92-year-old former Massachusetts state representative Ben Swan was honored in Springfield for his outstanding community work.
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A documentary detailing Swan’s life was screened at the Raymond Jordan Senior Center in Springfield on Wednesday. Swan expressed his appreciation for receiving recognition during his lifetime.
“If you’re gonna give them flowers, I think that’s the time to do it because that’s when the person can appreciate it the most, you can’t appreciate it when they’re dead,” Swan said.
Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno praised Swan during the event. “Here’s a gentleman that’s very humble, very genuine, very well-respected, and a man of his word,” Mayor Sarno said.
Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris of Springfield Health and Human Services highlighted Swan’s enduring legacy. “Rep. Swan represents the history of the city of Springfield, the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nation of civil rights,” Caulton-Harris said.
Swan earned his education in Springfield and served as the state representative for the 11th Hampden District. The city has named both a street and an elementary school in his honor.
“Swan is the history of the Black community in the city of Springfield,” Caulton-Harris said. “He has mobilized thousands of individuals in the 60s, in the 70s, and so capturing this history is critical, particularly for our young individuals who need to be motivated.”
The documentary about Swan’s life will soon be available live on the Springfield Museums’ and Focus Springfield’s website.
SOURCE: WWLP-22News, April 15, 2026