City of St. Jude Working to Create Civil Rights Memorial and Garden
The City of St. Jude was once a contender to get the Selma to Montgomery interpretive center, a museum that would showcase the Civil Rights struggle in Montgomery.
But after Alabama State University was awarded the center, the City of St. Jude is now working to create their own memorial.
The City of St. Jude is selling pavers, or bricks to put in a garden that will pay tribute to the Selma to Montgomery March .Douglas Watson is the Executive Director for the City of St. Jude and says construction on the garden will begin in the next month or two.
“When the park service made their decision to have the Montgomery interpretive center at another location, we embraced the idea that we’re going to tell our story.”
Part of that history includes being the final resting point for Selma to Montgomery marchers. Douglas says aside from the garden, there are plans to turn this building on campus into a museum.
“We renovated the inside, which we pretty much completed the renovation. Now we just have to put the content in, which we’ve been gathering. Memorabilia, pictures, and those kind of things.”
Montgomery residents say they’re eager to see St. Jude’s memorial and museum once they’re constructed.
“They stopped at St. Jude as a rest point and they camped out overnight so I guess it’s a very, very important landmark and very monumental,” says Tiffany Pickett.
Others tell us they’re looking forward to all of next year’s Selma to Montgomery March events.
“You know, I’m a little older,” says Ulysses Sims. “I don’t think I can walk but I’ll be there at the end, you know. When it’s all over, I’ll be there.”
And although the City of St. Jude played a vital role in the march, Douglas says he hopes the memorial garden and museum will tell all of St. Jude’s history.
“I’m always told I know more about the history because I’m so close to it, so my job is to share it with everyone else and the Camp Site 4 Experience is going to be the first step in just opening up the campus to visitors and tourists to come by and see.”
Both the museum and garden are scheduled to be completed before next year’s march. The city of Montgomery is also constructing two sculptures on West Fairview Avenue, near St. Jude to recognize the role they played in the civil rights struggle.
Anyone can purchase a brick paver, which will be laid in the garden. The bricks will have your name and other information on it. For more information, just visit www.campsite4.org
