Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 11-30-18

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Salcines Park Slated For Dedication December 8th
The Honorable George Edgecomb’s face is among those de- picted on the “Faces of West Tampa” mural that will be intro- duced to the community on December 8th.
Mural at Salcines Park.
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
The Honorable George Edgecomb is among the faces in the mural.
The West Tampa CRA will host a mural dedication cere- mony on Saturday, December 8th at Salcines Park, 1705 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607, beginning at 10 a. m.
The dedication ceremony will introduce the community to the newly painted mural within Salcines Park. The mural, titled “Faces of West Tampa,” pays homage to the diverse history of West Tampa by showcasing many of the area’s historic figures, elements, and places of his- toric significance that repre- sent the West Tampa area.
The mural was designed and completed by Tampa artists, Michelle Sawyer and Tony Krol of Illsol, and was commissioned by the City of Tampa, Art Programs Division.
One of the faces to grace the mural will be that of the Honorable George Edge- comb (1942-1976), who grew up in West Tampa’s public housing community. He went on to become presi- dent of his high school, col- lege and law school (Chief Justice) classes.
Although his career was short, it was well lived. He was Hillsborough County’s first African-American Assis- tant County Solicitor, as well as the first African-American Assistant State Attorney, later becoming Chief of the
Felony Division of the State Attorney’s Office.
On August 13, 1973,
Governor Reuben Askew appointed Judge Edge- comb as the first African- American County Judge for Hillsborough County. He was just 31 years old when he took the bench, and served for just three years before his death in 1976.
His memory lives on in Hillsborough County as the Hillsborough County Court- house bears his name – George E. Edgecomb Court- house, and the organization for African- American attor- neys also bears his name – the George Edgecomb Bar Association.
Other West Tampa His- toric Figures that appear on the mural are: Clara Frye, Robert Saunders, Mr. and Mrs. Salcines, Alton White, Sr., Jetie B. Wilds, Jr., Rick Casares, Lou Piniella, Tony “Half Pint” Begino, E. J. Sasl- cines, Leon Claxton and Blas O’Hallboran.
The West Tampa CRA re- development area includes all public and private prop- erty located within its bound- aries: North – West Columbus Drive; South – South Kennedy Blvd.; West – N. Armenia Ave.; and East – Hillsborough River.
For additional informa- tion or interest in volunteer- ing, or being a vendor please contact Malcolm Kiner, Man- ager, West Tampa CRA, at (813) 274-7427 or by e-mail at Malcolm.Kiner@Tam- pagov.net.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A