SE Queens pays tribute to historic contractors
BY MAX PARROTT
Farmers’ Boulevard in
St. Albans is known for its
connection with local black
history ranging from LL Cool
J to the New York City Black
Panthers, but there’s one
group whose role in the region
often goes under-appreciated:
the seven Griffin brothers.
State Senator Leroy
Comrie and Congressman
Gregory Meeks joined
Southeastern Queens business
organizations on Saturday
to re-dedicate the Rock at
Liberty Square in recognition
of seven brothers who ran L.
B. Griffin Contracting, the
first and largest black-owned
construction company in
New York.
Roy and Tom Griffin, the
two living members of the
seven brothers were present at
the ceremony.
“It’s not just the
construction that they’ve
done. They opened up a door
for black entrepreneurship,”
said Mark Griffin, the head of
M.E. Griffin Contracting and
son Tom Griffin.
The Griffin brothers
transported the rock to Liberty
Square as a centerpiece and
painted it in the red, black
and green–colors of the Black
Power and Pan-African
movements of the 1960s. The
Griffin construction crew
discovered the boulder during
the process of excavating the
foundation of the Woodhull
Medical Center, where it
derailed their work on the
project. Once they dislodged
it from the ground, the crew
transformed it into a symbol
black empowerment.
“It brought to mind a sense
of struggle. And with that in
mind, there was so much
consciousness going on, they
decided to bring it back to their
neighborhoods, southeast
Queens and do the solidarity
colors. It showed strength and
unity within the southeastern
Queens community,”
said Mark.
The construction legacy
of the Griffin family includes
Boys and Girls High School,
York College, Kingsborough
College and the Harlem State
Office building. Beyond
amassing a construction
empire that extended through
Business organizations held a ceremony to re-dedicate the rock
at Liberty Square in recognition of seven brothers who ran L. B.
Griffin Contracting, the first and largest black-owned construction
company in New York. Photo courtesy of Leroy Comrie’s Offi ce
the five boroughs and up and
down to northeast corridor,
the contractors advocated
for racial equity in politics
and the labor movement by
leading protests, hosting
voter’s registration efforts and
organizing campaigning for
local political figures.
“Congressman Meeks and
Senator Comrie–they said that
if it wasn’t by way of Griffin
Contracting, they wouldn’t
have most of the political seats.
And the community wouldn’t
be what it is,” said Mark.
Mark organized the
event in collaboration with
the entrepreneurial nonprofit
Farmers Boulevard
Community Development
Corporation. His goal is to
raise awareness about his
family’s role in shaping the
southeastern part of the
borough and perpetuate. As a
part of this effort, he is putting
together a documentary on the
brothers called, “The Original
Generals of the Industry.”
He sees this as a necessary
step to educate young
residents about the history
of the area, and encourage
them to get them involved in
their community.
“Our youth seem to be
misplaced somewhat. So the
whole thing is to try to bridge
the gap. Most old timers that
are older than myself–I’m 53.
They can’t communicate with
a person that’s 29 or 30, you
know, because the outlook or
their level rearing is outdated
for these guys.”
Reach reporter Max Parrott
by e-mail at mparrott@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260-2507.
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