2013 Sailing Season: Edward Teach Memorial Regatta

The sailing team only had one home regatta this year, which was the Edward Teach Memorial that we have every year. This regatta is hosted by Hampton University at Strawberry Banks. The event doesn't get a lot of Hampton publicity, and since Strawberry Banks stopped being a boys dorm, most students don't even know where it is. During the school year, most students aren't allowed to go there, even though it has a very convenient beach. But once every school year, all of the college sailing programs in the Hampton area congregate there and take advantage of the great winds and sailing the location has to offer. This is also usually our first regatta of the season, so it is usually the first time that our new sailors get to participate in a real regatta. 

First person in the Marine Science Center is always a great achievement. Don't be fooled by the sunny looking weather outside, it was freezing cold in September. From what I can tell I have on 4 top layers in that photo, and I'm not even in the water yet. 

Mrs. Schuker providing us with our regatta breakfast. Always super healthy, and I get to choose which brand of orange juice I want before anyone else. 

Coach Ambrosi giving us a briefing before the regatta starts.  

Coach discussing race committee things with Dr. Schuker the head of the Marine Science department. 

Who knows what they're talking about....all these boys are from the islands, so when they get together, they turn off their American accents, so they could be talking about sailing or football. 

The lovely Veronica Maccari, our "A" Divvision skipper eating her strawberry yogurt. This is her first year at Hampton University as Coach also recruited her from Italy. 

Josh is also new to the team, and is one of our "A" division crew

This regatta was a great start for the Hampton University sailing program, and was the only regatta we won the whole fall season. We somehow didn't have enough cups for the prize giving ceremony, so we had to have a singing competition to see who would get the full set. 

My regatta trophy!

African-American Architects: William Sydney Pittman

William Sydney Pittman (April 21, 1875 - March 14, 1958) was an African American Architect from Alabama. He is known for being the first practicing African-American architect in the state of Texas. He was also the first African-American in the nation to win a federal contract to design a building in 1907. He is also notable for being both the mentee and son-in-law of Booker T. Washington. 

Source: Dallas Observer

Pittman graduated from the Tuskegee Institute in 1897 and Drexel Institute, where he earned degrees in architecture and mechanical drawing. Pittman designed two buildings for the Kentucky Normal and Industrial Institute for Colored Persons (now Kentucky State University), the Trade School Building and Hume Hall. After completing his work at Kentucky Normal and Industrial Institute, he received a letter of endorsement from the Kentucky Superintendent of Education.

Hume Hall
Source: Delcampe.com

He was also employed by the African-American architect John Lankford. William Pittman designed churches, schools, libraries, commercial buildings and fraternal buildings. Some examples of his work are the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Garfield Elementary Public School, and the Washington D.C. 12th Street Y.M.C.A, and the building for the Grand United Order of Oddfellows (Negro). 

Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Source: Wikipedia

One of his most famous buildings is the Knights of the Pythias Temple in Dallas, Texas which was the first major commercial structure built for African Americans, by African Americans, and with African American money. It is now the only building downtown to hold that distinction. It provided office space for prominent African American professionals, such as lawyers and doctors, and the top floor was used for social activities. The Colored Carnegie Library of Houston, located in Houston, Texas was the first library for African-Americans in Houston.

Pythian Temple
Source: Flickr