Story and photos by Greg Miley, Speakin’ Out News staff writer and photographer

CELEBRATING HERITAGE: Edmonton Heights residents and esteemed guests gather for the unveiling of the Historic District Marker, a poignant reminder of the neighborhood’s rich history and its role in hosting civil rights leaders in 1962. (LEFT TO RIGHT) Rev. Randy Kelley, Dr. Caroline Swope, Mayor Tommy Battle, Mr. Joseph Lee, Ms. Vernita Chandler, Ms. Karen Brown, Commissioner Violet Edwards, and Ms. Katie Stamps (SON photo credit: Greg Miley)

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA – – On Sunday, November 5, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., a meaningful gathering took place as past and present residents of the Edmonton Heights Subdivision, alongside honored guests, witnessed the unveiling of the Edmonton Heights Historic District Marker. This historical district attained its rightful place on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2021.

Positioned at the intersection of Wilkerson Drive and Meridian Street, near the Alabama A&M University campus, the marker stands as a testament to the rich heritage of Edmonton Heights. The Huntsville Alabama Historical Association, in collaboration with the city, proudly erected the marker on the grounds of one of the earliest planned suburbs for African Americans in Huntsville.

A poignant moment in history echoes from March 1962 when the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Ralph Abernathy, prominent figures in the Civil Rights movement, faced the stark reality of segregation during their visit to Huntsville. Denied hotel accommodations, they found refuge at the home of Rev. Ezekiel Bell, the founding Pastor of Fellowship Presbyterian Church, located on Whitney Avenue in Edmonton Heights.

Welcoming the attendees, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County District Six Commissioner Violet Edwards set the tone for the ceremony. Acknowledgments were extended by Ms. Katie Stamps, City Preservation Planner, while Dr. Caroline Swope illuminated the historical significance behind the marker.

Neighborhood Voices resonated through comments by Ms. Vernita Chandler, President of the Edmonton Heights Neighborhood Association, Mr. Joseph Lee, Director of the William Hooper Councill Community Corporation, and Dr. Laura McCauley, a former resident of Edmonton Heights, who spoke on behalf of Mrs. Daisy Bone, an original resident unable to attend.

The ceremony concluded with a benediction delivered by Rev. Randy Kelley, Pastor of Lakeside United Methodist Church, marking the momentous occasion of the Edmonton Heights Historical District Marker unveiling.

–

This post was originally published on this site