Local thoroughfare to be named in memory of Charles S. Chestnut III
Press release from City of Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville City Commissioners yesterday voted to dual-name a portion of a busy Gainesville thoroughfare in memory of the late Charles S. Chestnut III, a local civil rights leader who died Dec. 4 at age 83. Chestnut was the spouse of current City Commissioner Cynthia Moore Chestnut and was a former Alachua County Commissioner and the first black member elected to the Alachua County School Board.
At yesterday’s meeting, City Commissioners approved a resolution to designate the part of 8th Avenue between NW 6th Street and Waldo Road as “Charles S. Chestnut III Avenue.”
“Words cannot truly express my appreciation to my colleagues, but also appreciation from the Chestnut family for this beautiful tribute and honor to my husband, and keeper of the dream, Charles S. Chestnut III,” said Commissioner Chestnut. “Thank you for helping to keep the dream alive with this tribute.”
It is a particularly fitting tribute, as the family business, located at 18 NW 8th Avenue, has been owned and operated by generations of the Chestnut family for more than a century. Founded in 1914, the location is already identified by a State of Florida historical marker.
Charles Chestnut III led efforts to integrate Gainesville businesses and public accommodations in the 1960s and spearheaded a county-wide campaign to help black residents register to vote. His many honors include the NAACP Leadership Award; the Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall of Fame Award; the Drum Major for Justice Award; the United Negro College Fund Salute to Leadership Award; and the Community Legacy Award.
Next week, Public Works staff will begin replacing the 68 road signs along the designated section of 8th Avenue. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 15.
Sorry, but that seems like a waste of money. And, his son Chris is no one to be honored. He was disbarred for basically stealing from an incapacitated man and his family. And, he went to funerals to drum up law business. Ugh
What his son did has nothing to do with the tribute to an Icon.
Except for the fact that articles about Charles inevitably mention his son, “the successful businessman, Chris Chestnut”.
The east side still a bastion of crime and ugliness, mostly living in poverty while the 85% white west side is fine, but still taxed to death with high utilities eating up much more. RH has no poster graduate accomplished and very successful grads. Jail mainly full of blacks a sprinkling of white crank and crack users. Nothing much has worked for Gainesville and won’t with continued election of radical liberal democrats who are spendaholics with nothing to show for it when they are voted out. Then the cycle starts all over again.