Clara Hale

Clara McBride Hale
Born	April 1, 1905 New York City, USA
Died	December 18, 1992 (aged 87) New York City, USA
Occupation	Humanitarian
Children	Nathan and Lorraine Hale

Clara "Mother" Hale

Clara McBride Hale (April 1, 1905 – December 18, 1992), also known as Mother Hale, was an African-American humanitarian who founded the Hale House Center, a home for unwanted children and children who were born addicted to drugs.

Clara married shortly after high school and had two children, Nathan and Lorraine. In 1938, her husband died from cancer, and Hale struggled to support her children through the Great Depression. In an attempt to stay home with her children and be as big a part of their lives as possible, Hale opened her own home daycare. The children that she cared for found her home to be such a caring and loving environment they did not want to go home at the end of the day, most began to stay full time only seeing their mothers on the weekends.^[1] She used her home as a day care for other struggling parents which later led her to become a foster parent.

Although Hale originally opened her house as a way of making a living, it eventually led her to find her life calling. Hale became known for the work she did and became known as a mother to those who did not have one. At the age of 65 is when Hale began to take children in who were born addicted to their mother’s drug habits during pregnancy.^[2] This started in 1969 when Clara Hale's biological daughter, Lorraine, brought a mother and child who were addicted to drugs to Hale's home. A few years later Hale purchased a larger building and in 1975 she was able to attain a license in child-care. It was officially known as Hale House. After that time, Hale devoted her life to caring for needy children. She took in children, free of charge, who were addicted to drugs and helped them through their addictive periods. She would raise the children as is they were her own and once they were healthy she would help to find families interested in adoption. She took it upon herself to make sure the families were a correct fit and even in some cases turned families down if she thought they could not provide a good enough home for the child. She eventually helped over 1,000 drug addicted babies and young children who were born addicted to drugs, children born with HIV, and children whose parents had died of AIDS.^[2]

After her death in 1992, Hale's work was continued by her daughter. Although the younger Hale left Hale House in 2001, the house continues to operate.

Hale's Motivation

Hale’s father dies when she was still just a baby. This left her mother alone to raise Hale and her 4 siblings. Her mother had a very high importance placed on parenting and being available to her children during their development. She supported her children through cooking for others and also allowing borders to stay in their home. It seems that Hale gained this same love and appreciation for parenting. Hale claimed that everything she was able to accomplish was due to her mother and the parenting that she witnessed as a child.^[2]

Harlem was recognized for the amount of citizens living at poverty level, high unemployment rates, and unsanitary living conditions. It was stated in the New York Herald at the time, that is was “…the poorest, the unhealthiest, the unhappiest and the most crowded single large section of New York”.^[3] Growing up in Harlem, mid 1900’s didn’t allow for a promising future. During this time period it was exceptionally hard to receive a good education. In 1962, ninety six percent of Harlem’s students were African American. Due to the racial issues at the time there were very few teachers who were willing to teach and provide the students with sufficient enough education. According to test scores, by the end junior high level the majority of students were more than two and a half years behind the average New York City student. Hale recognized the importance that an education provided and also the need for an opportunity to receive one.^[4]

Hale also put a great deal of value into her religious upbringing. She was raised as a part of a Baptist church. It can also be suggested that her faith in God and strong moral upbringing had a lot to do with the behavior that she displayed throughout her life. It was stated by Hale herself that through her childhood she faced many hard times but it was due to her Christian upbringing that she was able to succeed. One major accomplishment in Hale’s life was being the first in her family to graduate from high school. This was not seen to be a regular occurrence during her time period but due to the morals and ethics that Hale had learned throughout her time in the church this was something she expected of herself. This advanced education may have also had part to do with the lifestyle that she would come to choose. It gave her an appreciation for ethnic and social class differences.^[5]

Awards

• Recognized by Ronald Reagan in his 1985 State of the Union Address
• Honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority
• Member of the American Commission on Drug Free Schools
• NAACP Image Award in the 1980s.

References

1. ^ Lanker, B. (1989). I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Italia, B. (1993). Clara hale: A Mother to Those Who Needed One. Minnesota: Abdo & Daughters.
3. ^ Schoener, A. (1968). Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America 1900- 1968. New York: Random House.
4. ^ Pinkney A., & Woock, R.R. (1970). Poverty and Politics in Harlem. New Haven, Conn.: College & University Press.
5. ^ Bolden, T. (1998). And Not Afraid to Dare: The Stories of Ten African-American Women. New York: Scholastic Press.

• Bolden, T. (1998). And Not Afraid to Dare: The Stories of Ten African-American Women. New York: Scholastic Press.
• Italia, B. (1993). Clara hale: A Mother to Those Who Needed One. Minnesota: Abdo & Daughters.
• Lanker, B. (1989). I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
• Pinkney A., & Woock, R.R. (1970). Poverty and Politics in Harlem. New Haven, Conn.: College & University Press.
• Schoener, A. (1968). Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America 1900- 1968. New York: Random House.
• African American Registry
• Hale House Center

clara mcbride hale has every reason to be appreciated for all the things she'd done for the people she helped and every other reason people loved her.I wished I knew to let her know how special she was to us.

Persondata
Name	Hale, Clara
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 1, 1905
Place of birth	New York City, USA
Date of death	December 18, 1992
Place of death	New York City, USA