This portrait of St. Julian Devine now hangs on the second floor of the St. Julian Devine Community Center, just across from the elevator. by Susan Millar Williams, Ph. D. Those who live and work on the East Side know the name St. Julian Devine—it’s the name of the community center located in the old city incinerator, on East Bay Street between Blake and Cooper Streets. But who was the man behind the name. According to a plaque at the center, St. Julian Devine was born in Berkeley County on July 5, 1911 but moved to Charleston as a youngster because his father worked for the railroad. He was the seventh of eight children born to Frank and Sarah Wise Devine, and the only one to survive childhood. He attended Burke High School, married Priscilla Theresa Walton in 1935, and fathered ten children. He was active in the A.M.E. church and in several fraternal organizations. But St. Julian Devine’s most important claim to fame is that he served on the Charleston City Council from 1968 to 197
Comments
Post a Comment