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For over 50 years the families that lived in George Washington Carver Homes were overlooked as being the reason why the Civil Rights Movement ever happened.

In a speech back in the early 2000’s, Congressman John Lewis made the statement: “ If it wasn’t for the families in GWC Homes, the movement would have taken years or maybe never happen.”

Over 20 councilmen have represented Ward 8 and Ward 3 and the Mayors have served, not one realize the importance of GWC Homes.

Maybe because Brown Chapel sits in the middle of the neighborhood and the Edmund Pettus Bridge is blocks away but it took one of its own, Bruce L. Holmes Sr., born in Good Samaritan Hospital and raised in GWC Homes from 1962 to 1980 to bring this to the attention of City Of Selma and the world the role that we, the GWC Homes, played in the Civil Rights Movement.

Not only that on my weekly radio  sports show “Afternoon in the Saloon” with Bruce da Juice.

Two days before Selma’s first black attorney passed away on September 30,2008, l made the statement that the City should rename Jeff Davis Avenue to JL Chestnut Jr. Blvd.

Then l took action went before the Selma City Council, Mayor George Evans and made my  idea a reality.

The JL Chestnut Jr. Blvd. was founded in 2009  and GWC Homes Historical Marker (stands next to Brown Chapel A M E Church )was founded in 2015, both by Bruce Holmes Sr.