) - A walk down memory lane at the corner of Gallatin Street and Governors Drive for Sonnie Hereford VI is a reminder about historic progress for everybody else.“Over the years, it has become extremely special,” Hereford said.
Saturday morning, he, along with his daughter and grandson, retraced the steps he once took to Fifth Avenue School.“We had to work hard, we had to plan well, we had to make sure things stayed non-violent. We had the right leadership to make sure that those things happened because if we had had a lot of violence and property being destroyed, I doubt that our movement would have been successful, at least not as early as it was,” he said.
Dr. Beth Hereford, Sonnie’s daughter, says knowing her father was such a big part of history can be overwhelming and emotional at times, but empowering.“When I think about bravery, I really think about my grandmother who allowed her baby to go through that at that time, knowing that the bombings in Birmingham were just taking place a week later,” she said.
Fifth Avenue School may not still be standing, but Hereford’s legacy shall always remain in the form of Sonnie Hereford Elementary.Copyright 2023 WAFF. All rights reserved.