Civil rights leader Xernona Clayton gets street, park designation in downtown Atlanta

Xernona Clayton (center) is applauded by Ted Turner (left), Mayor Shirley Franklin (right) and attendees to the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame event at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on Aug. 26, 2005. Clayton is the creator of the Walk of Fame, a display of footprints of "foot soldiers" for human rights.

Credit: Mikki K. Harris

Credit: Mikki K. Harris

Xernona Clayton (center) is applauded by Ted Turner (left), Mayor Shirley Franklin (right) and attendees to the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame event at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on Aug. 26, 2005. Clayton is the creator of the Walk of Fame, a display of footprints of "foot soldiers" for human rights.

Atlanta is honoring civil rights activist and broadcasting executive Xernona Clayton with the dedication of a street and park plaza at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Baker Street in downtown Atlanta. Clayton becomes the second woman to be honored with a street and plaza designation in Atlanta. “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell is the other. On Tuesday morning, city officials unveiled a plaque in Hardy Ivy Park commemorating Clayton’s civil rights and broadcast careers.