Built in 1915, the Cecil House is located in the Hampton Heights neighborhood in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Phillip Cecil was a noted builder in Spartanburg and built many houses and businesses around town.
The Del-Mar Motel opened on September 30, 1956, and was owned by Mr. and Mrs. David Steigman.
In July 1963, more than a dozen young Black girls, ranging in age from 12 to 15, were arrested in Americus, Georgia, for peacefully protesting the segregation of a local movie theater. Rather than being released to their families, the girls were secretly transported 30 miles away to Leesburg, Georgia, where they were held for weeks without charges in a remote, dilapidated building. The same structure had been used the previous year to jail pastors protesting in support of civil rights. The pastors spike about the horrible conditions upon their release.
Their parents were not informed of their whereabouts. The girls later described the deplorable conditions of their confinement: they were crowded into a single cell with no beds, limited access to water, and severely unsanitary conditions. Food was delivered by the local dogcatcher, who eventually disclosed to the parents where the girls were being held. Once this information became known, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) began organizing efforts to secure their release.
The girls became known as the “Leesburg Stockade Stolen Girls.” Their ordeal remained lhidden from the public until SNCC photographer Danny Lyon documented their imprisonment. His photos were first published in Jet magazine (see below) which finally brought national attention to the girls’ unlawful imprisonment.
The girls were (I have italicized their maiden names and linked to the most current info I could find about the women):
Over the years, the 1940s building (some articles are saying Civil War era, which I do not believe to be correct) has been used as a 911 call center and an administrative office, and is in significantly better condition than when the girls were kept there. It now sits empty and was unlocked when I visited. I suggest visiting if you are in the area to get a sense of how small the room was where the little girls were held.
Many Atlantans know this building as a former homeless shelter that provided housing for men experiencing homelessness. Located at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Pine, this building’s facade is one of my favorites in Atlanta. Providing over 700 beds, it was the largest shelter in the southeast until its closure in 2017.
The building began as the United Motor Services Building. Designed by noted Atlanta architect A. Ten Eyck Brown, The Atlanta Constitution (1920, August 9) states in an Atlanta feature about new buildings that “This is the building every one [sic] has been talking about.”
Emory University purchased the building in 2018. Their plan is to turn the building into housing for hospital staff.
Paschal’s Restaurant and Motel in Atlanta, Georgia, is a historic building with deep ties to Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement. Founded in 1947 by brothers James and Robert Paschal, the restaurant became a hub for a good meal and social change. Originally a small 30-seat luncheonette, it was known for its fried chicken, which was Robert’s secret recipe. Because of its popularity, Paschal’s expanded to include a full-service restaurant and a motel, which is photographed above.
Paschal’s was more than just a place to eat. It was a meeting place for civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Maynard Jackson, and John Lewis, who often strategized there. Other famous visitors included Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, and Al Gore.
While the original Paschal’s is no longer open, the restaurant can still be visited at their Castleberry Hill location on Northside Drive.
Most people know that Martin Luther King, Jr. Was first buried in South-View Cemetery in Southwest Atlanta and then The King Center. He was entombed into four different crypts over time.
After his murder on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, the King family and the city of Atlanta quickly got ready for his funeral. On April 9th, his first crypt was used at South-view Cemetery. The crypt was created by the Roberts-Shields Memorial Company.
After King’s death, Coretta Scott King immediately envisioned and founded The King Center. Land was identified and King was relocated on January 14, 1970. A new crypt was built by the same company.
The permanent dais was built in 1976 and the third crypt was constructed. Like the others, it was built out of Georgia marble.
When Coretta Scott King passed away in 2006, the Robert-Shields Memorial Company made the final double crypt.
Credit to Liz Clappin for providing the information on the Roberts-Shields Memorial Company.
