Symposium Pays Homage to Women of the Perkins-Dennis Family

Caption: Denise Dennis and Darryl Gore visit Elm Park Methodist Church in Scranton 85 years after their great-grandmother, Mary Kinslow Dennis (Mrs. Sumner Dennis), spoke at the Elm Park Women’s annual meeting.  Front, from left: Louise Jones, president UMW, Elm Park Church; Cathy Hunt, vice president UMW, Elm Park Church, Dennis and Jill Luczak, recording secretary, UMW.  Second row: Dotty Bosley and the Rev. Mike Bealla, senior pastor.  Back row: Wade Catts, MA, RPA, DFCLT board member; and Darryl Gore.

In her October 2107 symposium address, Women of the Perkins-Dennis Family, DFCLT President Denise Dennis paid homage to the women who helped shape the farm and the family descendants who have been its stewards.  With photographs, documents and stories, she brought to life the women whose faith, hard work, intelligence, and spirit shaped generations, dating back to Massachusetts of the 1700s.

Dennis’ speech was inspired by a 1932 newspaper article about a presentation her great-grandmother, Mary Kinslow Dennis, gave at the Elm Park Methodist Church in Scranton.  Announcing that Mrs. Dennis was the guest speaker at the May 1932 annual meeting of the “Women of Elm Park” the article included the title of her speech, The Achievement of the Women of the Negro Race.  Reading that 85 years earlier, Mary K. Dennis gave a presentation at a white church, about the achievements of African American women, reminded Denise of all the women in her family who came before her and the knowledge, wisdom, character and strength they passed to her.