Luminary Green Memorials

On March 28, 2022, the Luminary Selection Panel convened at a public, in-person meeting to consider the nominations and voted unanimously to advance the 12 highest-scoring nominees as the slate for the inaugural class of Luminaries, which includes the following individuals:

Commissioner Napoleon "Nap" Ford

Ford played on the city’s premier Negro League baseball team at Carter Street Park, taught and coached at Jones High School, Winter Park High School and UCF, later becoming Orlando’s first District 5 City Commissioner.

Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum

One of the longest tenured commissioners in the city’s history and that was after a 30-year career as an educator and social worker.

Reverend Nathaniel G. Staggers

Shepherd of the flock at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Institutional Church for nearly a quarter of a century, he taught and modeled the word of God, and convinced members of his congregation to join the local desegregation lawsuit against Orange County Public Schools.

Georgia Nell Woodley

Church Secretary and Administrative Assistant at Mount Zion for 45 years, member and Secretary of the NAACP, involved in the lawsuit to desegregate Orange County Schools and the catalyst for organizing the Callahan Neighborhood Association, the first voluntary Neighborhood Association in the City of Orlando.

Mercerdese Richardson Clark

As a student, wife, mother, nurse, entrepreneur, community activist and role model to youth. A nurse by trade she would become the first Black woman Director of the Orange County Health Department in Florida. She also served on 27 Central Florida community boards during her lifetime and opened a women’s boutique in the heart of Parramore.

Vencina “Ms. Vinnie” Cannady

She re-started the Carter Street Neighborhood Association in 2015 and lead it until her death in 2020. She lead monthly meetings, organized community cleanups, hosted National Night Out parties, started an annual sock drive for the homeless, created a walking school bus to safely get children to school each day and after-school tutoring program.

Ira “Sonny” Vance

Owned and operated Sonny’s Barbershop for more than three decades, mentoring countless barbers. He was involved in civic organizations and appointed by governors to state boards.

Henry Sadler

Started his career as a bellman at the old San Juan Hotel, he built his own hotel, the first for Blacks in Central Florida, where Black entertainers and baseball players could lodge because at that time Blacks were not allowed to stay in White establishments.

C.T. Williams

A businessman, civic and political leader who fought tirelessly for the civil rights of Black Orlandoans, especially voting rights. His lawsuit challenging Orlando’s white primary system lead to Black residents voting in a city primary for the first time in October 1950.

Dr. Ozell “Billy” Green

A beloved Pharmacist by trade his shop at Parramore and South was the place for honest medical advice. A Jones and FAMU alumni he welcomed community leaders into his space to discuss how to promote positive change. After retirement he worked as a volunteer at Tangelo Park Elementary School, helping children with their math and reading homework.

Eddie T. Jackson

A graduate of the Johnson Academy, and Morris Brown College, she returned to Orlando as a teacher and would become the city’s first Black Librarian in charge of the Booker T. Washington branch. She introduced hundreds of children to reading and the new world that comes with that skill.

Wilbur Sylvester Gary

He wowed us with his athletic abilities on the football field and was Student Council President at Jones HS. After graduating from FAMU and the Air Force, he returned to teach at Jones, becoming Athletic Director and all-time winningest football coach and later Principal where he stood up to efforts to close Jones.

A Luminary is an individual who is honored posthumously (after death) and during their lifetime, made outstanding contributions to the Parramore-Holden community in one or more of the following categories:

• Public safety and crime reduction
• Quality housing
• Entrepreneurship, business and job opportunities
• Care and education for children and families
• Community health or medical leadership
• Faith-based leadership
• Sports
• Civil rights

A Luminary should not already have a significant memorial or monument in their honor.  

In late January, 2022, the city launched a process to receive nominations for community Luminaries. The city received 39 eligible nominations prior to the nomination period ending on Friday, March 4, 2022.

Mayor Dyer appointed a Luminary Selection Panel, comprised of a diverse group of Parramore-Holden community leaders, stakeholders and advocates to review the nominations and assist in the selection process. The Luminary Selection Panel was comprised of the following nine representatives:

• Chair: Walter Hawkins, Director of Urban Development, City of Orlando
• Representative Geraldine Thompson, Florida House of Representatives
• Byron Brooks, County Administrator, Orange County Government
• Dr. Clara Walters, Jones High School Principal 1981-1990
• Ann Brown, President, Callahan Neighborhood Association
• Pamela Woodley, former resident/retired
• Kay Rawlins, President, Orlando City Foundation
• Reverend Dr. Robert M. Spooney, Pastor, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Institutional Church
• Lauredan Official, Jr., former Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ) Student
  
  

The Luminary Selection Panel independently reviewed and scored all nominations received based on a 25-point scoring matrix with points for the nominee’s involvement, commitment to and verified contributions to the Parramore Community.

To ensure an open and transparent process, the Luminary Selection Panel met to review and consider nominations at a public meeting on Monday, March 28, 2022 at 6 p.m. 

The Luminary Selection Process and Luminary light features was approved using the city’s existing Memorials and Monuments Policy (Section 211.4) which is ultimately considered by City Council.

Construction on Luminary Green was complete in summer 2022 and the park opened August 30, 2022.

The city hopes to add additional Luminaries over time, opening a similar nomination period every four years, until a total of 26 Luminaries are honored in the park.

• March 4, 2022 – Nomination Period closed
• March 2022 – Luminary Selection Panel reviewed nominations
• Monday, March 28, 2022 at 6 p.m. (location - UCF Downtown Campus, Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, Parramore Room, 528 West Livingston Street) – Luminary Selection Panel met to recommend the inaugural class of Luminaries
• August 30, 2022 – Luminary Green construction completion/grand opening
• January 2023 – Luminary features fabricated and installed at Luminary Green
• February 2023 – Community celebration to honor the Luminaries at Luminary Green