An Oral History Project Conducted by John Robert Lewis Fellow Saloni Jaiswal
Project Description
Gadsden, Alabama is a city that is snugly tucked under the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Although rarely mentioned, it has a unique history of its own when it comes to civil rights and racial justice that is explored in this oral history interview with Robert Avery. Mr. Robert Avery, a long-time resident of Gadsden, participated in Gadsden’s mayoral election race in 2022, and prior to that, he served on the city council for nearly three decades. In addition, he served as Chair of the National League of Cities FAIR (Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations) Committee and is currently a member of the Alabama League of Municipalities FAIR Committee. He also serves on the Committee on State and Federal Legislation. He previously served as the President of the Alabama Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials and is presently on the board for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials Foundations Board.
Furthermore, as city councilman, a few of his most notable accomplishments include establishing the city’s first affordable housing program, in which he converted a block of unused lots in downtown Gadsden to livable apartment homes. He also has been instrumental in leading the city’s water, sewer, gas and road infrastructure improvements and establishing the Gadsden Job Corps Center, which helps low-income 16- through 24-year-olds obtain free career training and essential employment skills.
Among his numerous achievements working in local politics, Mr. Avery had grown up in Gadsden during the later years of the Jim Crow era and was an active youth organizer of the city’s civil rights movement. At the age of fourteen, he – along with two of his friends – hitchhiked from Gadsden to Washington, D.C. on August 18, 1963 to attend the March on Washington. His experiences there motivated him even further to be active in the political sphere and work to achieve racial equity in Gadsden, particularly in the spheres of housing, education, and employment, as noted above.
Oral History Interview with Robert Avery
Presentation Slides
