Brookhaven approves historic designation for Lynwood Park
Official recognition commemorates brave trailblazers of integration
Brookhaven, GA, Oct. 13, 2020 – At its business meeting on Oct. 13, the City of Brookhaven approved an official historic designation for Lynwood Park and its community. This is the first historic designation made by the City.
Lynwood Park was established in the early 1930’s and was the first predominantly Black subdivision in DeKalb County. Residents throughout the following years suffered discrimination and segregation.
“The history of the people in Lynwood Park is rich in strength, cohesiveness, determination, pride and values,” said District 1 Council Member Linley Jones. “The history of the building we know as the Lynwood Recreation Center is so important to the City’s history and will now be preserved for today’s children and future generations to understand history, not in the abstract, but in concrete.”
This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the closing of the school, which now serves as both a recreation center and Brookhaven Park and Recreation headquarters. In 1968, students of the school, known as the Lynwood Trailblazers, bravely entered the previously segregated DeKalb County School System. The building is also the site of the City’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dinner and Celebration.
Under the measure, the City of Brookhaven will install a bronze recognition plaque inside the building listing the names of all recognized Trailblazers and install granite entrance monuments, identifying the neighborhood of Historic Lynwood Park. The City will also provide a historical marker on the exterior site at the Lynwood School detailing the history of the area and its role and place in Brookhaven’s history. The City will also install granite entrance monuments, consistent in appearance with other City of Brookhaven monument signage, identifying the neighborhood of Historic Lynwood Park and provide promotion and recognition of Lynwood Park historic events such as the upcoming 100th anniversary of Little Zion Baptist Church and other historic community occasions.
“The Lynwood Park community, to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude for their contributions to our community under the most difficult conditions, have been working on this effort for many years. It’s long overdue, and I am proud we were able to unite as a City to make this happen,” said Council Member Jones.
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