Irish Hill in Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 27, 2020

1. Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer Marker (Side A)

Inscription. Born in 1899 in Indianapolis, Walls earned an M.A. from NY's Columbia Univ. As a teacher, she developed an early black history program in Indiana. In 1930s, Walls worked to secure public housing for blacks in Louisville. In 1940s, she led demonstrations at the whites-only main library and helped hire black clerks in a dept. store.

Murray Walls led the movement that integrated Girl Scout programs and camps by 1956. She was a Girl Scout trainer, the first black woman to serve on the Girl Scout Board of Directors, and the Ky. State Board of Education. Walls died in 1993.
Presented by Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana.

Erected 2004 by Kentucky Historical Society and Kentucky Department of Highways. (Marker Number 2134.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Women. In addition, it is included in the Kentucky Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1899.

Location. 38° 14.882′ N, 85° 42.548′ W. Marker is in Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County. It is in Irish Hill. Marker is on Lexington Road, on the right when traveling west.

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

Located at entrance to Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana headquarters. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2115 Lexington Road, Louisville KY 40206, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. St. Frances of Rome School / Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (approx. 0.4 miles away); St. Frances of Rome Church / Catholic & Clifton History (approx. 0.4 miles away); Artist of Confederacy (approx. half a mile away); Nathaniel Wolfe (approx. half a mile away); A National Cemetery System (approx. half a mile away); George Rogers Clark (approx. half a mile away); Cave Hill National Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Augustus E. Willson (1846-1931) (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Louisville.

More about this marker. This is identical to another marker located at the Louisville Free Public Library.

Also see . . . Murray Atkins Walls. From Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Hall of Fame. (Submitted on December 5, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer Marker (Side B) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 27, 2020

2. Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer Marker (Side B)

Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 27, 2020

3. Murray Atkins Walls Civil Rights Pioneer Marker

Murray Atkins Walls (1899-1993) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Kentucky Commission on Human Rights

4. Murray Atkins Walls (1899-1993)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 5, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 156 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 5, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.