April 18, 2024
County Commissioners Making It Official
Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls - Antwon Nixon was the high bidder on Raymond Roberts Legacy Park, the 1.907 acres the county auctioned off in The Sticks area., specifically, the property is located near Laura, Bell and Short Streets. The vote was four in favor (Crews, Everett, Jones and Gowen) and one abstained (Benefield) on the motion to approve the high bid.
The park has long been recognized for its cultural significance within the basketball community, yet it possesses an even more profound and expansive historical importance. This location marks the establishment of the county's first all-black consolidated educational institution, which was dedicated exclusively to serving students of color, funded by the Rosenthal Fund in 1927. Nixon regards this acquisition as a strategic investment in the sustained prosperity and advancement of future generations via community ownership and stewardship. He articulates this perspective by stating, "Now it is in the hands of the community, and that is precisely where it belongs." Elaborating further in his own words, "I believe that to rebuild a community, , one must restore hope and re-story the story into one's own account, and that is what a true visionary accomplishes."