HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A new piece of history will soon be unveiled at Hall County's Butler Park. The Eugene Brown Veterans Memorial has been completed and will be celebrated with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m.
The memorial honors and remembers the legacy of Eugene Brown, who was the first Black man from Hall County killed in WWII. The Eugene Brown Veterans Memorial honors veterans from Gainesville's southside community who gave their lives in service to their country and the Hall County community, a release stated.
"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 WWII, the Korean War and the Global War on Terror. It also specifies which branch of the military each member 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 on Athens Street in Gainesville, at the front of 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," Retired U.S. Navy Veteran Andre L. Castleberry said.
