Hoggard, J. David, 1914-2001

Jeremiah David Wright Hoggard was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on November 25, 1914. As a child, his parents would take him to National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) meetings, and he joined the organization before serving in the United States Air Force during World War II. In 1945, he was transferred to Nellis Air Force Base. By the next year, Hoggard moved to Las Vegas, Nevada with his two sons after being recently widowed.

Within a month, Hoggard joined the Las Vegas Police Department, becoming one of the first African American officers in the city alongside Herman Moody. Hoggard soon met Mabel Welch Wynns at the United States Organizations (USO), and by 1947, the two were married, bringing together their three children into one family. Hoggard left the police department due to increasing frustrations with racial barriers, and eventually became the school district’s second attendance officer. Hoggard wasted no time getting involved with the local chapter of the NAACP, and served in various capacities, including four years as its chapter president.

After fifteen years with the school district, Hoggard went to work for the then newly-established Economic Opportunity Board (EOB), quickly working his way up to the director position. Under his nearly 30 years of leadership, the EOB became the largest nonprofit in Las Vegas, implementing successful programs like Head Start and Concentrated Employment Program (CEP), a senior center, grandparent foster program. He continued to serve his community after retiring as EOB Director with the America Association for Retired Persons (AARP) running the Tax Aid Program.