Atlanta Tourism unveils new signage in the Route 66 Park

 

[September 09, 2022] 

In late August, Atlanta Tourism unveiled a new historical sign in the Atlanta Route 66 Park. The sign called “Being the First African American in Atlanta” notes four key points in African American and Civil War era history in Atlanta.

The sign was funded with the help of a grant from the Illinois Route 66 Byways program that awarded $1,000 to Atlanta Tourism last fall.

Atlanta Tourism Director Whitney Ortiz explained the purpose of the sign and its significance in noting black history in the small community during the 1870’s to 1890’s. The sign is located with the high school foundation stone just inside the corner entrance to the park. It is placed there because it commemorates the firsts involving African Americans in the Atlanta community, including the first African American graduate from Atlanta High School.

Ortiz said the story line begins with Walter White, who was not only an African American graduate but valedictorian of his class. After graduation, White moved to Bloomington where he was employed as a secretary for Reverend C.S. Smith.

The second notation, Ortiz explained, pertains to Civil War history and notes that prior to the Civil War there were two African American families in the Atlanta area. After the civil war the number increased to 12 households. Ortiz said the statistic verifies that the people of color where welcome in the Atlanta community with very little or no prejudice. She noted one particular Atlanta resident, Richmond Reed, served in the 53rd Massachusetts Infantry, which was the sister regiment to the famous 54th Infantry that was made up exclusively of African American soldiers.

Next on the sign is a recognition of the 1875 Emancipation Proclamation Barbecue held in Atlanta on September 22, 1875.

Ortiz said the Looking for Lincoln Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area has produced a video about the barbecue, which was screened in Atlanta in July. The new sign includes a QR code visitors can scan with their phones to watch the 12-minute video.

The fourth key point in African American history in Atlanta is the formation of the African American Methodist Episcopal Church in 1875. The church met for its first quarterly meeting on June 11th of that year, and in 1893 hosted a dedication of their newly constructed church.

Finally, the sign contains a quote by Atlanta native and member of the Hawes Family, James Ewing. The quote comes from a letter that Ewing wrote to family while a soldier in the Civil War.

Ortiz pointed out her favorite quote from the letter, which is printed in red on the sign. “I believe the hand of God is at work to deliver an enslaved race from its bondage...”

Ortiz said that the letter was a testament to the attitude of the citizenry of Atlanta, that slavery was not acceptable. She said the community was very accepting of people of color. She believes one reason for this was because many people in the Atlanta area were from the New England area in the northeast, where slavery was not practiced.

She concluded that she felt that Atlanta was a remarkable area during that time period because the school was not segregated. She said history shows that at that point, most all schools were for whites only.

Ortiz went on to say that signage in the park is going to be updated with more imagery such as is seen on the ‘Being the First African Americans in Atlanta’ sign. Many will recall the large Atlanta sign in the garden that points out that the town is the halfway point in the Illinois leg of Route 66. That sign is also scheduled for a refresh in the future. Some of the large wall murals in town have already had a refresh. She said the goal was to make everything bright and shiny for Route 66 tourists.

The next big event in Atlanta will be a car-cruise in on Sunday September 11th. The Never Forget Cruise-in will be downtown in Atlanta starting at 10 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m. During that time, money taken in by Atlanta Tourism will be donated in full to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
 

See the press release issued by Atlanta Tourism to learn more about the event and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The Atlanta Fall Festival is also coming up on Thursday, September 15th through Saturday, September 17th.

If you spend time in Atlanta at either or both of these weekends, please remember to visit the Route 66 Park and see the new historical sign.

[Nila Smith]