Don McRae’s quiet, calming style, unselfish commitment, loyalty, and devotion served him well as he was appointed to higher levels of service as human rights director, deputy city manager, assistant city manager, deputy city administrator, chief of staff and eventually city manager in the City of St. Petersburg.
GOLIATH J. DAVIS, III, Ph.D. | Contributor
ST. PETERSBURG — As I think about the number of individuals who seek elected office and leadership positions today merely for ego, résumé building and notoriety, I cannot help but reflect on St. Petersburg’s icons who made the city a better place to live, work and play by fighting necessary battles and through their advocacy for diversity, equity, inclusion and human rights. Prominent among these icons is St. Pete native Donald McRae, affectionately known as the Colonel.
Lt. Col. Donald McRae
Don was the son of the late Monroe McRae and Alice Blake. His family owned and operated McRae Funeral Home until its recent closing. Don attended Happy Workers Day Care and local schools, graduating from Gibbs High. He attended Moorehouse College until Uncle Sam called, and he subsequently graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in mathematics.
Josephine Figueredo McRae
While stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC, Don met and later married future educator Josephine Figueredo, who traveled the United States and the world with him in support of his career. In 1954, when the army issued a call for pilots, Don answered. This call to service was pivotal in shaping his life as a trailblazer and advocate for justice during a time when Jim Crow and segregation were at their peak.
A decorated pilot with two tours of duty in Southeast Asia, Don distinguished himself in battle and was recognized by his men for his heroic actions. Upon returning from a mission, he noticed an individual from his unit had not returned. He inquired and learned his soldier and friend had been shot down. Don immediately jumped into a chopper, returned to the battle site, located the soldier, and, under heavy enemy fire, swooped in to retrieve his man and return him to base. From that day forward, the soldier phoned Don every Christmas and thanked him for saving his life.
Don retired from the army as a Lieutenant Colonel and would have certainly made Full Bird if not for a medical incident that stripped him of his flight status. He returned to St. Petersburg just as J. P. Morgan had been named public safety director in 1972. The Public Safety concept consolidated police and fire administrations. Director Morgan wanted to start an aviation unit to combat crime in the city. He was in search of an individual with the requisite qualifications—aviation knowledge, organizational skills, and leadership. Fortunately, retired Air Force First Sergeant Hank Ashwood (aka Pappa Wood), founder of the city’s Fire and Police Trainee programs, knew just the man for the job—retired Lt. Col. Donald McRae.
Don McRae circa 1980
Pappa Wood went down to 18th Avenue South and 16th Street, the ABC Liquor Store, and found the Colonel under the tree “shooting the breeze” with friends and community members. There was no time for the Colonel to go home and dress in a suit and tie. He traveled with Ashwood to Director Morgan’s office, dressed in his casual hat, golf shirt, Khaki pants and tennis shoes. The rest is history. The Colonel was hired initially as a community improvement coordinator and later as a public safety aviation coordinator.
Ashwood and McRae worked collaboratively on fire and police trainee programs and minority recruiting. The streets of St. Pete were patrolled day and night from the air by “Eagles I and II,” and the marine units patrolled the waters. Both were firsts for the City of St. Petersburg and were organized and implemented by a Black native son. Don’s leadership skills and abilities ultimately propelled him to the chief of training position for the St. Petersburg Police Department. He became the highest-ranking Black and the first to hold the position.
Don’s talents, quiet, calming style, unselfish commitment, loyalty, and devotion continued to serve him well as he was appointed to higher levels of service as human rights director, deputy city manager, assistant city manager, deputy city administrator and chief of staff. Achieving another first, Don served as city manager for the City of St. Petersburg. His quiet, dignified fight for justice and equality was evident in all his endeavors. He paved the way for many to follow. The diversity enjoyed in the employment and management ranks of our city is attributable primarily to the Colonel—Donald McRae.
Colonel McRae was also highly decorated in his public life. He was the recipient of too many honors and awards to delineate. Active in the community, he formed the first area chapter of NFBPA (National Forum for Black Public Administrators), served as board chair for Happy Workers, was a member of the Pinellas Opportunity Council, Housing Authority Boards and the NAACP.
His enviable humility and reluctance to seek attention are values many seek to emulate. Whether it was his time, talents, service to his country, city, or money, McRae is remembered for his generous giving. Despite his family pedigree and accomplishments, the Colonel was an “everyday person.” He never met a stranger, always had time to engage citizens and “shoot the breeze,” and freely shared his assets and talents.
The Colonel’s life can be summed up as follows: “So much given—so little asked in return.” In fact, all he ever asked for was that we, the leaders and beneficiaries of the sacrifices of those who fought for us and paved the way, pay it forward. Once again, we say, Thank You, Colonel.
Dr. Goliath Davis, a former St. Petersburg police chief and deputy mayor, advocates for education in Pinellas County, with a focus on improving Black student achievement.
