Frank W. Spencer
Captain Frank W. Spencer (November 19, 1882 – July 26, 1979) was an American maritime pilot and civil rights activist in Savannah, Georgia, US. He served as the Master Pilot of the Port of Savannah for thirty years, and was instrumental in expanding the port to accommodate larger ships. He was also a community and civil rights activist, working for the political rights and education of the area's African American community. Life and career Spencer was born November 19, 1882, in Savannah, Georgia, to Captain William H. and Mary Elizabeth Wilson Spencer. He attended Savannah public schools, and later attended the New York Nautical College, where he studied navigation and seamanship. He became a licensed Master and Marine Engineer and spent seventeen years at sea on United States vessels. During World War I, Spencer worked as a local manager for the U.S. Shipping Bureau. He was appointed the Master Pilot of the Port of Savannah, a position he served in for thirty years. In 1917, he opened the Upper Harbor's channel to ocean-going vessels, expanding the capacity of the port for trade and manufacturing. In 1920, Spencer joined the Atlantic Towing Company as General Manager and Treasurer, where he stayed