Neighborhood Unity and Community Pride

Senator John F. Kennedy's motorcade passes through downtown during his 1960 presidential campaign. The C. M. Eppes High School marching band can be seen on both sides of Greene Street. Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church can be seen on the right.

Although Downtown residents moved to other areas in and near Greenville and around the country, many remain connected to one another and memories of their old neighborhood are strong. They return to this site from all over the city with a sense of pride that runs deep in what was created here-loving relationships, honored traditions, and cultural and religious practices that lasted for generations.

Honoring this historic African-American neighborhood and providing a place for reflection are essential parts of healing and remembrance.

Former resident, Alton Harris, and his daughter, Amber Nanette Hauls. Mr. Harris was born on Reade Street and attended Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church as a young boy. He remains a member of the church.

"Everything we needed was right here. We had a supermarket called Spain's. We had our own little shoe store. We had Dr. Battle. We had a black dentist We had black lawyers. Everything was right here." -- Alton Ray Harris

Many community members where born downtown and grew up attending school and church together in a friendly, family-oriented neighborhood. House doors were never locked, and residents looked out for one another.

In the late 1960's, downtown was demolished to make way for Greenville's redevelopment plans for the area. Devestated community members were forced to leave their homes, which were then destroyed, and a neighborhood disappeared.