Board proclaims Dr. Alice White Bussey Remembrance Day; commissioner proposes Ellenwood park and center rename

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on April 22 issued a proclamation honoring the life and civic leadership of Dr. Alice White Bussey and heard family and community remarks in support of renaming a planned Ellenwood park and intergenerational center for her.

Commissioner Nicole Messiah presented the proclamation and described Bussey’s long civic role — from local business leadership to statewide and international advocacy — and her work with SPLOST oversight and the Atlanta Business League. “Doctor Bussey remained rooted in service to DeKalb,” Messiah said, describing projects she championed in South DeKalb.

Messiah announced she will lead the effort to rename the planned Ellenwood Park as the Alice White Bussey Legacy Park and to dedicate the county’s intergenerational center in Bussey’s name. She told the board the formal proposal would be presented to the board in May following an earlier March submission.

Family members accepted flowers and shared personal remarks. Reginald Johnston, a nephew, said the park would be “a great tribute for the neighborhood” and urged the county to keep promises to complete the project. Other family members and former officials recalled Bussey’s leadership and involvement in business showcases, trade missions and local development efforts.

The clerk read the proclamation into the record, which notes Bussey’s civic appointments — including to SPLOST advisory groups — her business achievements and decades of community advocacy. The board gathered with the family for photos and planned follow-up on the renaming and dedication as a Board item in May.