Former C.B. King Law Office sits in disrepair four years after being saved from demolition
ALBANY – Tucked in on a shady section of Monroe Street in Albany are the crumbled remains of a building that housed pivotal work of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.
The former law office of C.B. King, the first black lawyer in southwest Georgia, was slated for demolition until a group of advocates, including then-members of Albany's Historic Preservation Commission, fought to make it a local landmark. They won the fight, and it was saved from demolition in 2021. There was talk about revitalizing the space. However, since then, no work has begun, and the building continues to fall into disrepair.
'There are still plans we are hoping for, and the HPC is still supporting the revitalization of that building because it is an important building for not just blacks but for Albany period because of who C.B. King was and what the law office represented,' Angie Jones, a county HPC board member said.
The city is on a journey to revitalize and celebrate parts of its downtown landscape, including the Harlem District, which was once a thriving center of black-owned businesses. Dougherty County recently contracted AugustineMonica Films to research, design and construct a 20-address digital Black Heritage Trail for the county.
Clennon King, AugustineMonica Films filmmaker, wrote in a message to The Albany Herald that 'without question, the King family will be highlighted for its leadership and service to the black community.' He also wrote that it's too early in the project stages to confirm if the old law office would be highlighted on the trail.
For years, King was the only attorney south of Atlanta who would accept civil rights cases. He's remembered for courage in the face of all-white judges and juries. When hundreds of civil rights marchers participating in the Albany Movement were jailed throughout the region in the early 1960s, King led the legal team that came to the protesters' defense. Albany's federal courthouse was named in his honor in 2002.
C.B. King mentored generations of law students in his small firm at 502 S. Monroe St., including District 5 County Commissioner Gloria Gaines. She called her time spent in the building 'foundational.'
'I went to work for him, and as a little country girl at the time, it just blew my mind the personalities that came through his office, like Vernon Jordan (another prominent Civil Rights attorney) … just a whole host of characters who played a significant role in where we are today,' Gaines said.
The building was damaged during the 1994 flood, during which water levels crested at about 44 feet. Neighboring homes and old businesses still bear the marks of flood water that receded more than 30 years ago with boarded-up windows and scuffed walls. Today, the old law office sits exposed to the elements with no roof, closed walls or windows. Weeds grow along the sides and in between cracked, graffitied walls.
Jones said in 2021 there were plans to revitalize the space through a partnership with Albany Technical College and Turner Job Corps. She said COVID-19 was still prevalent, delaying the start of work. In 2022, Anthony Parker, Albany Tech's then-president, died, further halting the project.
'We are hoping that revitalization conversations can start back up,' she said. 'The HPC is still supporting these conversations, but we can only move forward when the property owners give us the OK to do so.'
The property is still privately owned by the King family.
Chevene King, an Albany attorney and the son of C.B. King, said the property's been in his family for a great number of years, and they are disappointed by how it's suffered. He said there are still hopes for revitalization and finding new use for the dilapidated building, whether that's making it functional again or finding a different way to celebrate the property's significance.
'Certainly my father's contribution to this community, as well as in some respects, the nation, is something that warrants some recognition,' he said. 'It could also contribute to the overall ability of Albany to market itself as a place to visit because of the historical contributions.'
However, work on the property would require fundraising, Chevene King said.
Bruce Capps, an Albany resident and former HPC board member, said he feels that the site's been forgotten and stressed urgency in its revitalization. He said he recently noticed parts of the structure's unique ironwork have gone missing, most likely dismantled.
'This is not an indictment of anyone, but everybody around here shares a lot of passion; unfortunately nobody's quite willing to put that passion into action,' he said.
Capps said he'd like to see an emergency fund used to seal up the building, first. He'd also like to see the city gain ownership of the property. He said the HPC is often 'shackled' by code enforcement when it comes to addressing dilapidated properties. He called the city of Albany's code enforcement 'anti-historic property.'
Capps expressed his concerns during an Albany City Commission meeting Monday. He wrote in an email to The Albany Herald that he was tasked with creating a revitalization plan. Chevene King said he hadn't been made aware of this plan, but he plans to have conversations with different community entities to bring revitalization ideas to the table.
Gaines said she would wholeheartedly support efforts to revitalize the old law office. However, she said it would require finding the resources and willing investors to do it, despite the flood risk of the area.
'It's not as simple as, 'You should restore this for the community, and you've been negligent by not doing so,'' she said. 'It's the hesitation of doing that because of a potential for flood. What are the safeguards to that investment?'
Gaines said she doesn't know if revitalization of the former C.B. King Law Office looks like a full restoration or simply a physical memorial.
'But, I do think we should try to come together and figure it out,' she said.
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