LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jefferson County Attorney's Office is honoring a local civil rights legend.
Alberta Jones was a trailblazing lawyer and one of the first Black women to pass the Kentucky Bar. She then became Louisville's first female prosecutor in 1965.
The Jefferson County Attorney's Office dedicated a conference room to Jones on Friday. Her family and friends were there for the celebration.
Jones helped educate thousands of African Americans on how to vote. She was also the lawyer who negotiated the most lucrative sports deal of her time for her neighbor, Muhammad Ali. She also helped register voters in the 60s.
"I hope that more young ladies, no matter what race, will take up and follow in her footsteps and become prosecutors and attorneys," Flora Jones said. "I'm very proud of the recognition that she's getting. It's came late, but it's getting more and more."
In 1965, Jones was beaten and thrown into the Ohio River off the Sherman Minton Bridge. The murder has remained a mystery despite a suspect and a fingerprint.
A "Hometown Hero" banner was unveiled for Jones in October 2017. It hangs on the side of the River City Bank building at the corner of Sixth Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard in downtown Louisville.
Last year, the first phase of the Alberta O. Jones Park in the city's California neighborhood was completed and opened. It features a mosaic of her portrait composed of hundreds of individual photographs celebrating the California neighborhood. The park was also the first in the city to have complementary, high-speed Wi-Fi.
More Alberta Jones Coverage:
- Louisville leaders hope the addition of this free feature will draw more residents to local parks
- First phase of Alberta Jones Park opens in California neighborhood
- Alberta Jones Day celebrated at Louisville park by unveiling of painting
- Beauty and connection | Murals by Louisville artists bring culture, identity to the city
- Construction begins on Alberta Jones Park in Louisville's California neighborhood
- 'Hometown Hero' banner honors first black woman to pass Kentucky Bar
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.