John Howell (Atlanta)
Encyclopedia
John Howell was an Atlanta, Georgia
grassroots civic activist, well-known and well-loved for his strong support of human rights, civil liberties, neighborhood preservation, and the arts.
As a resident of the Virginia-Highland
neighborhood of northeast Atlanta, John was highly instrumental in stopping the construction
of Interstate 485
through the neighborhood, thereby preserving one of Atlanta's vibrant and architecturally intact intown
communities.
John served as the first president of the Virginia Highland Civic Association. Employed by the Veteran's Administration, Howell also served as chapter president of the Georgia American Civil Liberties Union
, and on the city License and Review Board. Howell died in 1988 from complications of HIV infection.
John Howell Memorial Park
, on the site of 11 houses demolished to make way for the freeway that was never built due to his activism, was dedicated to his memory in 1989.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
grassroots civic activist, well-known and well-loved for his strong support of human rights, civil liberties, neighborhood preservation, and the arts.
As a resident of the Virginia-Highland
Virginia-Highland
Virginia-Highland is a neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, founded in the early 20th century as a streetcar suburb. It is named after the intersection of Virginia Avenue and North Highland Avenue, the heart of a busy commercial district at the center of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is famous...
neighborhood of northeast Atlanta, John was highly instrumental in stopping the construction
Atlanta freeway revolts
There have been multiple freeway revolts in Atlanta, Georgia. However, the longest and most famous is the one against I-485 and the Stone Mountain Freeway through Intown Atlanta, lasting over 30 years, from the early 1960s until the final construction of Freedom Parkway on a small portion of the...
of Interstate 485
Interstate 485
Interstate 485 is an Interstate Highway and a nearly completed beltway around Charlotte, North Carolina.-Route description:The western, southern and eastern segments of the beltway are complete and open to traffic...
through the neighborhood, thereby preserving one of Atlanta's vibrant and architecturally intact intown
Intown Atlanta
Intown Atlanta is a term very frequently used in metro Atlanta to designate an area containing parts of the City of Atlanta and bordering communities...
communities.
John served as the first president of the Virginia Highland Civic Association. Employed by the Veteran's Administration, Howell also served as chapter president of the Georgia American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, and on the city License and Review Board. Howell died in 1988 from complications of HIV infection.
John Howell Memorial Park
John Howell Memorial Park
John Howell Memorial Park is a 2.8 acre park in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta.-History:The park is built on the site of 11 houses demolished in the mid-1960s, when the Georgia Department of Transportation proposed building Interstate 485 to connect what is now Freedom Parkway...
, on the site of 11 houses demolished to make way for the freeway that was never built due to his activism, was dedicated to his memory in 1989.