Henrietta Bell Wells

The movie “The Great Debaters,” has given me a lot of press coverage because I am the only surviving member of the team. I never expected the movie to cause so much interest, so much attention to my inner life. I enjoy talking to people about the happenings at Wiley College years ago. I especially loved talking to Denzel Washington. As soon as he saw me, he said, “Well, I’ve got another grandma.” I felt so proud. Denzel Washington is a jewel and a gentleman. I gave him some advice on how to go about making the movie while I spoke to him. First, I told him that he should definitely play the part of Mr. Melvin Tolson. Next, I told him that he should play down the race issue and instead concentrate more on the Debate Team itself. The debate team was more motivated to please our coach than it was a race issue. I was born January 11, 1912. I have been a long time member of St. James' Episcopal Church in and the church is a big part of my life, as it always has been. I live in the Houston assisted living center. I was the first African American child baptized at St. Clements' Episcopal Church by Bishop Clinton Quin in 1923. I attended Phyllis Wheatley High School in Houston and was the valedictorian for my class. With a scholarship from the YMCA, I attended Wiley College. It was hard to be on my own at first. I had to work three jobs to get by. When Mr. Tolson asked me to join his debate team, I had no idea what it was. After all, we did not have debates in High school. I guess I did all right. He stood at the back of the chapel and I read from the front. That was his test. He called me Bell, told me I was the first woman he let try out and the only freshman on the team. We would sit on the floor in the Tolson's living room and discuss topics. Mr. Tolson was very serious and very strict; there were no frills, everything had to be correct. It was fun being the only girl on the team, but it was a lot of hard work. After I graduated from college, I met and married Wallace Wells. Wallace and I moved to Gary, Indiana where he worked as a church organist at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church and I worked as a caseworker, then a case supervisor for the Welfare Department. I always wanted to be a social worker, and I turned out to be a pretty good one. In 1963, we moved to New Orleans where Wallace was dean of chapel at Dillard University and I was the dean of women. In 1967, we moved back to Houston. That’s when I became the first black teacher at Bonner Elementary School. Sadly, my husband passed away in 1987. That's when I moved back to Houston. My advice for the youth today is to learn to speak well and learn to express yourself effectively. This has done a great deal for me, as I have led a happy and successful life.

Details

Schools

Wiley College

Wheatley High School

Companies

Dillard University

Welfare Department