A cornerstone donated by Joseph Merrill sent the Pine Bluff community into a frenzy when it was discovered that the verbiage of the 1889 stone had racial overtones. Now the building named after him stands to get a new name.
The stone was displayed at the Merrill Center at 1000 S. Ash St., formerly known as the Seabrook Youth Center, which is currently undergoing renovations and updates.
According to City Council Member Ivan Whitfield, he received a phone call from a concerned resident about the cornerstone.
The cornerstone reads:
Donated by Joseph Merrill to the young white people for the purpose of improving their physical, mental, moral, and spiritual condition.
"This was years ago," said Whitfield. "This is 2020, and in that community center exists young black boys and black girls who play in there daily."
The cornerstone was removed, but the name attached to the building still disturbed the community. Whitfield said that concern moved him to recommend a name change to make the center more welcoming to all the residents in Pine Bluff. "Whether you're black or white, young or old, you should feel comfortable coming into the center," he said.
Whitfield presented the matter to the full council a month ago, and it was decided that a committee should be formed. The newly formed committee met for the first time Monday after the Public Health and Safety meeting at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Grant Williams was elected chair of the committee, and Goldie Whitaker was elected co-chair.
"Your assignment today is volunteering, but it's very serious because what you all decide, some years from now, young people will debate why did you decide," Whitfield told the committee.
Whitfield said the committee had a choice to leave the name as is or change it.
Three suggestions were given by Williams: Pine Bluff Community Center, Pine Bluff Youth Center, or Pine Bluff Recreation Center.
The Merrill Center, built in 1960, was taken over by the city approximately 12 years ago and has operated as a community center. During the renovation groundbreaking in February, Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said the center would not only provide recreational opportunities for young people but also would serve as a cultural center.
Washington said it would be a center of purpose.
Ted Davis, who is also a Jefferson County Election Commission member, attended the meeting as a committee member for the name change. He thanked the City Council for allowing the community an opportunity to express some input and ideas.
"I think it is extremely important that citizens have the opportunity to express their particular views," said Davis. Davis said he had the opportunity to look at the covenant years ago and that it does not reflect the values and the culture of the community.
"Specifically looking at where the city of Pine Bluff is moving at this point, where the city government, our aldermen, our mayor, others working in our community, looking at where we are going in our community, these names which were mentioned before are names I feel are taking this community forward," said Davis, referring to the name change suggestions made by Williams. "Any focus on an individual or person takes things outside of where we are as a community at this point."
Davis asked that the name simply be the Pine Bluff Community Center, as it would cater to the needs of the entire community.
"It's not only for the youth, and it's not only recreation," said Davis. "If we say community, we would embrace everyone at that point."
A motion was made to recommend the renaming of the Merrill Center to the Pine Bluff Community Center. The recommendation will now go to the council for approval. Williams expressed happiness about the outcome of the meeting.
With the center's reopening in less than two months, Williams wanted to make sure the center had no particular person's name attached to it.
"I felt basically to place an individual name opens up a can of worms for rejection and justification," said Williams, who added that a person's name would cause confusion. "We can justify this because this is Pine Bluff, and it is a community center."