Past Event - November 16, 2019

Embracing the History Around Us:

Housing in the J. P. Carr Community

“Embracing the History Around Us: Housing in the JP Carr Community”

Very Interesting history!

The conversation about public housing past and future will continue. As we consider the past, as we did Saturday in a well-attended gathering at the Olivia Haydel Senior Center, know that public housing was no slam dunk when proposed back in the day.

At the time Conyers leaders were beginning to provide federally-funded housing for people with low incomes — like my folks — there was opposition on a variety of grounds. Sen. Richard Russell was afraid that if the state took federal money it would eventually have to integrate the housing projects. “I personally am very much opposed to forced integration of the races in public housing project or anywhere else,” he said after voting against President Kennedy’s housing bill. Around the same time, in Atlanta, Lester Maddox, a racist whose main claim to fame was refusing to serve black customers at his Pickrick restaurant, took out ads railing against public housing. This type of housing should be limited, he said, “to the bare necessities of the unfortunate and not include the shiftless and no-gooders. Let us first get the slums out of the people and most of the slums will get out of Atlanta.” He would later become governor of Georgia.

Well, to their credit, the leaders of Conyers went ahead with a public housing program. Initially there was a “white site” on Elliott Circle off Irvin Bridge Road and a “colored site” on Griggs Circle near J. P. Carr. The first 50 units, ranging from one bedroom to five, quickly filled up when they opened in 1960, and there was a long waiting list. This is where I lived for a time in the 1960s. To the Conyers Housing Authority, ours was Unit 115-B. It was assigned the address of 1054 Griggs Street. To us, it might as well have been the Land of Oz. This is where we had indoor plumbing for the first time. We kids had great freedom to run and rip and play, though always under the watchful eye of parents and elders. J.P. Carr’s playground was nearby.

These buildings will soon be torn down to make way for modern housing meant mainly for people 55+ and for the new Conyers City Hall. We’ll post more on that later. If you’re interested in sharing your memories of growing up in public housing in Conyers — especially those apartments in the J. P. Carr area — please do so.

Written by E.R. Shipp

Presentation played while the people gathered prior to start of event

Fond Memories of the Griggs Street projects

Mrs. Emma Leslie was the first resident in the first of several sections of the Conyers Housing Authority. For a number of years in her senior years, Jack Turner, Conyers City Manager and head of the Housing Authority, presented her with a birthday cake to celebrate her.

The Conyers Housing Authority

The Conyers Housing Authority was represented by Gary Erwin, Executive Director and Toya Washington, Administrative Director. They presented an overview of the plans for the Griggs, Taylor, and Steele Street projects and provided a rendering of the improved buildings which will be better than most apartments in the county. They are committed to preserving the history of the projects and plan to have a display room available for the citizens to contribute too. Citizen's let's fill the displays up. This is of particular interest to Black Heritage of Rockdale County: They will work with us in documenting, preserving and displaying in the new development the story of the old “projects” and the people who lived on Griggs, Steele and Taylor. Watch this video. Mr. Erwin and Ms. Washington have invited questions, comments and suggestions: 770-483-9301;

The New Conyers City Hall

City Councilman Cleveland Stroud also presented a rendering of the new City Hall and discussed plans for the City Hall. The City plans to have a place in the new building to give tribute to the Sweeney Family who's home located at 1007 Travis Street will be the site of the new city hall. The ground breaking ceremony was held Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 10 a.m. The new address for the city hall will be at 901 O’Kelly St.