Alberta Cooley McCrory spent five years at the Atlanta Young Women’s Christian Association as a program developer, raising money from corporations, foundations and individuals. Now she wants to use that experience to develop some creative methods of moving Hobson City forward.“I believe we can do some things differently and be creative in generating resources,” said McCrory, 56. “Things are available that are not tapped.”
McCrory is running for Place 2 on the Hobson City Town Council. She is minister of Temple of Hope Community Church in Hobson City and is an environmental justice coordinator at the West Anniston Foundation.
McCrory, a Hobson City native, returned to the town four years ago.
A few of McCrory’s ideas for creating revenue include marketing Hobson City, one of the nation’s first all-black municipalities, as a tourist destination. A group could establish a tour, including the houses of founding citizens and a history of how the town was formed. She also wants to list it on the state’s historical register.
“We should capitalize on our history, not suppress it,” she said.
McCrory wants to go to other historically black towns, such as Eatonville, Fla. and Mound Bayou, Miss. She suggested that Hobson City could donate condemned houses to entrepreneurs who want to establish businesses, such as a child-care center.
McCrory would like to establish a 501C-3 community foundation to serve as a way for former Hobson City residents or graduates of Calhoun County Training School to give back to their community.
“It is an all-black city, and so many people came through the town to go on to live successful lives,” she said. “It would be an organized way to contribute.”
McCrory wants to start a job-training program for teenagers and jobless adults. Some residents in their 50s would go back to work if they could get re-trained, she said.
Hobson City should recruit industry, but also should help families, she says. It should partner with churches to provide social services, such as assistance with housing.
McCrory recognizes the town’s financial struggles, as well as its history that includes disenfranchisement. But that should inspire residents to persevere, she said.
“We’re known for taking lemons and making lemonade,” McCrory said.
McCrory, a graduate of Calhoun Country Training School, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Jacksonville State University and a master of divinity and master of arts in Christian education from Morehouse School of Religion/Interdenominational Theological Center.
She is widowed and has one daughter.
