Uncrowned Community Builders

Derrick M. Byrd, Jr. was born in Ithaca, New York, July 17, 1934 to Pauline Huff Byrd and Rev. Derrick M. Byrd, Sr. He is one of two sons, and his brother is Rev. Dr. Cameron W. Byrd of Silver Spring, Maryland. Derrick graduated from Public School 6 and Fosdick-Masten Park High School. He also attended the University at Buffalo where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Government.

His full time employment included positions with the Michigan Avenue Branch of the YMCA of Buffalo and Erie County. That employment was followed by a position at the Continental Baking Company where he became the first African American Sales Supervisor in the Buffalo area. He returned to the YMCA to perform the functions of Branch Executive and District Administrator with oversight management responsibilities for the Michigan, Humboldt and Expressway Branches. In addition, he was responsible for a Model Cities Teen Center. Derrick served at the Buffalo Urban League as director of a career exploration program sponsored by the New York State Department of Labor. Before retirement, he was as a partnership specialist with the Census Bureau in preparation for Census 2000.

Derrick is a member of the People's Community Church (UCC) and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity where he is currently an active, fifty-three year member. Always been interested in music, Derrick sang with the Royal Serenaders' Male Chorus for sixteen years. He was a founding and long-term member and supporter of the of the Board of Directors of the Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc. where he served for ten years. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ellicott Re-Development Foundation and also serves on the Board of the Western New York Heritage Press. Derrick is also a former member of the county-wide Advisory Council of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

He was most recently a Consultant with the Minority Health Coalition which was conducting the community information segment of the first ever Technical Assistance Grant awarded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The initial award was made to True Bethel Baptist Church. The focus of the consultancy is to provide community information relative to the remediation of the area popularly known as ""858"" East Ferry Street. He is the father of three daughters, Jeannine, Pamela and Derria.