At the April 28, 2025 ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly restored 220 Sunset Avenue residence, Westside Future Fund was honored to share a powerful statement from Dr. Constance Jackson Carter, one of the six children of Rev. Maynard Jackson Sr. and Dr. Irene Dobbs Jackson, who once lived at the residence as child. In her remarks, Dr. Carter reflects on her family’s deep roots in Vine City, the historic significance of 220 Sunset, and the enduring legacy of leadership, service, and community nurtured within its walls. We are proud to publish her full statement below.

This is indeed a very special day, concluding many ins and outs to reach this historic moment for the Jackson Family’s and King Family’s historic 220 Sunset Avenue residence, the neighbors of the Vine City community, Westside Future Fund, Spelman College, and for all of you gathered here today understanding the significance of the preservation of Atlanta’s history.

Thank you on behalf of the Jackson Family and the extended Dobbs Families for your being here today for this celebration of a rebirth, a restoration that lends continuity to our history and our values as a community, an Atlanta community. Thank you to Westside Future Fund and Spelman College for your vision in this living venture for faculty and staff of Spelman College who will be the first residents fulfilling our Parents’ initial vision to share our home as affordable housing for Faculty and Staff of the Atlanta University Center, dating back to Jan. 1949.

Blessings and deep thanks to City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Rev. Bernice King, Executive Director of the King Center, Carter Coleman III of APD Urban Planning and Management, the Honorable First Lady Valerie Richardson Jackson, my Sister-in-law, and other Jackson and Dobbs clans Family members, Bishop John Lewis, Vine City Community Coalition, and Mrs. Jackie Tyson, President of New South Associates, representatives of Friendship Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Kelley Miller Smith, Jr., Pastor and Mr. Curtis Evans, Administrator, if present, and so many others, especially Sunset Ave. Neighbors and Friends, and future Residents of 220 Sunset Ave.

It would take an hour to convey all of the history associated with this residence, both for the Jackson Family and for the King Family’s initial King Center, next door to the King Family’s 234 Sunset Ave. home.  The King Center was established here and in use after the purchase of the residence from Dr. Irene Jackson after our Mother moved with our brother Paul and me to Durham, NC., where she was asked to be Chairperson of the Dept. of Modern Foreign Languages at North Carolina College, now NCCU.

The most exciting part of this story is our Father’s extending of the doors of Friendship Baptist Church as the 3rd Pastor to the Mission he saw in underserved Vine City, and the role our Mother played as the first African American card holder for the Atlanta Public Library in that early desegregation effort across the South.  That daughters Carol Ann, 17 years old, and Connie (Constance) 12 years old, would join her to check out young adult books and records and children’s books, while Dr. Jackson selected books, recordings and replicas of paintings for her Humanities class at Spelman College, attests to Irene Dobbs Jackson’s determination to follow through. That robed Ku Klux Klansmen stood outside on the steps of the Library facing us would not unravel her fearless commitment to change the error of desegregation for the good she saw her efforts would achieve.

220 Sunset Ave would raise:

• A performing vocalist and jazz musician, champion for the underserved in early childhood education and later in Atlanta City Housing Authority in Alexandra Jackson Baranuik
• A brilliant artist and leader in education in the USA and in Nigeria in Jeanne Jackson Oladele
• An outstanding Attorney and the first African American Mayor of the City of Atlanta in Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr.
• An Educator and Administrator for the State of Georgia and Senior Facilities for the City of Atlanta in Carol Ann Jackson Miller
• A poet and educator, PhD recipient and trained Archivist for the State of Georgia Assoc. of Archivists at the AFPL Auburn Avenue Research Library in Dr. Constance Jackson Carter
• And last but not least, an Hospital Administrator certified by the University of Oslo, Norway and Masters from of Michigan, called by Dr. Sullivan to serve in the first Administration for Morehouse School of Medicine and Administrations in other underserved hospitals, and later the US Department of Energy in Paul Dobbs Jackson.

This is a testimony to the vision of Rev. Dr. Maynard Jackson Sr. and Dr. Irene Dobbs Jackson nurtured here at 220 Sunset Ave for their Family.

I most appreciate John Ahmann for allowing me these remarks. Every Family here in Vine City Community has a story. I thank God for the opportunity for our story to continue to serve and to uplift our Communities and  Families, our institutions of Pastoral service and Higher Education, and Offices of leadership for the City of Atlanta and beyond.

God bless you each and all!

Constance Jackson Carter, PhD