Uncrowned Community Builders

Lloyd James Hargrave was born on August 31, 1939 in Buffalo, New York. He was tenth in the birth order of Annie and Ashley Hargrave's eleven children. He was educated in the Buffalo Public School System. After his graduation from Bennett High School, Lloyd attended Howard University.

Lloyd married the late Patricia Slaughter Hargrave on January 20, 1961. There were four children born to this union, Lloyd Jr. (Buster), Angela Hargrave Gilbert, Lisa Hargrave Scott and the late Jyneen Hargrave.

Lloyd is retired from the city of Buffalo's Parks Department where he served for thirty-five years.

When his children became school aged Lloyd took a very personal interest I the Buffalo School System and began to look into what he viewed as its strengths and weaknesses. To this end he served as President of the Parent Teachers Association of Hamlin Park School, Number 74. Since that time he has served in numerous parent leadership capacities including but not limited to: testifying before Congress on the re-authorization of Title I funding; Chairing Title I District Advisory Council (1974-2001); serving on the New York State Title IV Advisory Council; sitting as a member of the Board of Directors of St. Augustine Community Center; serving on the Teacher Selection Committee of the Buffalo Public Schools; reviewing the reading objectives N.A.E.E.P. in Denver, Colorado; serving on the New York State Title I Committee of Practitioners and Membership on the Board of Directors of the Buffalo Urban League.

Lloyd has also served as a consultant and trainer for the following school districts and organizations: Hartford, Connecticut, New Jersey, Oakland, California Unified School district; Memphis, Tennessee RMC Research; Waterbury, Connecticut; Erie, Pennsylvania; New Rochelle, New York and St. Louis, Missouri. Further, Lloyd has been a mentor to several parent organizations in Buffalo.

Lloyd co-founded the National Coalition of E.S.E.A. Title I Parents in 1974 and served as Chairman of the National Board of Directors for many years. Further, he was a member of the Schools under Registration Review and he employed by the Western New York Personnel School Support Central as a School Improvement Consultant from 1997-2010. He was also a National Training Consultant form 1975-2010.
Lloyd has given a good portion of his adult life to ensuring that our children have quality education and that all children, no matter race, color or creed, are guaranteed the best that not only our city and state can offer, but he has worked on a national level to safe guard the educational opportunities for all.