Gainesville, FL–Fifty years have passed since the civil rights movement in Gainesville mobilized UF students and Gainesville women, children and African-American leaders. To celebrate one of the meeting places and rendezvous points for activists, a Florida State Historical Marker will be unveiled at the former Mt. Carmel Baptist Church on September 22nd, 2013 at 4:00 PM. All are welcome for the two-hour program, which features a reflection by former Florida congressman Charles Chesnut IV, past Samuel Proctor Oral History Program interviews with leaders of the movement, and remarks from Pleasant Street community members. Pastor Kevin Thorpe will also be featured as a guest speaker. The marker is dedicated to the youth activists of the 1960s who made integration of University Avenue businesses and Gainesville’s public schools possible.
Prayers by Faith Family Ministries will be hosting the dedication ceremony. The Samuel Proctor Oral History Program’s graduate coordinator Jessica Taylor was instrumental in working with Pastor Gerard Duncan and other local leaders to recognize the significance of the church building during the Civil Rights Era.
For more information, call 352-283-2185 or visit the website.