Young artist recognized for her work to expand the legacy of WWI hometown hero Dr. Frank Boston

Pennsylvania State Representative Steve Malagari led the applause to recognize a young artist and her efforts to expand the knowledge of black history when she helped to create a short booklet titled “Doc Boston Adventures – Fort Des Moines” and its role in Black history.

Mikey Houser (left) with Pennsylvania State Senator Maria Collett during a visit to the Senate chamber.

Meet ten-year-old African American artist Mikey Houser. She is affectionately known as Millymiles, a remarkable 9-year-old artist passionate about anime. Mikey’s latest creation is a profound booklet that explores Black history, focusing on the inspiring tale of Doc Boston. From the early age of 3, Mikey discovered her artistic prowess when her mom, Bose, tired of being the designated artist, decided to share her knowledge with her eager daughter. Since then, Mikey has been on a relentless journey, perfecting her skills and bringing her vivid imagination to life.

Mikey created illustrations to highlight a few remarkable men who graduated from Fort Des Moines to serve in World War I. These men included Dr. Frank Boston, founder of Lansdale Jefferson Hospital and the VMSC; Dr. Louis Tompkins Wright, MD, who served as the chairman of the NAACP from 1934 to 1952; Charles Hamilton Houston, who would become Dean of the Howard University Law School and mentor to student Thurgood Marshall, a future Justice of the United States Supreme Court; Charles Howard, a graduate of Drake University Law School and co-founder of the National Bar Association (as the ABA did not accept Black lawyers at that time); and Thomas Edward Jones, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre for heroism in action. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

“Sadly, very few people know about any of these heroes,” echoed Malagari.  “I am pleased to join my colleagues as we hope to change that narrative so all of us can learn about true American history, including the often-forgotten contributions of African Americans.”

During her trip, Mikey was also hosted by Pennsylvania State Senators Maria Collett and Tracy Pennycuick.

“Our goal is to have young people tell the hidden or forgotten stories, and Mikey’s contributions can help us educate the next generation,” added George Whitehair, Executive Director of the Boston Legacy Foundation. “We have several projects being developed, including a project tied into the upcoming World Cup scheduled for the United States in 2026, and projects featuring Senegal, Nepal, and Qatar.

“In addition, our documentary film on the life of Dr. Frank Boston is scheduled to launch around Veterans Day this year, bringing an even larger audience to learn more about the contributions of Black Americans.”

George Whitehair (fourth from left) and his group of young artists meeting with Pennsylvania State Senator Tracy Pennycuick (fifth from left), a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel.

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