Activism

Biography of Wenefrett Cecelia Phillips Watson

Wenefrett ‘Wene’ Cecelia Phillips Watson became active in the Oakland Public Schools where her children attended school. She was appointed to the Oakland Museum Commission and Oakland Symphony Board. As president of the Oakland Bay Area Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, Wene helped start the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Her passion for civil rights stimulated her to become active with the NAACP, the Urban League, and she eventually ran for City Council.

Published

5 years ago

November 9, 2021

Oakland Post

Today, Wenefrett Cecelia Phillips Watson spends quiet moments as a resident of the Lake Park Independent Living Community surrounded by family and friends.

Wenefrett ‘Wene’ Cecelia Phillips Watson was born on Oct. 29, 1921, in Marshall, Texas.

Her father was a dentist, and her mother was a fifth-grade teacher.

She earned a B.A. in English literature in three years at Bishop College. During World War II, she attended the University of Southern California where she earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Library Sciences at age 18. She met and married James A. Watson, a Howard University medical student, after she took a federal job in Wash., D.C. They relocated to Oakland in the late 1950s.

Wenefrett became active in the Oakland Public Schools where her children attended school. She was appointed to the Oakland Museum Commission and Oakland Symphony Board. As president of the Oakland Bay Area Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, Wene helped start the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Her passion for civil rights stimulated her to become active with the NAACP, the Urban League, and she eventually ran for City Council.

Wene was a business owner who created and managed WenTravel and Cruise travel agency on the first floor of the then newly constructed Oakland Marriott Downtown Hotel, Convention and Transportation Center in 1984. She held contracts with the City of Oakland, County of Alameda and the State of California as one of the few all-Black, women-owned small businesses. She retired in 1996.

Along with a wide variety of international dignitaries and ambassadors, four U.S. Presidents have met Wene Watson, including Lyndon B. Johnson, George Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

She and her husband James Watson were co-founders of Berkeley’s Church By the Side Of the Road.

Raising her children predominantly in the Oakland Unified Public School District, she and her family lived comfortably in their home on Mandana Boulevard near Lakeshore and the beautiful Lake Merritt.

Wene’s children all gave touching tributes to their mother and grandmother at her centennial birthday celebration recently. They all spoke of her ability to stabilize any adverse situation.

Wene said she was fortunate and blessed to have had a loving life partner in her husband, Dr. James A. Watson, for over 60 years. She also acknowledges the sweet friendship of Mr. Ray Dones, who brought happiness to her life after the passing of her dear husband.

After her retirement from her business in 1997, Wene reinvolved herself in the Links, where, as president, they first brought the Ebony Fashion Fair to Oakland, as well as the Oakland Museum where she spent 20 years playing a major role in ensuring African Americans were represented fairly and adequately.

Today, Wenefrett Cecelia Phillips Watson spends quiet moments as a resident of the Lake Park Independent Living Community surrounded by family and friends. She spends frequent moments with her loving son her children and grandchildren who have a range of talents, careers and accomplishments of their own as actors, models, lawyers and doctors.

At 100 years of age, she has survived one daughter, Janet Watson David; granddaughter Tiffany and grandson H. Geoffrey Watson, II.