The now vacant lot was once the site of the Hattiesburg Community Center, which primarily served as a Freedom School. Additionally, it was a health care facility that was staffed by visiting doctors and nurses and a planning site for civil rights activities like peaceful protests and community events.

The Hattiesburg Community Center held concerts for touring folk singers like Pete Seeger and plays like In White America. Performances such as these were the first opportunity many students had to see Civil Rights-themed productions performed by African Americans.

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Larry Blackman is a Hattiesburg native and Freedom Fighter. In his recollection, he tells how the Hattiesburg Community Center and True Light Baptist Church impacted his life and the life of others during the Civil Rights Movement.