Marion post office building renamed in honor of late civil rights leader
From the West Alabama Newsroom–
The post office in the city of Marion is renamed in honor of the late civil rights leader Albert Turner, Sr.
A dedication ceremony was held Friday morning.
“From his activism along side Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to his critical work at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Albert Turner, Sr. played a pivotal role in securing the rights and freedoms that we all enjoy today,” said Congresswoman Terri Sewell.
“He was a change maker, trailblazer, a tactician, a strategist. He knew that this nation could do better, And he demanded that we as its people, do better.”
Margaret Howard and Della Simpson Maynor were foot soldiers under Turner’s leadership during the movement.
“Albert Turner was the orchestrator of all the meetings here. Most of the meetings was over at Zion United,” said Howard.
“He was very sincere and everybody knew that he was rooted and grounded in what he was doing, that he was not going to back down.”
“He was so inspirational,” said Maynor.
“It didn’t take much for him to get us eager enough to get involved. We eagerly followed him. Whatever he told us to do we were there.”
Turner’s son Albert Turner, Jr. is the chairman of the Perry Co. Commission.
“When your children and grandchildren ride up and down the street. They got to ask the question, who is that Albert Turner? His name on that building, his name on that school, name on that highway, his name is on that post office. Who is this Albert Turner? And I want you to be able to tell your children, he was a man of God. A man that tried to do right by his people. A man who loved humanity. And a man died fighting for you and me. That’s who that Albert Turner was. And I’m proud as hell, to be named Albert Turner,” he said.
Congresswoman Terri Sewell introduced the legislation to rename the Marion Post Office in Turner’s honor.
The bill passed the U.S. House and Senate unanimously — and it was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
