Richardson-Davis Park
Petition
The Richardson-Davis Park
Pictured: proposed park design at the Costa Building in Downtown Athens
Historic Athens is petitioning to name the new downtown greenspace the ‘Richardson-Davis Park,’ honoring Alfred Richardson and Madison Davis, the first Black elected officials to represent Athens, Georgia.
Currently, no physical spaces in Athens are named after these figures, and the proposed park name would close an important gap and educate the public on local African American heritage!
Currently, we are taking ink signatures* at the Historic Athens Welcome Center (Monday-Sunday 10 am to 5 pm) and at all our upcoming events.
*All signatures must be taken in person and from a legal adult that is a current resident of Athens-Clarke County with a valid mailing address.
Pictured: construction at the proposed “Richardson-Davis” park on April 2, 2026
We are aiming to secure enough signatures in time to hold a renaming ceremony during the Juneteenth celebration in Downtown Athens on Friday, June 19, 2026.
The petition was launched this past fall by Advocacy & Outreach Student Fellow Ava Oldman, in in collaboration with local writers and community advocates such as Matt Pulver and Kimberly Davis.
“Honoring Alf Richardson and Madison Davis through public installation in our downtown will help bring their contributions to the forefront of our community’s shared history”, said Denise Sunta, Sr. Director of Operations at Historic Athens. “It’s about time we pay tribute to these two Athenians who paved the way for future generations, and what better day to do so than on Juneteenth.”
To better educate the public on the history of Alfred Richardson and Madison Davis, Historic Athens has created a zine highlighting these historical figures and their impact on the Classic City. Created by Olivia Rogers, the zine will be available for the public starting at the upcoming April History Hour on April 7, 2026.
“Historically, zines have been a powerful tool for grassroots organizing, often to ensure the preservation of communities that may be underrepresented or overlooked. With this first small-batch publication paired with the park petition campaign, we’re hoping to do just that,” said Sarah Frazer, Director of Communications at Historic Athens. “Making history accessible to the community is at the core of our mission, and these trailblazing individuals deserve to be celebrated. We’re excited to publish additional zines in the near future.”
Learn the history…
Born around 1833 in Clarke County, Georgia, Madison Davis rose from enslavement to apprentice as a blacksmith. In 1856, Davis married Ella Church, the enslaved daughter of UGA President Dr. Alonzo Church. Following emancipation in 1865, Davis remained in Athens, where he led the city’s first Black volunteer fire brigade and became a vital organizer for the Republican Executive Committee. In 1868, Davis, alongside Alfred Richardson, was elected to represent Clarke County in the Georgia House of Representatives. While white legislators successfully expelled 25 of the 29 Black representatives elected that year, Davis narrowly retained his seat because officials could not "prove" he was more than one-eighth Black. During his tenure, he cast pivotal votes to ratify the 14th and 15th Amendments and introduced progressive legislation regarding child labor and fire company funding.
Beyond the legislature, Davis was instrumental in the 1868 founding of the Knox Institute, the first school for African Americans in Athens. Although the violent climate of Reconstruction led him to step away from the House in 1872, he remained a public servant. He continued his work with the fire department, the local Republican Party, and the Athens Blade, the city’s Black-owned newspaper. Davis was eventually appointed to serve as the first African American Postmaster of Athens from 1882 to 1886. He was reinstated to the position by President Benjamin Harrison in 1890, serving until 1893.
He lived at 27 Newton Street with his wife, Ella, and family. Davis died at the age of 69 and is now buried in Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery.
Madison Davis
Alfred Richardson’s signature on voter registry. There are no known photographs of Richardson that have survived history.
Born into a life of slavery, Alfred “Alf” Richardson eventually became a skilled carpenter and worked on constructing the Ashford Methodist Church in Watkinsville. Once emancipated, Richardson purchased land in Athens, then ran in the GA House of Representatives Election in 1868. Richardson, alongside Madison Davis, won the election, surprising many by exceeding his democratic opponent and becoming the first African American to represent Clarke County.
After only a month of being sworn into office, Richardson, a man of mixed racial descent, was among 29 African American legislators expelled from the Georgia House due to a “lack of eligibility.” This mass expulsion sparked the Battle of Camilla on September 19, 1868, a violent confrontation that left approximately 12 protestors dead and 30 wounded. Later a landmark 1870 Georgia Supreme Court ruling overturned the race-based expulsions, allowing Richardson to be sworn in for a second term. During his return to office, he became a vocal advocate for his constituents, notably introducing legislation in 1871 to regulate laborer wages in Clarke County.
In just a few short years, Alfred Richardson had fought for the fair regulation of wages for local laborers, successfully campaigned for election as one of Clarke County’s representatives in the Georgia General Assembly, and endured expulsion from that very body. He survived two assassination attempts, saw his Watkinsville home burned to the ground, and never wavered in his fight for his beliefs through the ongoing threat of violence. Despite the many challenges he faced, Richardson persevered.
Alfred Richardson
Petition FAQ
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The park we are trying to rename is at the newly rehabilitated Costa building in Downtown Athens at 195 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601. The park is located in Hot Corner, which is a historically Black Business District that supported African-American businesses of various industries and the community as a whole.
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Currently, no public spaces in Athens are named after the two men and we are trying to close an important gap and educate the community on who these two Black leaders were and their impact on Athens in an important landscape.
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Yes, you can sign if you are not a US citizen.
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Unfortunately, we cannot take petition signatures from individuals who live in a dorm.
However, if you live of-campus, we can take your signature!
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Yes, you can sign if you live in off-campus housing.
Local Press
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Historic Athens to launch petition to name downtown park after Athens’ first Black legislators
via WUGA on August 27, 2025
A local nonprofit is launching a petition to name a new park in Athens-Clarke County after two little known African-American figures in Athens history …see more
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Historic Athens wants to rename a downtown park
via FOX 5 Atlanta on September 8, 2025
A local nonprofit is leading an effort to rename a new downtown park in honor of two trailblazing Black legislators from Athens …see more
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Local writers call for Athens’ first Black legislators, families to be recognized in park naming
via WUGA on September 2, 2026
Local nonprofit Historic Athens launched a petition Tuesday to name a new downtown park after the first Black legislators to represent Athens in Atlanta …see more