Bed-Stuy honors neighborhood hero Clara Hayes with street renaming
After the unveiling, anyone walking on Mrs. Clara Hayes Way will be tasked with taking a moment to remember or getting to know the legacy she now leaves behind.
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The Bed-Stuy community came together Saturday in honor of one of their neighborhood heroes, Clara Hayes.
Hayes passed away back in 2022 — but her name lives on with the newest unveiling of Mrs. Clara Hayes Way.
“It's bittersweet,” said her daughter-in-law. “We live across the street so we will see this store and the sign every day in this spot, but it's a long time coming. She deserves this, and believe it or not, she got her flowers while she was here."
As the owner of Macon Hardware for more than 70 years, one of the longest running Black businesses in Bed-Stuy, "Mother Hayes" influence went much further than a store.
“Mrs. Hayes had a heart of gold,” said Paris Phillips. “She helped everybody, whether you were a kid, whether you were old. She was always supportive, always gave good advice and she was a woman for the community.”
After the unveiling, anyone walking on Mrs. Clara Hayes Way will be tasked with taking a moment to remember or getting to know the legacy she now leaves behind.
“As long as there’s air in my lungs I will be committed to carrying on her message of keeping the community safe,” said Khristen Wilson, grandson of Mrs. Hayes.
Hayes lived a full life at 93 years old.
The goal is for her to continue living through the generations – as already seen throughout the neighborhood.
