In December 2018, the school board approved renaming the Central Office of the City Schools of Decatur the M. Elizabeth Wilson School Support Center, after the city’s first woman and, to date, only African-American mayor.

Mayor Wilson served our city as Mayor between 1993 and 1998.  Prior to serving as mayor, she served on the Decatur City Commission and played a key role in the desegregation of the Decatur public schools and libraries during the 1960s. Driven by principle and a mother of four, Ms. Wilson has been relentless in her non-violent protest against injustice and inequity in her community. She was one of the first African Americans to get a library card at the Decatur Library, and her oldest son, Richard, is distinguished by being one of the first African American students to attend the then newly integrated Decatur High School. Decatur Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson’s actions changed the course of Decatur history and ensured that every child in the City of Decatur has an equal opportunity to receive a quality education.

We thank Mayor Wilson for her service to our community by renaming our Central Office building the M. Elizabeth Wilson School Support Center. For brevity, you can also use the Wilson School Support Center or WSSC.