By Alexandria Leatherberry
The Truth Reporter
Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union kicked off the 20th Annual African American Fest with its traditional “Prayer in the Parking Lot” and vibrant kickoff parade Saturday Morning at its Dorr Street location.
The annual event draws hundreds of participants to celebrate African American heritage and community pride. This year, the parade featured a procession over an hour long that included displays from community leaders, performers, businesses, and social clubs that strolled the once thriving Toledo “Black downtown.”
During the 1950s and 1960s Dorr Street housed more than 70 Black-owned businesses, establishing itself as the epicenter of the city’s African American commerce and culture. Residents recall a bustling avenue of grocery stores, barbershops, theaters, churches and law offices where doctors, judges and entrepreneurs lived and worked in close-knit proximity.
The Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union branch stands as a reminder of Dorr Street history by maintaining services accessible to the residents in the 43607 area. The credit union has grown by launching a second location at 3053 Monroe Street, just three minutes drive from the original main branch.
The credit union’s festival is an underscore of CEO Suzette Cowell’s commitment to honoring the Dorr Street legacy. Cowell received the Louise McCarren Herring Movement Advancement Award in 2023 for outstanding contributions to the credit union movement. The recognition followed a $125,000 award in 2021 to support its mission of offering affordable financial services, educational opportunities, and community reinvestment.
Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union demonstrates local, socially-minded banking by offering financial services tailored to underserved neighborhoods. The credit union preserves the legacy of a once-thriving Black business corridor and restores its spirit through financial empowerment, cultural celebration, and community investment. The Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union stands as a testament to the past and an example for the future.
