when he was a young man, his father moved the family into Auburn Avenue. 100 English became highly involved in Ebenezer Baptist Church and served as a deacon. He had close ties to Rev. Martin L. King, Sr, and was an attendant at his wedding. Jethro English Jr. was part of the Civil Rights Movement to add to the role(s) he played. 101
Figure B-10: First Congregational Church Courtesy of Auburn Avenue Research Library
Education played an important role in Black life stemming back from the promise of Emancipation. During the early years of Buttermilk Bottom, the Lilian Davis School, a one-room schoolhouse, served as the place where neighborhood residents went to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. 102 William Huff recalls learning under the tutelage of Lilian Davis from a very young age until the age of 20. 103 After completing his studies, Huff went to Morehouse College and later enlisted in the US Army. 104 Black people from across the United States came to the area to attend Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clarke College, Atlanta University, Interdenominational Theological Center, and Morris Brown College, seeking to achieve the American Dream and improve their status in life. Wilson also fondly remembers her educational pursuits in the neighborhood. She attended and two historic institutions in the Fourth Ward: Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Joseph’s Basilica. Buttermilk Bottom and Butler
100 “Jethro English Jr.”
101 “Jethro English Jr.”
102 Huff, “Descendants”. 103 Huff, “Descendants”. 104 Huff, “Descendants”.
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