February is Black History Month... and for residents in Alachua, they say there's no better way to celebrate it than to honor a man who was influential in the civil rights movement in the city.
Gerald Criswell was Alachua's first black commissioner... first black mayor... and many residents say he made the city what it is today.
Longtime City Manager Clovis Watson and two of the five current city commissioners are African American.
Criswell died Sunday after battling an illness for many years.
Friends came to honor him at the Alachua City Commission meeting.