The morning sun on the first day of October brought a warm, lingering heat to the open-air tribute garden just a few yards away from a shaded canopy. That’s where an expectant crowd gathered to remember, reflect and celebrate.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, community leaders, families, friends and donors filled the LeMoyne Arts campus for the dedication ceremony of the African American Tribute Garden.
Designed as a permanent sanctuary, the garden recognizes the individuals and families who stood at the forefront of desegregation and civil rights in Tallahassee.
Know their names: A roll call of civil rights leaders who helped shape Tallahassee
LeMoyne Arts honors civil rights legacy at dedication ceremony
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The LeMoyne Arts sign stands in front of the building during the Oct. 1, 2026 African American Tribute Garden Dedication Ceremony. (Sarah Cheatham/Tallahassee Democrat)
At the heart of the garden sits PLUS, a sculpture by artist Fred Holschuh, given to LeMoyne in memory of Irene C. Edmonds by her friends and family.
Edmonds was a prominent Florida A&M University humanities, speech and drama professor who influenced generations of young people in Tallahassee. Her presence in the garden connects the project to the city’s rich cultural and educational history.
The morning was marked by raw emotion and powerful oral histories shared by the descendants of those commemorated. As family members stepped forward, threads of education and opportunity wove through every reflection.
Carol Neyland speaks during the Oct. 1 LeMoyne Arts African American Tribute Garden Dedication Ceremony, sharing reflections on honorees Dr. Joseph Awkard and Dr. Julita Awkard.
Celeste Brickler Hart thanked her lifelong friend Carol Neyland, the leader of the tribute garden initiative, and the board for making the day a reality. Other speakers shared how their parents’ sacrifices laid the foundation for the community today.
“This is a fitting tribute to our mama,” said Sandra Close Turnquest, speaking lovingly of her mother, Cloia Daisy Close — a devoted mother, an advocate for education who celebrated at every milestone, and someone who simply loved to garden.
The ceremony concluded with guests mingling in the garden and a prosecco toast led by LeMoyne Board President Dan Taylor.
Attendees hold up their glasses for a toast during the Oct. 1 LeMoyne Arts African American Tribute Garden Dedication Ceremony.
“We are really proud of this African American Tribute Garden. LeMoyne was founded 63 years ago on the premise that everybody is included, and we’ve really tried to do that as long as LeMoyne has been around. I think it’s really important that we memorialize it.”
All oral histories shared during the dedication ceremony were recorded to become part of LeMoyne’s permanent audio archive.
African American Tribute Garden Honorees
Dedicated to those who joined the struggle for social justice:
To learn more about the African American Tribute Garden, visit lemoyne.org.
Sarah Cheatham is a visual storyteller and photojournalist for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at scheatham@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: LeMoyne Arts memorializes local civil rights trailblazers