A local nonprofit is launching a petition to name a new park in Athens-Clarke County after two little known African-American figures in Athens history.
The small park next to the government-owned Costa Building downtown may soon be named after the first Black legislators to represent Athens, Alf Richardson and Madison Davis. The two men were elected to represent Clarke County in the state legislature in 1868.
Denise Sunta is the Senior Director of Operations at Historic Athens, a local nonprofit that holds monthly lectures about Athens history. Sunta says that at September’s event, which will be held next Tuesday, attendees will be asked to keep the memory of Richardson and Davis alive.
“We will be circling around a petition to name the park-let next to the Costa Building Richardson-Davis Park, because we don’t have any physical spaces named after these two figures in Athens who have contributed greatly to African-American history here, but Athens history as well,” she says.
Local researchers will present on the two men’s legacy at next Tuesday’s event, which will take place at the Lyndon House Arts Center at noon.
