New park celebrates the life, legacy of Alberta O. Jones

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A new park in the California neighborhood will honor the life and legacy of a pioneering Louisville attorney and civil rights champion, Alberta Jones.

In the California neighborhood, a 20-acre park will have walking paths, outdoor fitness stations, a park lawn, a performance pavilion and a music-themed playground.

On Saturday, Alberta’s family, city officials, and others gather at the new site for the inaugural Alberta O. Jones Park Day.

“She was very modest,” Alberta Jones’s sister Flora Shanklin said. “If she was here, she would ask, ‘What did I do to deserve this recognition?’ She wasn’t thinking what she was doing was going to make history.”

Alberta Jones was Kentucky’s female prosecutor and an advocate for change. She led a campaign that forced Louisville’s city government to hire more Black employees. She also helped register thousands of Black voters. For city officials, the Alberta Jones Park is a sign of more work to be done.

“This is not just symbolic of a person that fought back then,” District 4 Councilman Jecorey Arthur said. “This is a reminder that you have to continue that fight today.”

Park visitors will be able to see the best of themselves through Alberta’s story. A mural capturing Alberta’s spirit, determination and generosity will be made of thousands of community photos and locations in the California neighborhood.

Jones’s life ended before she could see the fruits of her labor. Her body was found near the Shawnee Park boat ramp in August 1965. Police said she had been beaten unconscious and then drowned. Her murder remains unsolved.

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