TALLAHASSEE, Florida (WTXL) – The City of Tallahassee and Florida A&M University commemorate a Tallahassee couple who were instrumental in the local civil rights movement, the late Robert and Trudie Perkins, by naming a street in their honor.
Robert and Trudie Perkins Way, formerly Gamble Street, will be officially unveiled at a ceremony on Friday, September 10th at 8:30 am in the parking lot of the FAMU Welcome Center, 1420 Wahnish Way. Work on renaming the street in honor of the Perkins began in November 2020.
The time of the event coincides with the couple’s 75th wedding anniversary.
Robert and Trudie Perkins graduated from FAMU in the 1940s. They owned a local business and worked in noble professions; Robert Perkins in higher education and Trudie Perkins in nursing.
Both fought for equal opportunities and treatment for African Americans. Robert Perkins began his activism by working to create recreational facilities for local children.
Trudie Perkins led workplace reform calling for equal pay for African American nurses.
“Robert and Trudie Perkins wanted to make Tallahassee a more inclusive community, a place where everyone can work and play with dignity,” said Mayor John Dailey. “Their legacy lives on, and I hope their names will inspire the next generation of leaders on the FAMU campus and in their former neighborhood.”
The idea of honoring the Perkins by giving them a street in their former neighborhood came from local residents. FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., sent a letter to the city commission to support the name change.
“Adorning our campus with the new Robert and Trudie Perkins Way is an honor for us to recognize a couple who have contributed so much to positive change in this community,” said Robinson. “They have been tireless in their advocacy and relentless in their struggle for social justice and economic equality.”
The city and FAMU will broadcast the ceremony live on YouTube.com/user/WCOT.
The post Tallahassee, FAMU honors local civil rights activists with street renaming first appeared on Daily Florida Press.
from Daily Florida Press https://dailyfloridapress.com/tallahassee-famu-honors-local-civil-rights-activists-with-street-renaming/
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