Walking Through History: Albany's African American Heritage Trail

Albany, Georgia, is a city with a long story that has shaped the South and beyond. Take a walk through history and learn about the impacts Albany's leaders and historic sites made on the small town.

Born into slavery in 1807, Horace King gained his freedom in 1846 and earned fame as an engineering pioneer, particularly for his covered bridges in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. In 1857, he arrived in Albany, Georgia, to construct a covered bridge over the Flint River and a neighboring Bridge House for the city's founder, Nelson Tift. The bridge had originally been built in LaGrange, but when the buyers there failed to honor the agreement, King ingeniously transported the structure to Albany by wagon, effectively laying the groundwork for modern techniques. Although the bridge was later lost to a flood, the Bridge House still stands as a testament to his legacy.

Nearly 150 years later, Ray Charles, born in Albany in 1930, overcame the challenges of blindness and an underprivileged childhood to become one of America’s most influential pianists and singer-songwriters. In 1979, his version of “Georgia on My Mind” was adopted as Georgia’s official state song. Today, the Ray Charles Memorial—one of only two bronze sculptures of the music legend in the world—stands proudly in downtown Albany. See Ray Charles Plaza and enjoy his iconic tunes while sitting on the piano benches with a view of the Flint River below.

Mt. Zion Church, Albany’s first African American Baptist congregation, was founded in 1866. On November 17, 1961, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a crowd of 1,500 people there, with the audience overflowing into the street and into Shiloh Baptist Church on the other side of the street. That evening, Dr. King personally spoke to three members of the audience. After the Mt. Zion congregation relocated to a larger facility in 1994, the historic church was transformed into a museum honoring the Civil Rights Movement that originated there. Restored in 1998, the space soon proved too small to tell the full story, leading to the construction of a new facility. This larger site became the Albany Civil Rights Institute, preserving the church's legacy and its role in the movement.

Across from the Albany Civil Rights Institute stands Shiloh Baptist Church, the starting point of Albany’s historic Civil Rights March to the Trailways Bus Station, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The sidewalk in front of the church features footprints, symbolizing the courageous men, women, and children who took bold steps of civil disobedience in the fight for justice and equality.

Albany established The Charles Sherrod Civil Rights Park to commemorate his pivotal role in the Albany Movement from 1961 to 1963, during which over 2,000 individuals were jailed. John Lewis remained committed to the cause until the end. While Sherrod is often regarded as Albany's "Unsung Hero," his contributions and sacrifices often go unrecognized.

Founded by Joseph Winthrop Holley in 1903, Albany State University is one of three Historic Black Universities in Georgia and a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. ASU played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960’s. In addition, students from the school, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and Black improvement organizations, helped create the Albany Movement.

What was the Trailway Bus Station, but is now serviced by Greyhound, was where five Albany State University students were arrested and expelled from the college for encouraging Charles Sherrod and Cordell Reagon to take the stand for equality by trying to integrate the station.

Originating in 1947, Jimmie’s Hot Dog stand is still white-owned and operated but has thoroughly served all races together since its origination. The hotdog stand did not break the Jim Crow laws in 1947 because it was a hot dog stand with no table seating. Jimmie’s has served all patrons, no matter the race, and is still a community favorite today.

Eugene Bailey, once a young shoeshine boy during the Albany Movement and was the owner of Harlem Barbershop, vividly recalled the day he left his stand to join the march to the bus station. His courageous act led to his arrest, resulting in a three-day stay in jail.

AE Jenkins Photography was originally established by photographer Benny Frank Cochran, who extensively documented the movement and whose work is highlighted in the book Open Dem Cells: A Pictorial History of the Albany Movement
by Mrs. Mary Jenkins. Today, the studio is owned by the son of Mrs. Jenkins and her husband, Adrian.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church played a vital role in the movement in 1961. The most important instance during the time was when a pastors' convention was scheduled to take place at Radium Springs Garden, just across the river. Upon arrival, the facility officials refused to allow the pastors—a group of both Black and white attendees—to gather in the same room. In response, St. Paul’s stepped forward and extended an invitation for the entire group to meet at the church, creating a historic moment where Black and white ministers gathered under one roof for the first time, despite the possible risk of being bombed.

Adyson Bridges

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Adyson Bridges

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