A two-day centennial celebration will be held Friday and Saturday to honor the life of the late Sallie Mae Jones, a black businesswoman who owned and operated Jones Restaurant on Fourth Street South.
The celebration kicks off Friday at 4:30 p.m. with a fish fry and live entertainment through 10 p.m.
Saturday, at 10:30 a.m., the festivities resume with “Sallie in the Alley,” which will include a keynote speech by Jones’s granddaughter, United States Navy Capt. Angela Wilson Cyrus, and comments from former Jones Restaurant employees and customers.
Live entertainment will immediately follow from noon to 6 p.m.
Family members, including Jones’s grandson, Ward 5 City Councilman Kabir Karriem, have lobbied to have a section of Fourth Street South, from Main Street to College Street, renamed to “Sallie Mae Jones Catfish Alley” in honor of her legacy as one of a cadre of black business owners who established businesses in the one-block section.
The request has generated passionate arguments both for and against the renaming, with Karriem withdrawing the family’s petition Aug. 21 from the Columbus City Council agenda.
A committee has been formed to explore beautification efforts like new sidewalks, landscaping and improved lighting along the street and honor the contributions of the many black entrepreneurs who called Catfish Alley home.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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