Sadie, the valedictorian of Petersburg'sPeabody High School, won a scholarship to localVirginia State University; Alvin Sr. Went off toSyracuse University in New York, and the coupleMarried during his senior year there.

"We grew up in a small town" with strong localinstitutions like church, Boy Scouts and girlScouts, Alvin Sr. says. "That's one thing weagreed on--we would raise him like we wereraised."

That's why they chose Striver's Row, whereBragg says he was brought up by the entireneighborhood.

"It has that kind of, 'it takes a village toraise a child' attitude,'" Bragg says.Close-knit residents even sponsored a yearly blockparty with games and food for the children, whichthey organized themselves.

The couple considered moving to a New Jerseysuburb, but they decided to remain in a largelyBlack area instead. They also made sure Bragg wentto the historic Abyssinian church every Sunday.

"We wanted Alvin to be raised so he wouldunderstand growing up as a Black kid and alsoliving in a predominantly white world," his fathersays. "He would be educated, but would have torelate to people who weren't thatwell-educated...so he could understand bothworlds."

Every day after school, Alvin Sr. Brought hisson to his office at the New York Urban League,giving him a glimpse of how its clients lived.Later, Alvin Sr. took his son to the homelessshelters where he served as a city administrator.

Bragg says he did grow up aware of the contrastbetween his that and those of less privilegedyoung people.

Others in Harlem "wouldn't have the same kindof potential, walking to P.S. whatever and tryingto learn from a teacher who might not be asconcerned," he says.

Bragg himself was well protected by his blockand his parents, though his mother says she"worries about him even now" and can't fall asleepuntil he gets home for the night. Every summer,his parents sent him away from the city to staywith relatives in Virginia.

Education was particularly important to SadieBragg, who is now dean of academic affairs at theBorough of Manhattan Community College. Even inhis toddler days, the former math professor workedwith her son on number games, though his fatherremembers a lot of Atari as well.

From the age of four, Bragg attended TrinitySchool, a three building private Episcopalinstitution on 91st Street in Manhattan. Foundedin 1709, it is the oldest in New York City andtoday charges high school students about $15,000 ayear in tuition.

Bragg says he enjoyed Trinity, despiteoccasionally feeling like teachers asked him to bethe "flag-bearer" for his race in a discussion.Denise Philpotts, the school's coordinator ofmulticultural affairs, says she noticed Bragg'sself-confidence even in his overwhelmingly whiteelementary school classes.

Over the years, Bragg played soccer, tennis andbasketball, participated in student government andserved as the trinity Tiger mascot.

Today, he is best remembered in the school forstarting an annual block party patterned after thestriver's Row festivals he knew as a child. Braggorchestrated every detail, form the dunking tanksto the parents who turned hot dogs.