It has been almost ten years since the Monroe City Council voted to rename the Powell Street Neighborhood Center in honor of two local trailblazers—Benny J. Ausberry and James “Coach” Hughey. Yet, despite the council’s resolution, neither man’s name has been placed on the building, and their contributions to the community risk fading from memory.
In November 2015, the council passed a resolution to rename the center the Benny J. Ausberry/James “Coach” Hughey Community Center. The resolution recognized both men for their unselfish service and lifelong dedication to Monroe’s Black community.
Ausberry, a political leader in the Booker T. community, was the first Black member of the Monroe City Council. Alongside Alfred Blakes, he was a plaintiff in the NAACP lawsuit that re…
They need to go on Dixie st off Jackson street haven’t been cut in six months