Clara Hale
Encyclopedia
Clara McBride Hale 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. 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. 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
.
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.
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”. 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.
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.
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
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. 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. 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. 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
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, and children whose parents had died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
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.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”. 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.
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.
Awards
- Recognized by Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in his 1985 State of the Union AddressState of the Union AddressThe State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises... - Honorary member of Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority - Member of the American Commission on Drug Free Schools
- NAACP Image Award in the 1980s.