, Steele began a successful career in the 1930s as the director of the Shaw Settlement House. He met and courted a woman who worked there, Mary Dawes. Controversy arose over their interracial marriage and Julian resigned from his post.
Despite the challenges he faced, Julian continued to build an impressive career and break down barriers. He went on to head Boston’s Armstrong Hemenway Foundation, focusing on affordable housing and social work. In the 1960s, he was named deputy commissioner for Urban Renewal in Massachusetts, then deputy administrator of the federal government’s Housing and Home Finance Agency for New England and New York.
In 1968, Julian was appointed commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, the first Black person to head a major state agency in Massachusetts. He advocated for Civil Rights and served as president of Boston’s NAACP and Urban League. He was also named to the Massachusetts Parole Board, and when his family settled in West Newbury, he became the first Black Town Moderator in the state.
When Melrose’s Steele House opened on Nason Drive in 1968, it was named in memory of the trailblazer who advocated for affordable housing throughout his career. Today, the Julian Steele building contains 155 units designated for older adults and is managed by Melrose Housing Authority.
