Public Art Installation Honors Pioneers in African American Education
Gather With Us To Honor…
Public Art Dedication: Friday, October 23, 2015 – 10:00 am
Community Celebration: Saturday, October 24, 2015 – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
The Arts Council, Inc., in partnership with Twickenham Square Venture LLC, Huntsville Housing Authority and The City of Huntsville, invites the community to celebrate the dedication of the public art installation “We Gather Here to Honor.” This site-specific public art commission honors the contributions of Dr. William Hooper Councill and Dr. Sonnie Hereford III to education in Huntsville, memorializes the history of African American education in the area and celebrates the community’s future educational hopes and aspirations.
About the Installation
The installation features a tile bench in the shape of a sunflower, with flower petals created from the footprints of Dr. Hereford III, his family, city leaders and community members. The artist used footprints to incorporate community involvement and symbolize leaving one’s mark on the future. There is a tree planted in the middle of the sunflower, providing an opportunity to gather and socialize as people have in the neighborhood for generations. A closer look at the top of the bench petals reveal details honoring Drs. Councill and Hereford III. 
In the 1860’s, Dr. Councill was a pioneer in education for African American students in Huntsville and served as the first principal of The State Colored Normal School which trained African American teachers and grew into Alabama A & M University. In 1963, Dr. Hereford made more education history on the day he enrolled his son, Sonnie the IV in Fifth Avenue School as the first African American student to attend a white public school in Alabama.
Dedication & Community Celebration
The dedication will be held at Twickenham Square on Pelham Avenue between Gallatin Street and Dorothy Ford Lane on Friday, October 23rd at 10:00am. A Community Celebration will be held at the same location on Saturday, October 24th from 9:00am – 11:00am. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature music performances by local saxophonist Reginald Jackson and performers from Valley Conservatory of Music. The Boys and Girls Club, Huntsville/Madison County Public Library, Earlyworks Family of Museums, Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theatre and Academy and the Arts Council will be on-site with children’s activities, information and interactive experiences. Attendees will also have the opportunity to leave fingerprints on their own sunflower through a hands-on art project that mirrors the aesthetics and significance of the public art installation.
About the Artist
Angelica Pozo has a resume that includes community-involved artwork in Cleveland, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland. She has taught ceramics and sculpture in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, and has served as the visiting artist/artist in residence at universities and conferences across the United States and in Chile. She attended Moore College of Art in Philadelphia before going on to receive her Bachelors of Fine Arts from the New York State College of Ceramics and her Masters of Fine Arts, Ceramics, from the University of Michigan.
Please join us at the celebration!