Efforts to Honor Pioneering Black Legislators in Athens Gain Momentum
In an inspiring move to honor historic figures, a nonprofit organization is striving to rename a downtown Athens park in tribute to the area’s pioneering Black state legislators. Historic Athens, a group dedicated to preserving the city’s rich history, is actively seeking more support for its petition to achieve this goal.
The petition, initiated by Historic Athens in September, aims to name the park adjacent to the newly refurbished Costa Building after Alfred Richardson and Madison Davis. These two men, elected in 1870 following the Civil War, were the first Black legislators to represent the county. To date, the organization has gathered nearly 600 signatures but needs 1,000 to proceed with the renaming, which it hopes to accomplish by Juneteenth this year.
Richardson and Davis are celebrated figures chronicled in historical works such as Enduring Legacies by Al Hester and A Story Untold by Michael Thurmond. In addition to these detailed accounts, Historic Athens plans to publish its own tribute to these influential men later this month.
Those interested in supporting this initiative can sign the petition at the Historic Athens Welcome Center, located at 280 E Dougherty St., Athens, GA, or at any of the organization’s upcoming events. For more information on how to get involved, visit the Historic Athens website.
