CHARLESTON, W.V. – Today, December 23, the family of Patrolman Robert Edward Easley, Sr. joined representatives from the City of Charleston, Charleston City Council, the Charleston Police Department, Step-by-Step Afterschool Program, Partnership of African American Churches and Human Resource Development Foundation to dedicate the western wing of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center located at 314 Donnally Street.
Known as the “Father of Afterschool Programs,” Easley helped organize The Canteen – a youth center in Charleston’s Triangle District that provided supervised activities for young people.
In April 2021, Charleston City Council approved a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Patrolman Easley.
“I’m very excited to be a part of something for someone so deserving,” said Rashaun Sayles, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Charleston. “Patrolman Easley has left behind a legacy that continues to thrive. This is evident when I see the great things our kids are accomplishing in the afterschool programs located in our community centers.”
Robert E. Easley, Sr. was one of only a few Black Charleston Police Department members during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, where he received the 1963 Officer of the Year Award, earned the medal of valor, and received multiple Officer of the Month recognitions. Those who grew up at The Canteen remember fondly his motivational and inspirational slogan, “Striving to Excel.”
Speaking on behalf of his family during the ceremony, Patrolman Easley’s son Robert E. Easley, Jr. stated, “I’m the son of the greatest man I know that walked the streets of this City. He was a police officer and the father of fathers in the Charleston community. My father would be truly honored and thankful for such an occasion and this dedication. I am proud to carry his name as Robert Edward Easley, Jr.”
A plaque detailing the contributions of Patrolman Easley can be found inside the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center and “Robert E. Easley, Sr. Annex” will adorn the outside of the building along the western wing.
