“Welcome to Taylor Square” the words echoed in my mind. This wasn’t just any square. This was Susie King Taylor Square a place where history whispers secrets.
Susie King Taylor Square sits proudly in Savannah Georgia. It’s more than just a park it’s a monument. It’s a tribute to a remarkable woman a former slave who became the first African American woman to openly teach Black children in Georgia.
Before it bore its current name this square was known as Calhoun Square. John C Calhoun a former US vice president was a staunch supporter of slavery. The irony is palpable. This very ground once served as a burial ground for hundreds of enslaved Black Savannahians. For 170 years Calhoun’s name stained this sacred space.
But change came. In 2022 a petition led by the Center for Jubilee successfully pushed to remove Calhoun’s name. After a three-year battle the city council voted in October 2023 to rename it Taylor Square.
The dedication ceremony was a momentous occasion. Hundreds gathered to witness history. Mayor Van Johnson declared “We’re not only here to make history we’re here to make sense.”
Susie King Taylor’s life was extraordinary. Born into slavery in Liberty County she moved to Savannah as a child. Despite the illegality she attended secret schools taught by Black women. At 14 she escaped to Union-occupied St Simons Island. There she fearlessly taught Black children openly defying the oppressive laws of the time.
Her bravery extended beyond education. During the Civil War she served as a nurse laundress and teacher with the 33rd United States Colored Troops. She even wrote a memoir Reminiscences of My Life in Camp detailing her experiences a remarkable feat for an African American woman of her time.
Today as you stand in Susie King Taylor Square you stand on hallowed ground. You stand in a place transformed a place where a painful past yields to a powerful present. It’s a reminder that history isn’t static. It evolves. It adapts. It remembers. This square honors Susie King Taylor’s legacy her resilience her unwavering commitment to education. Her story lives on in this space a beacon of hope a testament to the enduring power of perseverance. Let us remember and learn from her remarkable journey.