Reactivate Dallasis a community-driven movement focused on revitalizing South Dallas through year-round cleanups, public art, and volunteer service. By uniting local residents, nonprofits, churches, and corporate teams, we tackle neighborhood blight and bring new life to our streets. Our quarterly service events and mural projects empower volunteers to create lasting change and build a vibrant legacy of community pride.

  • OUR MISSION

    To revitalize underused spaces and spark collective action through volunteerism, public art, and strategic cleanups. We empower South Dallas neighborhoods to thrive and take pride in their shared environment.

  • WHY WE DO IT

    In South Dallas, many spaces are overlooked — not by choice, but by disinvestment. We activate these spaces through public art, cleanups, and community effort to restore pride, build connection, and show what’s possible when neighbors lead the change.

THE LEGACY AWARDS HONOREES

WINTER LEGACY AWARD

Juanita Jewel Craft

Juanita Jewel Craft was a pioneering Civil Rights leader, NAACP organizer, youth advocate, and community humanitarian from South Dallas. Joining the NAACP in 1935, she became Dallas membership chairman in 1942 and Texas field organizer in 1946, helping establish 182 NAACP branches statewide. She played a pivotal role in the landmark Smith v. Allwright (1944) case, which struck down the “white primary” and opened Democratic primaries to African Americans in Texas. As a writer for The Dallas Express, Craft used her voice to expose racial injustice and advocate for equality. Her life’s work focused on ending segregation, expanding voter registration, and improving education for Black communities. Her fearless leadership and lifelong dedication to justice cement her as one of the most influential figures in American Civil Rights history.

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SPRING LEGACY AWARD

Bishop Omar Jahwar

Bishop Omar Jahwar was a transformative community leader, social activist, and spiritual visionary from South Dallas. Founder and CEO of Urban Specialists, he dedicated his life to reducing violence, mentoring at-risk youth, and empowering underserved communities. His work built bridges between law enforcement and neighborhoods, emphasizing conflict resolution and community engagement.

SUMMER LEGACY AWARD

Dr. Harry ROBINSON, JR.

Dr. Harry Robinson, Jr. is the founder of the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas, a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate dedicated to preserving and sharing
African American history, art, and culture. For over 30 years, his leadership and vision have advanced cultural preservation and education nationwide. A Louisiana native, Dr. Robinson holds degrees from Southern University, Atlanta University, and the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana. He has served on numerous boards, including appointments by President George W. Bush to the National Museum & Library Services Board. His accolades include the Friends of Fair Park Spirit of the Centennial Award (2022), the Business Council for the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award (2022), and the Dallas Mayor’s Distinguished Service Award (2022)

FALL LEGACY AWARD

William Blair, Jr.

William Blair, Jr. was a Negro League baseball star, pioneering newspaper publisher, and lifelong civil rights leader in Dallas. After serving as the youngest
Black first sergeant in the U.S. Army during WWII, Blair pitched professionally from 1946–1951, earning induction into the Negro League Baseball Museum.
He founded The Elite News, one of Dallas’s most influential Black newspapers, and launched the city’s first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade in 1986. For over six decades, Blair championed civil rights, community journalism, and African American history, leaving an enduring legacy in sports, media, and activism. Baseball player and newspaper publisher William Blair, Jr., was born on October 17, 1921. A former Negro League baseball player turned newspaper publisher, Blair has been a community voice in Dallas for over forty years. Blair attended Booker T. Washington High School and Prairie View A&M University. After six months at Prairie View A&M, Blair enlisted in the United States Army and became the youngest black first sergeant in the United States Army during World War II.

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