As the community redevelopment agency begins work to celebrate and preserve the history of historic Fifth Avenue district in Northwest Gainesville, the people who have called the area home for years reflect on change
Segregation is not something easy to talk about, but it happened and was going on in some cases in Gainesville until the late 1960s.
Before integration, Northwest Fifth Avenue, or Seminary Street was the epicenter for the African American community.
Businesses and families came together and in the course of a few city blocks, the community was able to take care of everything from a trip to the grocery store, to catching the latest movie.
The CRA is currently working with area businesses and families to use that past to guide future development in the area.
The family that operates the Duncan Brothers Funeral Home has operated their business on Northwest Fifth Avenue since 1953 says integration put the neighborhood through the ringer.