Civil Rights pioneer Ruth Loving looking ahead to Black History Month

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Springfield Civil Rights pioneer Ruth Loving, who will celebrate her 99th birthday in two months, plans on attending the annual Black Heritage Flag raising at Springfield City Hall on Friday.

Loving told 22News that she is proud to never have missed any of the 26 previous flag raisings, which mark the beginning of Black History Month.

“It makes my chest go way out, right besides the American Flag. We finally made it,” Loving said.

The Black History Month observance includes school programs that celebrate individual achievements, as well as community programs dedicated to the growth of the Civil Rights Movement.

Loving told 22News that the re-opening of the Mason Square Library on State Street is another noteworthy occasion for the African-American community that she will celebrate February 1. She also won't forget working side by side with the late Morris “Mo” Jones, the former city councilor, to re-open the neighborhood library.

“Yeah we got bumped a couple of years. It was yanked away from us, but we pushed and pushed. Mo Jones and I argued and pushed, and here we are,” she said.

Ruth Loving will have a place of honor during Friday's ceremony, after all, she worked with the civil rights icons of the 1950’s and 60’s, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.