NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A stretch of road in Nashville’s historic Edgehill neighborhood now carries the name of a man whose courage helped reshape the city during the Civil Rights Movement.
Community members, city leaders, and civil rights veterans gathered Saturday at the corner of 12th Avenue South and South Street for a ceremony officially renaming the roadway King Hollands Avenue. The newly designated street runs from Eighth Avenue South to Music Square West, honoring the life and legacy of longtime activist King Madison Hollands.
The renaming recognizes Hollands’ role in Nashville’s struggle for civil rights and his lifelong commitment to the Edgehill community where he grew up.
Hollands was among the first group of African American students to integrate Father Ryan High School in 1954, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared school segregation unconstitutional. The experience placed him at the center of the early movement to desegregate education in Nashville.
A few years later, while attending Fisk University, Hollands became involved in the city’s historic lunch counter sit-ins. The peaceful protests, which began in 1960, challenged segregation at downtown businesses and helped place Nashville at the forefront of the national Civil Rights Movement. Hollands was arrested during the demonstrations and spent time in jail for participating.
“Mr. King Hollands spent two weeks in jail for participating in the lunch counter sit-ins,” Metro Councilmember Zulfat Suara said previously while advocating for the street renaming. “Thank you for your role in desegregation. Rest in power.”
Suara sponsored the Metro Council legislation that made the renaming possible. The bill passed through the council’s approval process earlier this year.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell joined Suara and neighborhood residents at Saturday’s ceremony to recognize Hollands’ legacy and the importance of preserving Nashville’s civil rights history.
Hollands remained deeply connected to Edgehill throughout his life. In addition to his activism, he worked to protect the community’s history and heritage, helping highlight the neighborhood’s role in Nashville’s civil rights struggle. He also helped establish the Nashville Civil Rights Veterans Association, which preserves the stories and experiences of those who participated in the movement.
Fellow civil rights activist Gloria McKissack attended the ceremony and reflected on Hollands’ impact.
“King Hollands was a dear friend and a colleague,” she said. “I miss him greatly. He stood by me and helped me in so many ways.”
Hollands died in December 2023 at the age of 82. His passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from community members who credited him with helping open doors for future generations.
His daughter, Kisha Turner, said the family is grateful to see his legacy recognized in the neighborhood that shaped his life.
She hopes the street name will inspire people to learn about his contributions and the broader struggle for equality.
“I hope that when people see his name, they ask who he was,” Turner said. “He did so many things for the neighborhood, for Edgehill, for the community. I hope people will remember and pass those stories on.”
For many residents, the new street name serves as both a tribute and a reminder of Nashville’s role in the Civil Rights Movement — and of the individuals who helped make that history possible.
