On Friday June 19, 2026, while celebrating Juneteenth local civil rights activist Johnny Holloway was honored by the folks of the Alton Park Development Corporation.
Dr. Elenora Woods, President of the Alton Park Development Corporation opened the ceremony with a ribbon cutting as the African American Education & History Museum was renamed the Johnny Holloway Educational, Heritage & Community Museum.
The museum is inside the building that is the Alton Park Development Corporation and home to WPTP 100.1FM Radio and is known as the Chattanooga Civic Center at Mountainside. Originally it was Piney Woods Elementary.
“They were going to have an auction because they wanted to get rid of this building,” Dr. Woods said. “This building was for Black children. This building was built in 1963 at the height of the civil rights movement for Black children. It was segregated. But God gave it right back to us.”
Dr. Woods unveiled a portrait of Holloway painted by local artist Jeremy Allen. She said another artist is working on a bronze bust of Holloway which will also become a permanent fixture at the museum.
“Do you all know Johnny is one of the oldest civil rights leaders of our time?” Dr. Woods informed the crowd. “We get to witness this right now while we are all still here. This man has walked alongside Jesse Jackson and all the other great civil rights leaders so, we wanted to give him this honor while he was still alive.”
Dr. Woods said the museum was Holloway’s idea and vision. He curated the various works of art and displays telling the stories of triumph and struggles Black Americans suffered or fought for several years. She said she was proud knowing Holloway’s legacy will live on in the museum forever.
A humble man of little words, Holloway barely spoke but was visibly moved to tears when poet Tonia Jeffries read aloud a special poem she wrote about Holloway and then presented him with a copy of the poem in an elegantly sealed envelope.
Among the guest speakers were two of Holloway’s former Howard High classmates from the first graduating class of 1955. They said Holloway was a quiet young man but also brilliant with a strong drive and determination to fight for what was just and right. Holloway went on to Alabama A&M and was in the U.S. Air Force.
Guests pointed to Holloway’s constant fight for equality. They said Holloway was one of the original plaintiffs in the historic Brown v. The Board of Commissioners of the City of Chattanooga, (E.D. Tenn. 1989).
This case involved the restructuring of the election process of Chattanooga’s Board of Commissioners due to its unconstitutionality as it contradicted Section 2 of the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. The case resulted in a more equally distributed representation of the citizens, particularly the city's minority groups, of Chattanooga.
Holloway worked with Rev. Jesse Jackson pioneering the PUSH Excel initiative here in the city. PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) Excel was a program that promoted education and it taught youth the importance of using their talents and skills to help their community.
Last year Holloway said he wanted to reactivate the PUSH Excel program in Chattanooga to instill in youth the need to advance the race.
Everyone stood up as Musician Joyce Knox led the crowd singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
In between guest speakers’ artist Swaayvo played the saxophone. Throughout the entire ceremony Holloway sat quietly taking in each minute in humble silence.
One speaker said she became an activist thanks to Holloway. She said she is working on getting grant money to help restore voters’ rights for those who couldn’t vote because of an outstanding court fee.
Suddenly Holloway broke his silence.
“Wait, stop,” he said. “We need to write this down and tell everyone. I didn’t know about this, and we need to spread the word.”
Typical Holloway fashion.
Someone else was honored at the ceremony although she wasn’t there. Many of the guests spoke fondly about Juanita Holloway, his wife of 61 years before she passed in 2023.
“I'm going to tell you one thing,” Holloway said. “One thing I did when I married Juanita. I became Juanita's husband. That's what most people knew me as. We had four boys. I kept trying to get a girl. That's my fault,” he said as the room erupted in laughter.
“Thank all of us for coming out,” he continued. “Now let's go eat.”
Everyone was treated to a catered meal provided by Herman’s Soul Food and Sisters Catering and guests toured the museum.