SmART Stop tribute to the late Reverend Louis Coleman

Mayor Fischer, local leaders and family members will join to celebrate the completion of SmART Stop that pays tribute to the late Reverend Louis Coleman

 (Louisville, Kentucky–) On December 3rd at 10:00 a.m. Mayor Fischer will be joined by local civic, business and community leaders, and members of the Coleman family, to celebrate the completion of the fifth and final SmART stop in the Russell neighborhood. This stop pays tribute to civil rights and social justice advocate, the late Reverend Louis Coleman, and the more than 30 years he spent advocating for and working to bring equality to African Americans and other minorities who are often victims of discriminatory practices.

The SmART Stop bus shelters are one of four Action Activities projects that are being funded through a $1 million Choice Neighborhood Action Activities grant awarded to the Louisville Metro Housing Authority in June 2016 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The grant is being leveraged with an additional $438,000 from the Louisville Metro Government and the Louisville Metro Housing Authority.  All of the action activities were designed to be highly visible improvements that would spur additional economic development in the Russell neighborhood.

Located next to the Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church at the corner of  S. 15th Street and W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, the stop features a portrait of Coleman and his famous bullhorn etched in glass.  Whether it was leading a protest at a local construction site or a sit-in at the State’s Capitol in Frankfort, Coleman could often be found with his bullhorn in hand, leading fellow protestors in chants that advocated for change. His work and passion for social justice was not only recognized locally, but also nationally and internationally.  In fact, when internationally recognized and fellow social justice advocate, Dick Gregory, was asked to describe the legacy of Coleman, he said “nobody covers as much territory and spends as much time of his life for the liberation of suffering people.”

The SmART stop was designed and implemented by VBNA Architects and HDDS, Inc.  The other four stops are located in front of Catholic Charities downtown campus near 23rd and Market streets; Central High School at 11th and Chestnut, St. Peter’s United Church of Christ Church at 13th and Jefferson and the African American Heritage Center at 18th and Muhammad Ali Boulevard.