Uncrowned Community Builders

Ora-Lee was one of thirteen children (nine boys and four girls) born to William McQuiller and Essie Hogan in Port Huron, Michigan. She earned a business diploma from Lackawanna High School and an Associate's Degree in Small Business and Management Administration from Erie Community College in 1973. She also attended the University at Buffalo. In 1994, she was one of twenty-tree candidates in the United States who was selected to receive the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by the Board of Directors of Faith Grant College in Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1967, Ms. Delgado was hired as the Administrative Assistant to the Westminster Community House. In addition to her administrative duties, she often found herself working with many of the youth and young adults who attended the after school activities. She developed a positive relationship with young teens who often found themselves involved with gangs. In 1971, Lawrence, her 15-year-old son, was shot in a random shooting as he played baseball in front of their home. Ora-Lee addressed her pain and heartache by calming the gang members that rushed to her home. Many wanted to seek revenge for the death of her son.

That same year, Mrs. D, as she was now affectionately called, was offered an Administrative Assistant job at the Langston Hughes Institute where her duties would be all-encompassing. A Model Cities funded agency, the Institute lost that funding in 1973. Yet, Ora-Lee continued to volunteer her time for the next two years. In 1975, she was appointed Executive Director. The Institute's initial focus had been the visual and performing arts. Mrs. "D" expanded the program to include educational, technical, and industrial arts. Under her leadership, the Institute received funding from a number of sources. She retired from the Institute in 1996.

Ora-Lee serves on the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Congressional District Team; is a member and treasurer of the International League of Muslim Women; and volunteers for the American Cancer Society and the Grandmother's Program, tutoring students at St. John Christian Academy. She also is a part-time manager for Hope Lodge, a home for cancer patients and families in Buffalo.

Mrs. D is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Citizenship Award, Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs; Service Award, Phyllis Wheatley Club of Colored Women; Meritorious Service Award, National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.; multiple Community Service awards from the Minority Management Association, Albany, New York; Buffalo Area Metropolitan Ministries; and Majid NuMan, Sister Clara Muhammad's University, Rochester, New York. Ora-Lee also has been nominated and approved by the New York International African Institute, Inc. and its International Advisory Board to receive the Institute's most sacred African Ancestor's Award. A posthumous award also will be given to her husband, Anthony "Tony" Delgado, better known as Mr. D, for his dedicated and sincere efforts to share the knowledge of African history.

In 1953, Ora-Lee accepted the teachings of Islam via her brother, Bobby McQuiller, a trainer for Muhammad Ali. After much research and many visits to libraries, she said many unanswered questions she had throughout her teenage years were finally answered. Elijah Muhammad appointed her Secretary in 1955. Her home and the home of her parents was the home-away-from-home for Minister Malcolm X during the establishment of a temple in the City of Buffalo.

Mrs. D has participated in many Islamic activities through Majid NuMan and other affiliated Masjids in the area. The many conventions and workshops provided numerous contacts throughout the country and from other Islamic countries. Her one desire is to make Hajj as soon as possible.

Ora-Lee continues to focus on two major issues: the covert and overt attempts to minimize the worth of African American organizations, and the struggles of African American youth to attain the American Dream. She says, "This file, in the table of my memory, will now be transferred in a book entitled The Greatest Fight For Life." The workshops that she and her late husband conducted at the East Ferry Erie County Youth Facility are the basis for this book.

She has completed the documentation of the workshop, The Greatest Fight for Life, and audiotape, and is in the process of putting this work on videotape to air on public access television. She also is working on public workshops that would be available to families throughout the Buffalo area. In addition, she is writing a book called Memories In Time that she hopes will serve as a legacy for her children, grandchildren, extended family members, and the general public. She believes that all of us have precious memories that should be shared as a "way of reaching out and touching other's lives."

Ora-Lee married Cornelius W. Lewis in 1950 and together they had seven children: Vincent Cornel (deceased), Andrea (Keith King), Craig (Marietta), Lawrence (deceased), Dawn (Bryant Perkins), T. Daynean, and Caroline Allahna. Her grandchildren are Kristin King, Taylor, Jennifer, Jordan, Austin Lewis, Lauren Lewis, and Lila Paige Perkins.

She married Tony Delgado in 1987 and he brought to the marriage daughters Maria (Andrew Tully), Madelaine Delgado-Massey, and Anthony Jr. (deceased), as well as grandchildren Eileen (Harold Bost), Michele (Michael Arnez), Madelaine (Eric), Louis Massey, Michael, Jeremy, and Antonia Arnez.

Ora-Lee's foremost desire is to continue, in her own way, to serve quietly and to affect individuals positively as she reaches out and touches any and all of humanity regardless of race, creed, color, or social status. Above all, she seeks to impact the lives of our youth - the future leaders of tomorrow.