Statement from the family of Benjamin Franklin Gaines Sr.
Benjamin Franklin Gaines Sr. was born Dec. 10, 1922, to the late Frank and Faye Gaines in Dixon, Kentucky. His parents sent him to Evansville, Indiana, to live with his aunt and attend Lincoln High School, which was exclusively African American. High school wasn’t available in segregated Dixon, as it was all-white.
Ben was a part of the Great Migration and moved to Chicago in 1945. The Pullman porter was a coveted job because porters were paid more than any other black worker at that time. The Pullman Company was the country’s largest single employer of Black men. Additionally, it allowed Ben to quench his thirst for travel. As a club car attendant, Ben traveled across the country. He was a member of the fraternity of Pullman Porters for nine years. His next career was with Encyclopedia Britannica. Around 1960, Ben became a postal carrier based at the Evanston Post Office. He not only was a faithful civil servant, but he also developed lifelong friendships with several families on his routes. He retired from the Postal Service after 28 years.
In 1946, Benjamin married Lydia Shane, in Evansville, and she relocated to Chicago, to begin their 62 years together. They parented two sons: Michael Alvin Gaines and Benjamin Franklin Gaines Jr. In 1959 they built a home in Evanston. The family joined First Baptist Church of Evanston (now Lake Street Church) where Ben was a member of the choir.
As a couple, they were active members and volunteers in the ”historic former” Wabash Avenue YMCA. Ben was a member of the Y’s Men International Club. The club held annual conventions, which allowed them to become world travelers. They visited Denmark, Sweden, England, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Philippines, South Korea and numerous other countries.
In retirement, Ben traveled with his youngest son to Alaska, the only U.S. state he had yet to visit. On several occasions, they drove cross-county visiting national parks –Crazy Horse in South Dakota, Yellowstone, Glacier and Banff parks – to California and back to Evanston.
In his last decade, Ben gained national renown. He was honored at the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, appeared on the ABC show Soul of a Nation and was featured in numerous articles on Evanston’s reparations fund for Black residents and for turning 100 years old in December. He recently was interviewed for High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America on Netflix about how Pullman porters and others influenced this country’s culinary identity.
On April 13 at 9:41 p.m. Ben passed away peacefully in his Evanston home. He was greeted by his wife, Lydia, and siblings: L’Juno Albright, Pernella Landrum, and Michael Gaines. To carry on his legacy are his sons: Michael and Benjamin Gaines. His nieces and nephews: June Landrum-Springer, Gail Manley (Eric), Yvonne Davis, Greg Davis, Jerad (Beatrice) Davis, Michelle Gaines, Markus Gaines, and Angela Gaines. He is further survived by generations of grandnieces, grandnephews, other relatives and numerous friends.
During a recent interview, he was quoted as saying, “I don’t have hatred in my heart, it’s just wasted energy. I try to be nice to everybody.” Wise words to live by.
I knew been games, through a friend of mine. I recall him being very worried about the displacement of black citizens from his neighborhood. Long time folks were moving away and couldn’t afford to live there. I think the best way to honor his memory is to create affordable housing in every way possible and stop the high-end market condo construction that gentrifies and forces out middle-class and working citizens, particularly those of color. In the past several decades, we have seen the African-American population in this city drop from 22 to 16%. This is not acceptable.