Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce
Devoyd Jennings
Devoyd “Dee” Jennings, who grew up in Fort Worth’s Butler Place housing project and went on to serve as longtime president and CEO of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, died this weekend.
“It is with the deep regrets that we acknowledge the passing of our esteemed president Dee Jennings,” the Chamber’s chairman, Sultan Cole, said in a message Saturday afternoon. “We all recognize the deep and life-long connection Mr. Jennings had with the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce. He will be missed immensely, but in the true spirit of who Dee was, he would want us to move forward to maintain, protect and grow the legacy that he spent his life building.”
Jennings last week helped his alma mater Texas Wesleyan University break ground on an apartment complex for students, the latest piece of the ongoing “Rosedale Renaissance” revitalization of the Poly neighborhood around the campus. This spring and summer, he spoke of progress in the Black Chamber’s goal of recruiting a black-owned bank to open a branch in Fort Worth. And in late June, he helped preside over the Black Chamber’s first annual luncheon since COVID-19.
Tributes emerged quickly.
“Dee Jennings was a pillar of the Fort Worth community,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a social media post. “A true friend and inspiration to so many, including my own family. We are sending out love and prayers to the entire Jennings family, the Chamber and all of his many friends who love him dearly. Dee leaves behind a remarkable legacy because of his devotion to this community and willingness to continually lead and make all of us better.”
Former Mayor Betsy Price said in a post, “today, we are deeply saddened by the loss of Dee Jennings. Dee was a dear friend and confidant throughout my time as mayor. Dee was a true champion for our community and a visionary that lead the Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO. His leadership and love for our community will be missed, but his legacy will live on future generations to come.”
Tobi Jackson, president of the Fort Worth Independent School District board, recalled meeting Jennings for the first time formally in 2010 and speaking to him over lunch on growing up in Butler and attending the neighborhood’s all-black IM Terrell High School, where Jennings played on the 1965 state basketball championship team; “opportunity deficits” for youth in East Fort Worth; and the Black Chamber’s efforts for youth.
Jackson sought Jennings’ help after school trustee TA Sims came up with the idea to transform the old I.M. Terrell site into what is today the district’s I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and Visual Performing Arts. Jackson’s daughter Zoie is a junior at the academy.
“In the fall of 2018, Dee spoke to Zoie about the rich history of IM Terrell,” Jackson recalled in a social media post. “She was accepted to Terrell…This is how important Devoyd's guiding hand has been in our lives and that of so many Tarrant County residents. Positive energy and prayer to (Jennings’ wife) Gwen and the entire family upon the loss of their patriarch.”
The Southeast Fort Worth, Inc., economic development organization, which Jennings helped create, said “our organization, thus our board, knew Dee was a light in this world, and now we need to continue shining his light by carrying it within us in our own lives. A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. Dee was born and he passed, but there is the great ‘dash’ in-between, so please join us in celebrating that ‘dash’ in his life.”
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce had recently entered into a cooperative agreement with the Black Chamber. “Today, we learned of the untimely passing of Dee Jennings,” The Fort Worth Chamber said. “Dee was a well-respected and devoted leader in Fort Worth and for the business community.”
The Hispanic Chamber said, “the impact that Dee has had throughout his decades of leadership should be celebrated and remembered. He was an advocate, a voice of the community, and a champion of local businesses. He often spoke of his Butler Place beginnings, an ode to all who began from humble beginnings and strived to new levels of success.”
Jennings often fondly recalled growing up in Butler. The city’s housing authority built the housing project there, southeast of downtown, with Fort Worth leaders believing it should be close to Terrell, the city’s high school for black students at the time.
“Back in the day, we could leave our apartments at about 7 or 8 o’clock, and head to an area called Free Show Hill,” Jennings recalled in remarks included in a Butler history on the site of Fort Worth Housing Solutions, the city’s housing authority today.
“You’d take your pallet out and get your popcorn, your hot dogs and your food…You’d lay on the pallet and they would show you movies until 1 o’clock in the morning. That was community, because the free show was for anybody who wanted to go claim a spot.”
After graduating I.M. Terrell in 1966, Jennings enrolled at Tarrant County College and, with the help of a mentor, graduated Texas Wesleyan with a degree in marketing in 1971. In 1973, he began a 27-year career with TXU and Oncor as a community affairs specialist.
Jennings served on numerous boards, including Texas Wesleyan; Black Chamber; Texas Association of Business; North Texas Commission; Texas Association of African American Chambers, where he was chairman; and Advisory Council of the North Texas Tollway Authority.
As chair of the Black Chamber, Jennings helped create the William Mann Jr. Community Development Corp. in 1994 to make small loans to businesses in low to moderate-income areas; and Southeast Fort Worth Inc., where Jennings served as its first president.
In 1996, Jennings helped secure a branch office in Southeast Fort Worth of the Omni American Federal Credit Union, now Southside Bank.
And while serving on the North Texas Commission board, Jennings helped develop a mentorship program and was its chairman for several years. He had been president and CEO of the Black Chamber since 2001.