Ronald Hart never noticed his childhood being less than amazing, and he credits that to an amazing community and the best high school education.

Hart, a native of Suffolk, spent his early years attending the historic Booker T. Washington High School while living in the former Nansemond County. Hart was active in athletics, playing basketball and football, and excelling in his education. Hart was salutatorian for the 1960 graduating class.

“My life at Booker T. was great,” Hart said. “I had some of the best teachers, and I got a great education. I don’t think people realized how great of an education we got there.”

The stellar career Hart had in his teenage years led him to receive a full-ride football scholarship to North Carolina A&T State University. He graduated with a degree in biology in 1964. While Hart spent his time getting an education and playing football, he was also getting involved with the Civil Rights movement.

“I participated in the sit-ins with my classmates, and that was my first experience being in jail,” Hart said. “We were in duress walking the sidewalks and protesting. It resulted in us being warehoused in jail for quite a few days.

“It makes you proud knowing you were a part of that.”

While Hart participated in the sit-ins, most of his involvement with the Civil Rights movement was quiet. He helped his neighbors and gave them opportunities they needed.

Hart sat on City Council for 16 years and served two terms as vice mayor. Effecting change on a governmental level was important for Hart, and he believed the council did great work due to the members’ great working relationship with each other.

Metropolitan Church Federal Credit Union was founded in 1948, and Rufus Hart Sr., Hart’s father, was one of the founding members. The credit union was formed by Metropolitan Church, because black people had a hard time getting loans at white institutions.

“The credit union is the result of people coming together and growing,” Hart said.

With his father now deceased, Hart is the manager of the credit union, and that credit union serves at least 2,000 members from eight different churches in Suffolk.

The fight for equality wasn’t always at the forefront of Hart’s mind when he was a child. Prior to growing up and going to college, Hart said, he wasn’t aware that things were bad for black people.

“I don’t think we looked at it as not having a good life,” Hart said. “We didn’t think we weren’t receiving anything less. I thought we were living a good life. The Civil Rights movement brought to light the discrimination. I wasn’t aware of how bad it was.”