VALDOSTA – The pages of history leap onto the vibrant canvas of Christ the King Episcopal Church and Mack Park as the community paid homage to the trailblazers of civil rights with a dedication ceremony this past Saturday.

Located adjacent to Mack’s Park on McKey Street, the mural, dedicated to commemorating influential figures in civil rights, LGBTQ rights and justice advocacy, offers a diverse collection of portraits, each representing a notable individual whose contributions have left an enduring mark.

Among the individuals depicted on the mural are:

– Saint Anna Alexander, recognized as a saint of the Diocese of Georgia since 1998.

– John Lewis, a prominent civil rights leader who hailed from Georgia.

– Martin Luther King Jr., a globally renowned civil rights icon and native of Georgia, known for his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

– Howard Thurman, an influential author, theologian and civil rights advocate.

– Marsha P. Johnson, a key figure in the LGBTQ rights movement.

– Mary Turner, a victim of the 1918 Georgia lynching rampage.

– Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man whose fatal shooting while jogging highlighted the persistence of racial tensions.

– Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou and Malcolm X, all recognized for their substantial roles in the civil rights movement.

During the dedication ceremony, several speakers addressed the significance of the mural:

Bishop Frank Logue conveyed that the mural would offer future generations a visual representation of historical figures, encouraging conversations about their contributions.

“The stories that we tell and the stories that we fail to tell say a lot about a community … and in putting forward a magnificent piece of art like this. It presents to future generations, our children and grandchildren, images that they need to ask about and that we need to tell them about … so that they see faces that you might not see otherwise,” he said.

Dr. Catherine Meeks emphasized the importance of courageous public stands against inequality, injustice and discrimination.

“We sit here in the middle of a time when people think that anything you choose to make up about history will be good enough, as long as you don’t have to deal with the truth. and we have to find ways to stand against that. and so I think the ways to stand against it are to have courage and vision and to be willing to make a public witness every day, every minute of our lives,” she said.

“It is very easy to go downtown to go out somewhere and find the person who needs a lunch or needs a jacket and you give that to them because you believe that everybody ought to have a chance to have what they need. It is a different thing to put yourself on record as being a witness against inequality, injustice, racism, sexism and all of those other isms that separate us as a human family. and what I see this church doing today is putting itself in the public square as a witness.”

Dr. Michael Noll then took the time to honor “good troublemakers” as well as other unsung heroes who directly impacted Valdosta.

“I would like to introduce you to the part of the mural that is actually not explained on the flyer. The mural is, for practical purposes, not just on the wall of our church but it’s also part of Mack Park. … Mack was a beloved member of the community and also a member of the LGBTQ community in town when he passed away in 2000. Basically two years later, the community had come together to dedicate the space to make it Mack Park. So we included him as well as others in the community who have passed away,” he said.

These figures include:

– Jane Elza, a member of Valdosta State University’s Political Science Department.

– Karen Noll, a mentor to emerging speech language pathologists at VSU.

– Dr. Linda Bennett Elder, a retired professor of religious studies at VSU.

– Charles Todd, retired Lowndes High School band director.

– Father Stan White, who served as the Episcopal priest and rector of Christ the King Episcopal Church for 30 years

Noll concluded the ceremony by reminding attendees that the mural, beyond its aesthetics, stands as a reminder of historical struggles and a testament to the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality and encapsulates the community’s commitment to preserving the memory of those who have worked to create positive change.