Honoring Black History: The origin of Savannah's Greenbriar Children's Center
For the past 75 years, Greenbriar Children's Center has been a place of refuge for young people who've often had to deal with circumstances beyond their control.But to understand its mission, you have to consider its past.
Greenbriar Children's Center's began with a vision for a brighter future for Black children in Savannah.It started with a charitable donation from local philanthropist, Adeline Graham, who passed away in 1943.In her will she left $2,200 dollars to be used for an orphanage.
Gena Taylor is the center's Executive Director. She says prior to this time, young black children without parental support were placed in local penal facilities like the Brown Farm— a 400 acre Jim Crow era camp surrounding Montgomery Cross Road where inmates labored in poor conditions.
With the support of Rev. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert— pastor of First African Baptist Church and president of the local chapter of the NAACP– Greenbriar was established by five young women from the Gamma Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated who saw a cause in need of help. They used the seed money to establish the area's first dedicated center for Black children.
Before finding a permanent home, Greenbriar occupied a number of spaces, including the Women's Army Corp (WAC) building on Hunter Army Airfield in 1949, and several houses in the Carver Village community in the early 1950s.By May of 1954, Greenbriar expanded by acquiring a 15-acre property on Hopkins Street.
One of the first children to walk through its doors was Carolyn Maynor who recently shared her story at the agency's 75th anniversary gala.
She credits the love and support she received at Greenbriar for guiding her success.As an adult, Ms. Maynor became the first Black Telecommunications Operator at the Executive Offices of the President during the Nixon era 1969-1971.
She then worked for the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, the District Attorney's office in Savannah as a Victim Advocate for the Victim Witness Program, and the Fulton County Courthouse before returning to DC to work for the US Office of Special Counsel until her retirement in 2005.
Maynor's lived experience is what Taylor says they strive for every day through its enduring mission of uplifting our most vulnerable children and paving the way for a brighter future.
Greenbriar currently provides childcare, accredited and affordable early learning programs, family preservation and counseling services, and an emergency shelter for children and young adults.
Greenbriar's first executive director, Doris Roberts, created the agency's very first childcare center.They currently operate three in addition to accredited and affordable early learning programs, family preservation, counseling services, and an emergency shelter for children and young adults.The center also operates more than 70 Project Safe Place sites in the Savannah area.
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