Roughly 130 residents packed the corner of Essex and Second avenues in Savannah on Friday morning as city officials unveiled “Annie Bell Graham Street,” an honorary designation celebrating the woman many called the “Mother of Tremont Park.”
Annie Bell Graham, who was born on March 6, 1925, spent nearly her entire life in the westside neighborhood. In 1941, she and her husband, Elliott, were among the first Black property owners in Tremont Park after they built a house next door to her childhood home. The three-bedroom residence eventually grew to five bedrooms to accommodate the 12 biological children she raised, and the 16 others for whom she became the legal guardian. Five generations of descendants attended Friday’s ceremony.
“She is the mother of Tremont Park, this community … after 60 years of service, and she served until she could not serve anymore,” Mayor Van Johnson told the assembly. “I’ve had the blessed privilege of knowing, loving, being chastised by getting got straight by mother [Annie Graham].”
Five generations of descendants stand in front of the home of Annie Bell Graham in Savannah, on July 8, 2025. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/CatchLight Local 
Mayor Van Johnson speaks during the Annie Bell Graham honorary street dedication ceremony in Savannah, on July 8, 2025. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/CatchLight Local 
1st District Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier speaks during the Annie Bell Graham honorary street dedication ceremony in Savannah, on July 8, 2025. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/CatchLight Local
“Miss Annie Graham Bell embodied the spirit of the Southeastern pioneer woman, showcasing remarkable resilience and resourcefulness. She provided food and clothing for the community, and she provided a home,” said 1st District Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier. “We didn’t have a lot of social agencies back in the day. The community took care of the community, and this woman is a prime example of that.”
Katie Johnson, 82, grew up next door and considered Graham a second mother. “She was everything, and every time you came to her home, even in her later 90s, she would be keeping someone’s kids,” she said. “That was her gift from God.”
The honorary name spans Essex Avenue between Second Avenue and Corvair Street. The city council approved the designation on May 8, following the Savannah-Chatham Historic Site & Monument Commission’s unanimous recommendation.
“She gave more than a lifetime to Tremont Park,” Aurelle Ross said. “Let this street sign serve as a tribute to her unmatched love and lifelong service to this community, and let her remind all who pass by that greatness does not come from fame or fortune, but it comes from faith, family, and a fierce commitment to serving your community.”
Annie Bell Graham passed away on Aug. 27, 2023, at the age of 98, in the same home where she influenced the lives of hundreds in her community.
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