Uncrowned Community Builders

A native of Buffalo, New York, Mr. Anderson was a member of one of the oldest African American families, who could trace their settlement in the region to the 1830s. His parents were James T. and Ora Lewis Anderson. Anderson was the fourth of five children, James, Mildred, Ora and David. He was the last surviving sibling.

Mr. Anderson was a graduate of Hutchinson-Central High School in 1940. He earned a full scholarship to Goddard College but was unable to make use of it because of his father's unexpected death. Instead of pursuing a college education at that time, he returned to his hight school and learned shorthand.
That skill led to a long and successful career as a court reporter. He also founded and operated a successful poultry business, "Anderson's Quality Poultry Market."
He eventually attended Canisius College and the University at Buffalo, from which he earned a bachelor's degree in English. He continued at UB Law School from which he graduated with a law degree.

Mr. Anderson worked as a general court reporter, workers' compensation cour reporter, Common Council information clerk and lawyer. He was the founding director of the Cooperative College Center, the forerunner of UB's Educational Opportunity Center.

He was married for 67 years to the former Daisy Estelle Hood. The couple married on November 25, 1944. The couple have a son, Michael and two daughters, Sheila and Michele. A fourth child, Arthur, Jr. pre-deceased his father.