J. Victor Ammons, I.

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Welcome and I am glad to be a Board member of the Harrisburg Citizens United for Development (HCUD). I hope that you will join and or support us in whatever way you can.

My Great Great Grand Parents, Henry Gabriel Ammons and Simmie Elizabeth White emigrated from the United States in 1868. They and their offsprings and families settled in Monrovia - Paynesville Redlight and later the Left Bank (Harrisburg) and Right Bank (Arthington) of the St. Paul River, Montserrado County.
Whilst living in Monrovia, my grandparents always maintained a home in Harrisburg. I spent many a weekend with my grandmother, Mary Pauline Gray Ammons and grandfather, Lemuel Edmund Ammons in Harrisburg.

My Grandma and I were known for hanging out in Harrisburg, especially on Plum Hill during the weekends and holidays – gosh I loved ‘them’ house on stilts! We used to walk up and down that dusty road. As we walked, she would, while telling me a story, pass by a house and shout out to the owners’ saying a few words, and we would move on to the next. As for my grandpa, he would take me to the Left Bank of the St. Paul’s for crawfish. I love it when he would yell across the river Oooo weee, and then a scary looking canoe would come for us to go and visit Cousin Isaac in Arthington or Boy Van in Clay Ashland. Despite my fear, he always gave me confidence. After my grandparents went to the great beyond, I regularly visited Harrisburg, though I never took that scary canoe anymore. My cousin Igal and I would drive or take a holly holly but never that canoe.

I am very glad to be on the HCUD Board – a Board whose singular goal is the social and economic development of Harrisburg. I still remember Commissioner Harris saying to me: Boy (that’s my special childhood name), when I am out, I hope you young ones will take my place.

Harrisburg is very special. And by the way why is Stewart pronounced Ste-yoo. My grandpa would say to me: so, I hear that you are on that Montserrado County Development Committee with your cousin Billy Ste-yoo.  
I am a Social Neuroscientist with a Psychodynamic curvature and currently is a tenured Professor of Psychology and Head of the Department of Psychology at Kansas City Kansas Community College. I am very immersed in the civic life of Kansas City, Missouri. I was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities and a member of the Board of Director of the Catholic Legacy Trust Fund. I currently serve as serve as a member of the 202s and Housing Boards of the Diocese of Kansas City- St. Joseph and the Bishop Sullivan Center; and Chair the Executive Council of Catholic Knights (Knights of Malta, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Knights of Columbus, and Knights of Peter Claver).

I will be relocating to Harrisburg in the not to distant future! Can’t wait – but I am still not taking that scary canoe. That’s out!