COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
CARVER-SMITH LEGACY NIGHT
In an effort to honor and reconnect the alumni of Carver-Smith High School, CPJI is the proud host of Carver-Smith Legacy Night, an evening for alums to reconnect, share memories and revive the bonds that have shaped their lives.
Carver-Smith graduates’ school history was severed after the school’s closure in 1969 due to integration. Alums will attend a high school basketball game in which players will wear throwback Carver-Smith uniforms, paying homage to their community’s history.
This special evening aims to foster a sense of belonging for Carver-Smith alums and ensure the school’s legacy lives on, while also teaching a new generation of students about the stories and achievements of Carver-Smith High School.
“Thanks to Carver-Smith Legacy Night, alums have a place to connect with. They find themselves a new home.”
JOHNSON CREEK ROAD
In 2016, CPJI’s Stand Together Fellowship orchestrated the name change of a rural county road east of Columbia. This racially insensitive road name, Negro Creek Road, had been a source of discomfort within the community and served as a painful reminder of the county’s harmful history of racism and discrimination.
The change, which came after a proposal to the Maury County Commission, many dialogue meetings, and a mediation with road residents led by Judge Bobby Sands, marked a critical step toward the community’s commitment to inclusivity, understanding, and respect. Ultimately, the Maury County Commission unanimously voted to change the road’s name to Johnson Creek Road.
GET INVOLVED
Attend a Stand Together meeting→
CPJI’s Stand Together Fellowship meets on the first Friday of every other month at the Columbia Police Department. It is open to every member of the community. If there is a topic you wish to bring up for discussion at one of these meetings, make a suggestion here.
Since 2019, diverse groups of CPJI members and community leaders have embarked on a life-changing educational trip into the heart of civil rights history—Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuskegee and Selma, Ala. If you are interested in attending on a future journey, join the list.
Your donations will help CPJI in our mission to celebrate the legacy of African Americans in Maury County and our work throughout the community. You can donate online via Givelify or by mail: Columbia Peace and Justice Initiative, 1107 Whitney Drive, Columbia, TN 38401.