St. Martin and the Tribe

“Saint Martin” is an important name in the Dixwell, or “Tribe,” neighborhood. The name came from a black slave named Martin De Porres who was the first black saint of the Americas. At eleven years old Martin was promoted to almoner, or one who distributes alms or money. As a child, he begged more than $2,000 a week from the rich to support the poor and sick of Lima, Peru. In Dixwell, a park, a church and a school have the name “Saint Martin.” First the Saint Martin Church received its name from Martin De Porres. After the church received its name, the school was named after the church, which had helped sponsor the school. The park was named after the school.

Saint Martin Catholic School was originally named Saint Mary's, after Saint Mary's Church, which first sponsored the school. Saint Mary's Church is located on Hillhouse Avenue near Grove Street. The people who worshipped at the church used to be African Americans and Latinos; today the church has a mixture of races. The church is one of the oldest Roman Catholic Churches in New Haven. Saint Mary's was not a full provider of services to help the community, but it may have cooperated with other churches to sponsor soup kitchens, food pantries, etc. Saint Mary's was part of the “Knights of Columbus,” an organization located on State Street that does good work across the world.

Saint Martin De Porres Church is located on the corner of Dixwell Avenue and Webster Street . The church helped sponsor the Saint Martin De Porres School. The Church is a Catholic Church and the church has been around since the 1940s and the 1950s. The church contributes to the community through a soup kitchen and a food pantry that help with the Dixwell residents and other nearby residents.

The Saint Martin School was one of the few Catholic schools that blacks could attend. According to Dr. Charles R. Twyman, who grew up in the Dixwell area, “There were nuns who taught the kids and a priest (principal) in charge of the nuns.” Dr. Twyman also said, “The school was first named after Saint Mary's Church and then changed to Blessed Martin because of the sponsoring of Saint Martin Church.” Some Blacks and Latinos wanted to go to school at Saint Martin , but were directed to Saint Brendan's. “Over time the school population became a mixture of all races, but predominately blacks.” If people wanted to participate in schooling there then the people would have to be part of a Catholic Church. Education was good, and one of our famous mayors of New Haven attended school, Richard C. Lee. The school does not exist any more. It was demolished, and the city and Yale have worked together to build a police station where the school was located.

The Saint Martin Park, located on the corner of Ashmun Street and Webster Street, is also named after the Saint Martin Church. “The park was a good place to hang out at and still is,” says Taveras Gray. Mr. Gray remembers how kids and even some grown- ups in the neighborhood would go there and have fun. Younger kids would play basketball while the adults drank, smoked, or looked at people having fun. Sometimes events would take place such as basketball tournaments, barbecues, baseball games or even just fun and games. “The park has been around around since I was young,” Taveras said.

Today the park is going through even more changes since the school was knocked down. People still do the same basic things they have always done, but this is a new generation. The kids play on the swings and the slides. Recently some benches were put around the park area for people to sit on.

Although Martin De Porres is no longer alive, he continues to have a major impact on the Dixwell section of New Haven . He has left his mark on society by blessing the church and the park that is named after him.

- Tyrell Gray