Antoine Graves (person) facts for kids

Antoine Graves (1862–1941) was an important person in Atlanta history. He was a successful real estate agent. He also helped lead schools for African American children. He was known for standing up for what he believed was right.

Who Was Antoine Graves?

Antoine Graves was born in 1862. He became a well-known real estate agent in Atlanta. His office was in the Kimball Building. This building was on Wall Street. He even helped arrange the sale of the land where the Georgia State Capitol building now stands. This is the main government building for the state of Georgia.

Early Career in Education

Graves was also a dedicated educator. From 1884 to 1886, he was the first principal of the Gate City Colored Public School. Later, he became the principal at the Storrs School. This was the very first school in Atlanta for African American students.

Standing Up for What's Right

While Graves was principal of Gate City Colored Public School, something important happened. Jefferson Davis had been a leader of the Confederacy. This was a group of states that fought to keep slavery during the American Civil War. When Davis died, his body was being taken to Richmond, Virginia for burial. Schools were told to close for a parade to honor him.

However, Antoine Graves refused to close his school. He did not want to honor a man who supported slavery. Because of his brave refusal, Graves was fired from his job. This shows how strongly he felt about equality and justice.

Antoine Graves' Family Life

Antoine Graves was married to Catherine Webb. Her mother was Sinai Calhoun Webb. Sinai was born into slavery in 1830. Her father was Judge William Ezzard. He was a well-known politician and mayor of Atlanta. This shows the complex history of families in that time.

Remembering Antoine Graves

Antoine Graves passed away in 1941. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. His is the only mausoleum in the section for African American burials. A mausoleum is a special building where people are buried.

The Atlanta Housing Authority honored Antoine Graves. They named a tall building after him. It was called the Antoine Graves senior citizen highrise. It was built in 1965 and was a home for older adults. The building was later taken down in 2009.