A new memorial located at Gainesville's Butler Park will honor veterans from the city's southside community.
According to a press release from Hall County Government, the Eugene Brown Veterans Memorial is named after the first Hall County man killed in World War II from the county's African American community. The memorial has been completed, and a ribbon cutting will be held Thursday, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m. at the park located on Athens Street.
The memorial was sponsored by the Newtown Florist Club, the E.E. Butler Steering Committee and the Paul E. Bolden Inc. American Legion Post 7.
"The Butler Park project has been a shared vision and a tribute to Gainesville’s southside community since its inception, and the Eugene Brown Veterans Memorial is another testament to the contributions of this community to Hall County that we are honored to celebrate,” District 4 Commissioner Jeff Stowe said.
The memorial includes veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Global War on Terror, along with the branch of the military in which each person served.
“We must honor these veterans who served during the time of segregation because their freedom was not free. Their sacrifices paved the road for our community’s freedom. We must preserve this history for local veterans who will serve and protect our freedoms for generations to come,” said Johnny W. Varner, Jr., who serves in the American Legion Post 7.
The memorial is located at the entrance to Butler Park next to the Lady Liberty statue and the American flag.
“As the Commander of both the American Legion Post 7 and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17, I’m happy to see the contributions of African American military men and women acknowledged and celebrated. Their sacrifices aren’t only Black History, it’s American History and was instrumental in securing the freedoms we enjoy today as Americans,” said Andre L. Castleberry, US Navy (retired).
