The applicant is requesting approval of the renaming of the Savannah Cultural Arts Center at 201 Montgomery Street to the Dr. Otis S. Johnson Cultural Arts Center in honor of former Savannah Mayor Otis S. Johnson. Dr. Otis S. Johnson is a Savannah native and a 1960 graduate of A. E. Beach High School. After attending Savannah State University, he transferred to Armstrong State College in 1963 becoming the first African American to attend that institution. He earned degrees from Armstrong State College, the University of Georgia, Clark Atlanta University, and his Ph.D. from Brandeis University. Dr. Johnson has devoted his professional career to making conditions better for low-wealth families in Savannah and the South. He worked for the Economic Opportunity Authority and the Model Cities Program before teaching at Savannah State University. In 1982, he was elected to the Savannah City Council as Alderman and re-elected in 1986. He was Executive Director of the Chatham Savannah Youth Futures Authority, a collaborative of organizations that worked with children and families in need of help. He has served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Savannah State University and on the Savannah Chatham County Board of Public Education. Dr. Johnson was elected Mayor of Savannah in 2003 and re-elected for a second term in 2007. Since serving as Mayor, he has been a Scholar-in-Residence at Savannah State University and chaired the City of Savannah’s Racial Equity and Leadership (REAL) Task Force. Dr. Johnson’s impact on the lives of Savannahians, the fabric of our neighborhoods, and his leadership in challenging how we think about and solve problems together is extraordinary and generational.

The Savannah Cultural Arts Center, located at 201 Montgomery Street, is bordered by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard on the west and Oglethorpe Avenue on the north. Opened in 2019, this public facility invites and promotes all Savannahians to express themselves freely and openly through artistic expression. This facility’s mission mirrors Dr. Johnson’s achievements in fostering collaboration and open expression of ideas.

File No. 24-004336-HM

The Historic Site and Monument Commission recommends approval to the Savannah City Council for the renaming of the Savannah Cultural Arts Center as the Dr. Otis S. Johnson Cultural Arts Center as requested because the proposed renaming of the public building meets the standards within Article E- Naming and Renaming of Public Property, Facilities and Streets.