Long before I got involved in elected politics in Boston, and after a brief stint in the U.S. Army and professional basketball, I worked helping young people stay out of trouble, by working to establish various sports leagues in Boston’s neighborhoods. Organized sports, with dedicated volunteer coaches, had already been playing a major influence in young people’s lives in those days. The large number of kids playing various sports in our communities, playgrounds, hockey rinks and gyms began to pay off with the development of many outstanding girl and boy athletes, who would go on to excel in high school and in college, even receiving college athletic scholarships. And all were taught the principles of hard work and values of fair play and teamwork.
It was in those early days that I met and befriended many remarkable, caring people who shared my enthusiasm and commitment in helping kids from poor and working class families get a break in life.
One of those early friends was Doris Bunte, who lived in Boston Public Housing in Roxbury and served with me in the Massachusetts House of Representative in fighting for special education. She was the first African American woman elected to the House, and was a leader on public housing issues. When I was elected mayor of Boston, I felt that the most difficult crisis I had to face was to integrate the Boston Housing Authority and Doris had the ability and compassion to do the job. I knew that, like school busing, it would be very difficult, but I was determined to make the integration effort safe and orderly. I appointed Doris Bunte the very first African American director of the Boston Housing Authority.
We attended countless housing development meetings together and big community meetings as well. We listened as respectfully as possible, but we were determined that the integration of public housing in Boston wouldn’t turn into another nightmare like public school busing did. I’m proud to say peaceful integration of public housing happened without one single violent incident — a credit to the existing tenants from South Boston, Charlestown and East Boston and the new minority tenants from Roxbury, South End, Dorchester and throughout the city. All good and decent people who deserved a decent place to bring up their children in safety. If busing was Boston’s “worst” day, thanks to Doris Bunte, Boston public housing integration was its “best.”
Bunte died Monday at 87.
Ray Flynn is a former mayor of Boston and U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
