Gloria L. Battle
By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
One of Alabama State University's most acclaimed alumni, Mrs. Gloria L. Battle, was honored recently by the South Columbus Georgia Public Library for her decades of generosity and service in advancing literacy, as well as her dedication to the community.
A section of the library's main building was named "The Gloria L. Battle Studio,” honoring Battle as the first branch manager of the South Columbus Public Library. The studio is part a $9.6 million renovation and expansion of the facility and is used by community groups for various public service activities.
"I certainly thank our library and its officers for naming this studio for me," said Mrs. Battle (ASU class of 1957). "I must have done something amazing to deserve this.”
NAMING CEREMONY
At the naming ceremony, Mrs. Battle was joined by a throng of family, friends and admirers, as she was greeted by Library Director Alan Harkness.
"This visit and ceremony felt like a true homecoming," Harkness remarked. "She toured the studio, now named in her honor, which is a space that recognizes her leadership."
THIRD GENERATION HORNET
Mrs. Battle, who was born in 1936, spent a large part of her youth at O' Mother Dear as both her mother and grandmother were teachers who attended summer sessions at ASU (then Alabama State College) to acquire updated core curriculum courses in order to stay at the forefront of teaching students in Russell County, Alabama.
"My mother taught school for over 50-years in Phenix City (Alabama) and my grandmother also was a teacher, and as a child, I was on campus a great deal of time and enjoyed being there for weeks over the summer. When it came time for me to attend college, I knew it would be Alabama State," said Battle.
WITNESSED "WHERE HISTORY IS MADE"
Mrs. Battle began her freshman year at ASU in 1954 and has many fond memories of her experiences, including becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
By December of her sophomore year, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began in earnest as Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a segregated Montgomery City bus. Battle herself was a history maker during that time. She was one of the students, led by Professor Jo Ann Robinson, who created leaflets that were distributed to alert the Black community about the boycott that eventually desegregated the city’s transportation system.
Battle was a witness to the seminal birth of the Modern Civil Rights Movement, and even before it began, saw the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. several times a week - both on campus and on Sundays as a member of his church, then named Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.
"Dr. King was a fixture on Alabama State's campus both before and after the start of the Bus Boycott," stated Mrs. Battle. "Despite how badly some folks treated him, I never saw him angry or heard him say a mean word, and he never preached anything other than freedom. As I look back, he inspires me as a man sent by the Lord to help us be free."
ENTREPRENEUR AND BUSINESS LEADER
Upon graduation from ASU, Mrs. Battle returned to Russell County, Alabama, where she served in education for decades. She also is the owner of a family business, Battle & Battle Funeral Home. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her service to her beloved community, including her work with the South Columbus Georgia Public Library.
The library’s director applauded Mrs. Battle for her exemplary life of service.
"Her legacy will continue to inspire and serve new generations of Columbus residents for years to come," Harkness said.