During this week, as National Mentoring Month there is a transition into Black History Month, one of Aurora’s leading black trailblazers and foremost mentors made his transition, as well.
Civic icon Fred Rodgers died last weekend, and multiple generations of Auroran expressed condolences through social media once the news was announced.
Rodgers, 77, was appointed in 1986 as the City of Aurora’s first Youth Services director. For the next quarter of a century, he left what Aurora mayor Richard Irvin called, “an indelible mark on Aurora.”
While building an award-winning, nationally-recognized Youth Services Department, Rodgers laid the foundation for many of the City’s youth and community initiatives that are active today, including the popular Aurora Sports Festival, Summer camps, and after-school programs.
During his tenure, Rodgers not only mentored and impacted the lives of more than 25,000 youth, but he was dedicated to building bridges across racial and religious divides and working with community groups to fight gang violence.
When he retired in 2009, the City dedicated the youth services building as the Fred Rodgers Community Center. Four years later, when East Aurora School District 131 purchased the building, it was again renamed in his honor, this time as the Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy, making Rodgers one of only a handful of black leaders in Aurora to be the namesake of a school (B-roll video of school included).
In 2020, Rodgers was named the City’s African American Leader of the Year, and just last year, in February 2022, Rodgers was one of four black trailblazers in Aurora featured in a student-led production portraying their lives. The special Black History Month presentation attracted hundreds of viewers, including Rodgers. It was one of his last public appearances before he died early Saturday morning at his home on Aurora’s West Side.
Mayor Irvin issued the following statement on Rodgers’ passing, referring to him as an Aurora icon and institution:
“It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Mr. Fred Rodgers.
‘A fierce champion and advocate for youth, he passed away early Saturday morning.
‘The City of Aurora’s first-ever Youth Services director, Fred served our community in that distinguished role for nearly 25 years. He built an award-winning, nationally-recognized Youth Department that positively influenced and perpetually impacted the lives of tens of thousands of Aurora children.
‘Even well into retirement these past few years, Fred provided insight on youth issues and would often reach out to City Hall to offer advice, guidance, and gratitude.
‘Fred Rodgers was an Aurora icon and institution. The Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy in East Aurora School District 131 bears his name and represents his unyielding commitment to our youth and their future.
‘He left an indelible mark on Aurora and a proven blueprint for service and advocacy for us all to follow.”
—City of Aurora government