HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF PANAMANIANS, INC.
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BLACK HISTORY 2026
Featuring the lives and legacies of two remarkable Afro-Panamanian ex-patriates whose contributions played a significant role in who we are as a people today.
The Dedicators Inc, was founded in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1953 by S. Anesta Samuel with the primary mission of supporting Panamanian students experiencing financial hardship while pursuing higher education in the United States. It was composed entirely of women volunteers from diverse professional and academic backgrounds.
Throughout its 55-year history, The Dedicators, Inc. through the leadership of Mrs. Samuel and in collaboration with its Panamanian branch, awarded over $900,000 in scholarship funding to 800+ students across the U.S. These scholarship recipients completed their studies and became trailblazers in their own right. The sustained efforts of The Dedicators, reflect a long-standing commitment to educational equity and transnational community uplift.
The enduring legacy of Mrs. S. Anesta Samuel, an Afro-Panamanian Ex-pat is formally recognized through the naming of a street in her honor in Brooklyn. New York.
Panamanian born, Cirilo McSween moved to Chicago, Ill. and became a pivotal force in bridging the gap between business, success and racial justice. Some of his contributions include:
. Business Pioneer: In 1957, he became the first Black agent in New York Life Ins. Co. He later became one of the most successful McDonald franchisees in the country, owning 11 location, and was co-founder of the Black McDonald's Owners and Operators Assoc. to advocate for minority business owners.
. Civil Rights Leadership: Was a close confidant and trusted advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He served as the national treasurer of the SCLC. His deep relationship with Dr. King was highlighted by his role as a pallbearer at King's funeral in 1968.
. International Diplomacy: McSween maintained dual citizenship and served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Panama. He was instrumental in the negotiations for the Torrijos-Carter treaty, which led to the reversion of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control.
His legacy is preserved at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. A scholarship program is established in his name by New York Life to support minority students.