The History of Groveway Community Group
Credit: Courtesy of Roswell Historical Society
Introduction
With a desire to strengthen, unify, and make a lasting impact on their immediate community, African American residents of Roswell gathered long before Grove Way Community Organization was formally established.
Rooted in faith, mutual care, and collective responsibility, those early assemblies laid the foundation for what would become a lasting institution—founded in 1943 and still serving today.
1943 A Movement Organized
Grove Way Community Organization was formally founded, giving structure and voice to years of grassroots organizing in Roswell’s Black neighborhood.
1952 A Place to Call Our Own
The Grove Way Community Center was dedicated, providing a permanent home for meetings, youth programs, and collective community action.
With a stable meeting place secured, residents built programs that would shape generations.
1961 Rebuilding After Violence
In 1961, the Grove Way Community Center was set on fire twice by the Ku Klux Klan.
The attacks were intended to intimidate and silence.
They did not succeed.
Residents rebuilt with unity and resolve, reaffirming their commitment to protect the space they had worked to establish.
1971–1976 Growth and Integration
In 1971, Grove Way Community Organization merged with the North Fulton Child Development Association, launching the first sliding-scale-based kindergarten in the area.
In 1976, the original Center was demolished to make way for the North Fulton Human Services Center, and meetings resumed the following year.
1980 A Foundation Secured
Grove Way Community Organization was officially incorporated in the State of Georgia, formalizing leadership and securing its future as a civic institution.
Founders included:
Alonzo Alien
Rev. Guy B. Strickland
H. D. Manning
Estee Strickland
Alex Nuckles, Sr.
William Strickland
Alex Nuckles, Jr.
First officers included:
Chairman: Alexander Nuckles, Sr.
President: Alexander Nuckles, Jr.
Vice-Chairman: William Strickland
Secretary: Janie Blackwell
Treasurer: Dora Stafford
Today A Living Legacy
Now operating from 89 Grove Way, Groveway Community Group continues to serve families through scholarships, youth programs, community events, and neighborhood advocacy.
Signature events such as the Annual Scholarship Banquet, Senior Brunch, Community Day in the Park, and the Black History Program carry forward the legacy begun generations ago.
More than 35 scholarships have been awarded to date.
Continuing the Work
Groveway’s history is not simply a record of the past. It is the foundation of the work being done today.
The same spirit that organized meetings in churches and schools now guides programs that support families, youth, seniors, and the preservation of Groveway’s cultural heritage.
This history is not complete. It continues.