The Historic 18th Street Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA and the Iconic Weaver Bolden Branch Library holds deep, significance in our community including my husband, many others and myself, who grew up on the west-side of Tuscaloosa. The spirit of these landmarks has always been an integral part of our multigenerational journey towards self-sufficiency and empowerment. This is an opportunity for a 21st-century Ecosystem Movement passing to our generation from Benjamin Barnes, now rest with us to carry forward.

During the times of segregation and the Jim Crow era, the Benjamin Barnes YMCA was much more than just a building; it was a sanctuary for African Americans, a safe space where young men and youth found guidance and hope during the civil rights movement. Meanwhile, the Weaver Bolden Branch Library was a beacon of knowledge and empowerment—the very first African American Public Library in Tuscaloosa, Alabama—a space where my husband and I, along with countless others, were empowered, nurtured our dreams and aspirations.

Today, we stand at a crossroads, where these vital community landmarks, which have shaped so many lives, can either fade into obscurity or transform into a beacon of hope for generations to come, if returned to the black community. The Susan G. Cooper (Jordan & Austin) Community Impact & Empowerment Foundation has laid out a vital proposal for the City of Tuscaloosa to return these parcels including the other city-owned lots on the block, to our community to preserve their history and utilize them as catalysts, transforming the block into a community development and economic empowerment ecosystem district for West Tuscaloosa and underserved communities.

The buildings were purchased in 1961 and expanded through a $105,000 fund-raiser by the Black Community led by Benjamin Barnes. The buildings leveraged in 2021 to rebuild the greater Tuscaloosa community.  It's time to leverage the same building to save, rebuild, transform and repurpose itself. Which is the very definition of economic empowerment and self-sufficiency. 

Research also confirms that this 18th Street BBBYMCA/WBBL corridor built as Equalizer (separate but equal buildings) during a time of segregation, qualify and now eligible as of March 18, 2026 for the Alabama, and National Historic Preservation Registry, and the National Civil Rights Networks. 

Benjamin Barnes returned back home to Tuscaloosa after graduating from the Tuskegee Institute a student and mentee of Booker T. Washington with a "Doctrine of Service" by transforming this site into Economic Empowerment Campus, we are not changing the mission -- we are fulfilling it for the 21st century

Approving this proposal means giving us the tools and resources to break generational cycles of poverty by establishing a center designed to guide families and individuals through the maze of socioeconomic challenges and into the mainstream of economic success. It is an opportunity to harness community potential, offering programs in entrepreneurship, housing, wellness and healthcare for seniors, education, CDFI Community Bank for financial literacy, wealth-building opportunities, and empowerment tailored to foster self-reliance and growth in underserved communities.

The transformation of these historical sites is not only about preserving our heritage but also about laying the groundwork for an opportunity to move from poverty to prosperity. This initiative could reposition Tuscaloosa as a leader and national model in innovative and community development, fostering an ecosystem where social equity,  economic success and impact grow hand-in-hand.

Join us in urging the City of Tuscaloosa to take this pivotal step for our community. Your support can turn a historic legacy into a future of hope and opportunity for all. Please sign this petition led by  Community Leaders, Stakeholders, Tuscaloosa West-side Community, Kenneth & Susan G. Cooper (Jordan & Austin) Community Impact & Empowerment Foundation of Tuscaloosa to approve the RFP proposal returning the property back to the black community through the Susan G. Cooper Community Impact Foundation a non-profit charitable 501c3 organization for the empowerment of the Tuscaloosa Westside and Underserved communities.