By Dianne Anderson

For almost 40 years, Westsiders always knew where they could turn to find each other, if they needed a real honest assessment of the political situation around town, or at times, if any were hungry, where to get a free meal.

All they had to do was follow the savory scent of Bobby Ray Henderson’s legendary barbecue wafting through the neighborhood. Now that he has passed, many remember his impact from his barbecue joint, Bobby Ray’s Bar-B-Q, on the Westside and San Bernardino.

Watching his father through the years, Warren Henderson said that for as long as he can remember, his father’s reach went well beyond the barbecue.

He looked after youth in the community, gave jobs when he could, sponsored many youth and Black cultural events, and was considered a true man of the people. His restaurant was also where many of the area’s strongest Black activists and businessmen in the area converged to talk shop.

“For years, some of the same great men always came into the barbecue on Saturdays, men from the neighborhood, Mr. Townsend, The Tillies, Mr. Garrett, and the churches. He had the restaurant and it was just like at home in the kitchen – when the food is good, the people will come,” he said.

His dad was all about supporting the Westside, and many just wanted to come in, and share their stories.

“It was just being there every day, every day being in the neighborhood. People would go in just to talk, or if they were hungry,” he said.

School Board Danny Tillman said that Henderson was straightforward, always outspoken and honest.

“He was a political giant, he had a lot of credibility in the community so if he vouched for someone, it meant a lot,” he said. “He just lived a rich life and helped a whole lot of people in his own way.”

Tillman recalls one comment from Henderson about how some kids go to college just to play all day made him all the more determined to succeed when he was a young man. When Tillman ran for office, Henderson stepped up on his election committee, and from the start, did all that he could to help him win the seat.

“When he said he supported me, that was huge because he had worked on tons of campaigns in the Sixth Ward,” Tillman said. “I used to hang out there [at the restaurant] all the time. He became a lifelong friend and it’s a tough one for me.”

Community health advocate, Linda Hart, described Henderson as an influential person, that his establishment was an anchor in the community.

“Every time I went in there, we would have conversations about the status of the Westside. He was a silent mover and shaker, not all movers and shakers are in the public. He definitely was a background influencer,” she said.

Decades-long business neighbor, Rob Roberson of New Breed Barbershop, said he and Henderson were about the same age, and he had cut his hair many times over the years.

He said his barbecue was good, but he admired his business skills.

“I realize you don’t stay in business that long if you ain’t at least taking care of your business, paying bills. In a sense, I would say he’s been around longer than any other barbecue places. Four or five were busier, but they didn’t last as long as he did. He did last until he was ready to give it up,” Roberson said.

Former Sixth Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson said Henderson was a successful entrepreneur, and that his place of business is where everyone went to get their news, straight and unfiltered.

“I would go to him when I was a councilperson to see how I was doing and sometimes I didn’t like to hear what he had to say, but I respected his opinion because he was a real brother,” Johnson said.

Henderson’s restaurant would draw professionals from all over the city, mayors and council members.

Johnson said it was not only for the food, but for the fellowship.

“If you had his support, you had his support for life. Folks would try to garner his support. If you weren’t right, he wasn’t putting his name with you, he would tell it like it is,” Johnson said.

From the start, both Rikke Van Johnson and Henderson were also united on the issue of bringing the Black History Parade back to the Westside, after it had been moved downtown.

Johnson said that it was a heartbeat of the community.

“It was like the HBCU homecoming classic. We knew the first Saturday of February was a homecoming in our community,” he said. “People that moved away [would return], you’d see people that you might not have seen in decades.”

Henderson was strong on the parade, and rightly predicted that once the parade moved out of the Westside, it was on borrowed time.

In a 2006 interview with the Precinct Reporter, Henderson talked about the social and economic impact and how Black businesses lost out significantly as a result of the move.

“For over 30 years, it was like a big family reunion,” Henderson had said. “People knew where they could find each other, what corner family or friends were standing on. They knew who would be eating barbecue or a burrito, or they’d be at the Elks. They took all of it away,” he said.

Henderson saw it as a win-win for the city, but not for the Westside.

He predicted if the parade made money, the city would keep it going. If not, the city would soon get tired of supporting it and put that money elsewhere.

“I don’t even feel there will be a parade much longer,” he said. “The people downtown have other agendas. If the parade doesn’t go over at all, they don’t have to fund it anymore.”

Funeral Services will be held at New Hope Baptist Church in San Bernardino at 10AM Friday, February 24. He is survived by sons Bobby Jr., Maurice, and Warren Henderson, daughters Ne kol and Monique Henderson, grandchildren Ti onna, Donovyn, Sunday, and Haylee Henderson and Ethan and Justin Harris, and a host of relatives and friends around the country.