Montgomery in Montgomery County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Charlie and Lucille Times

Civic Leaders and Civil Rights Activists

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 21, 2015

1. Charlie and Lucille Times Marker (Side 1)

Inscription.

Charlie and Lucille Times. Civic Leaders and Civil Rights Activists. , Lucille and Charlie (d. 2/7/78) Times were married on February 3, 1939. Shortly after, the Times' joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Mr. Times received several medals and a Commendation for his service in the Army Air Corp during World War II. The Times' became registered voters in 1942. In 1948, Mrs. Times' father purchased this house as a wedding gift for the couple., When the NAACP was outlawed in Alabama in the 1950s, the Times' hosted NAACP meetings in their home. The Times' were also members of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). , According to Mrs. Times, on June 15, 1955, six months before Rosa Parks was arrested, she had a confrontation with a white bus driver who tried to run her car off the road. She argued with the bus driver who called the police, but Mrs. Times was not arrested. After that, she started boycotting the buses by driving by bus stops to pick up waiting black passengers. When the official boycott began on December 5, 1955, the Times' continued providing rides to individuals in need. , The Times' owned and operated Times' Café from 1952-1984. The café, a concrete block building located across from the house on Holt Street, was affectionately called "Sugar Hill" and was a hub of activity during the Civil Rights Movement. , In 1965, the Times' participated in the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March and opened their home to 18 activists from around the country of all races during and after the march. The Times' were charter members of many organizations and clubs. , Mrs. Times has received numerous awards for the couples' civil rights activism including the Drum Major for Justice Award. Mrs. Times also received the Senior of Alabama Award from the Montgomery Area Council on Aging. A part of her personal collection is housed in the H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College Archives in Montgomery. , The house was listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2007.

Lucille and Charlie (d. 2/7/78) Times were married on February 3, 1939. Shortly after, the Times' joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Mr. Times received several medals and a Commendation for his service in the Army Air Corp during World War II. The Times' became registered voters in 1942. In 1948, Mrs. Times' father purchased this house as a wedding gift for the couple.

When the NAACP was outlawed in Alabama in the 1950s, the Times' hosted NAACP meetings in their home. The Times' were also members of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

According to Mrs. Times, on June 15, 1955, six months before Rosa Parks was arrested, she had a confrontation with a white bus driver who tried to run her car off the road. She argued with the bus driver who called the police, but Mrs. Times was not arrested. After that, she started boycotting the buses by driving by bus stops to pick up waiting black passengers. When the official boycott began on December 5, 1955, the Times' continued providing rides to individuals in need.

The Times' owned and operated Times' Café from 1952-1984. The café, a concrete block building located across from the house on Holt Street, was affectionately called "Sugar Hill" and was

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a hub of activity during the Civil Rights Movement.

In 1965, the Times' participated in the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March and opened their home to 18 activists from around the country of all races during and after the march. The Times' were charter members of many organizations and clubs.

Mrs. Times has received numerous awards for the couples' civil rights activism including the Drum Major for Justice Award. Mrs. Times also received the Senior of Alabama Award from the Montgomery Area Council on Aging. A part of her personal collection is housed in the H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College Archives in Montgomery.

The house was listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2007.

Erected by the Alabama Historical Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Landmarks. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Commission, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1811.

Location. 32° 21.586′ N, 86° 19.226′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Alabama, in Montgomery County. Marker is on South Holt Street, 0.1 miles north of Central Street, on the right when traveling

Charlie and Lucille Times Marker (Side 2) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 21, 2015

2. Charlie and Lucille Times Marker (Side 2)

north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1261 South Holt Street, Montgomery AL 36108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Home of Dr. E. D. Nixon, Sr. (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bertha Pleasant Williams Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Support: Local and Organizational (approx. ¼ mile away); Holt Street Baptist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bethel Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Highway Construction Destroys Historic Black Neighborhoods (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sherman W. White, Jr. (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montgomery.

Also see . . .
1. Lucille Times. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on March 21, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

2. Lucille Times, Who Inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Dies at 100. New York Times obituary (08/21/2023) (Submitted on January 5, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

3. Lucile Times Collection. Trenholm State Community College website entry (Submitted on March 21, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Lucille Times image. Click for full size.

via New York Times, 2005

3. Lucille Times

Charlie and Lucille Times Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 21, 2015

4. Charlie and Lucille Times Home

The former Times' Café at 1300 South Holt Street. image. Click for full size.

5. The former Times' Café at 1300 South Holt Street.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,182 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 21, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 3. submitted on January 5, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4, 5. submitted on March 21, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.