Zion Chapel donates property for Hiram Rhodes Revels Plaza

A rendering: The City of Natchez is working to develop a portion of the M.L.K. Triangle into a community park that will be called Hiram Rhodes Revels Plaza. This rendering shows the planned statue of Hiram R. Revels, who became the first African American to serve in either house of the U.S. Congress.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Officials of Zion Chapel A.M.E.
Church donated a portion of the church’s M.L.K. Triangle property to the City
of Natchez in a special ceremony Thursday, Jan. 25, at the church. The property
will be dedicated to the memory of the late Rev. Hiram Rhodes Revels, an early
pastor of Zion Chapel who became the first African American to serve in either
house of the U.S. Congress. He was also the first president of Alcorn State
University.

Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church officially donated a portion of its M.L.K. Triangle property to the City of Natchez on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the church. The church officials and Mayor Dan Gibson signed the required papers for the donation during a special ceremony. The property will be used for the Hiram Rhodes Revels Plaza. From left are Rev. Birdon Mitchell, pastor; Norma West, trustee pro tempore; LeVera Allen, secretary for the Trustee Board; Herman Sidney Ransom, trustee; Ernest Tony Fields, trustee; and Gibson.

Pastor Birdon Mitchell and members of the church board of
trustees joined Mayor Dan Gibson in signing the property over to the city.
Mitchell and Gibson were joined by Norma West, trustee pro tempore; LeVera
Allen, secretary for the Trustee Board; Herman Sidney Ransom, trustee; and
Ernest Tony Fields, trustee.

West presented the official offer of the property on
behalf of the church and its trustee board.

Norma West, trustee pro tempore at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church, signs legal documents to transfer a portion of the M.L.K. Triangle property to the City of Natchez. She is pictured here with the Rev. Birdon Mitchell, left, pastor; LeVera Allen, secretary for the Trustee Board; and Herman Sidney Ransom, trustee.

“We consider it an honor to give this gift, a portion of
the Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle property, to the city of Natchez for the
purpose of creating a community park in honor of Hiram Revels to be called
Revels Plaza,” she said, noting the park will be “a place that our community
and city will be proud of.”

Mitchell said he was thankful for the opportunity to
honor Revels. He expressed gratitude to the church and to the city.

“Our bishop and board of trustee for the Mississippi
conference are all on board with this, and they voted unanimously that we could
do this along with the city,” he said. “I think this is a new day for Revel’s
Plaza.

The donated property is located at N. Dr. M.L. King and
St. Catherine streets. It is across the street from the church, which is at 228
N. Dr. M.L. King. Though currently known as “The M.L.K. Triangle,” the new and
improved site will be called “Hiram Rhodes Revels Plaza.”

Mayor Dan Gibson, right, signs legal documents to transfer a portion of the M.L.K. Triangle property to the City of Natchez. He is pictured here with Ernest Tony Fields, trustee at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church. The property will be used for the community park, Hiram Rhodes Revels Plaza.

According to Gibson, it will be a” future city park at
the gateway to Historic Downtown Natchez.”

The white two-story, historical building that sits on the
west side of the property, will remain under the ownership of the church,
according to church officials. The building houses Don’s Barber Style Shop on
the first floor. It is owned by Don Gordon, who attended the ceremony at Zion
Chapel.

According to Gibson, Gordon is one of many who supported
the project from the very beginning, “even though it could affect the parking
for his barbershop.” Gibson assured everyone that Gordon’s business will not be
leaving.

“Don Gordon is not going anywhere,” he said. “He’s going
to continue giving haircuts. The church is holding on to that building because
Don’s barbershop has to continue.

“But just in front of that barbershop, Revel’s Plaza will
now take shape. They may not have mention of Revels in Washington, D.C., yet,
but we will have a major park dedicated to him right here at the front door of
this church.”

Transferring the church property to the city is similar
to how property was deeded to the city by the heirs of Stephen Duncan for what
is now Duncan Park, Gibson explained.

“Just as with Duncan Park, the city can never sell this
piece of property,” he said. “The property has to be used for the good of the
people as a park honoring Hiram Revels. And if at any time the city goes back
on that agreement, then this property will revert back to the church.”

The park will include a statute of Revels. The planned
development of the site is part of the city’s official 2018 Downtown Master
Plan, which was initiated to help revitalize the historic downtown area.

Several groups have been working on the project since
2018. They include Downtown Natchez Alliance and Natchez Friends of the
Riverfront.

Mitchell thanked Chesney Doyle who was instrumental in
organizing the city’s downtown master plan effort.

Speaking after the ceremony, Doyle said there were many
who played a role in the city’s master plan.

“The visioning process for what ultimately became the
city’s downtown master plan began in 2015 with a group of about 25 people, some
of whom are here tonight,” she said as she noted the attendance of Darrell
White, Alderwoman Sarah Smith, Monroe Sago, and Eddie Burkes, among others.

“It was under Mayor Butch Brown’s administration, after a
motion and a second made by former city Alderman Tony Fields and Alderwoman
Smith that we got the unanimous greenlight to proceed,” Doyle said.

“Sometimes sustainable development, growth, and change is
a marathon, not a sprint, and always, always it must involve community
engagement. The marathon is not over yet, but thanks to Mayor Gibson and the
current city Board of Aldermen – I see Ben Davis, Felicia Irving, and Valencia
Hall  here tonight — the finish line for Revels Plaza is truly in sight!”

See more here: https://listenupyall.com/2024/01/27/zion-chapel-donates-property-for-hiram-rhodes-revels-plaza/