Gwinnett school named for civil rights activist

A late civil rights activist who fought to secure government job opportunities for minorities and urged Gwinnett County cities to observe King Day as a national holiday is having a new school named in her honor.

Robbie Susan Moore Middle School, will be located at 1221 Lawrenceville Highway. It is under design and is slated to open in 2011.

It will be only the second school in the district, the state’s largest, which carries the name of an African American.

“She meant a lot to the community,” Sloan Roach, spokesperson for Gwinnett County Public Schools said of Moore, who died in July 2008. “Her contributions are something the school board and the school community felt were worthy of this type of recognition. She was a community leader. We think she built quite a legacy.”

Family and friends of Moore were moved by the gesture.

“I think she’s smiling now,” said her husband Eron Moore Jr., 71. “I think it’s fantastic that people even thought enough of her to nominate her.”

Moore was president and a founding member of the United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County Inc., a 26-year-old organization that hosts the annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute in Gwinnett, holds educational seminars on black culture and helped to increase diversity among employees in local government and schools. Months before her death, Moore helped to convince the final municipal hold-outs in Gwinnett to celebrate King Day. Grayson was the last city to vote to observe the holiday in December 2007.

Moore’s organization continues her work in Gwinnett County.

“She did not see color …. all she saw is people and she wanted them to work together,” Moore Jr. said. “We continue to work with people of all races to keep this county moving foward so it can be recognized as a great place for all people.”

The school board also agreed to name schools after two other local community leaders.

Snell Elementary School, which will open in 2010, honors Grace Brooks Snell, who is known as the first lady of Snellville. Snell launched her teaching career in Gwinnett in 1920 and taught for 30 years. Jenkins Elementary School, also scheduled to open in 2010, honors Bartow Jenkins, a former school administrator who also served as mayor of Lawrenceville for 14 years.