The City of Tallahassee will honor the late Rev. Dr. James Aaron Clausell and Rev. Dr. Bernyce Hall Clausell with an honorary street designation. The couple, known for their work in ministry, volunteer service, and civil rights leadership, were longtime residents of Tallahassee.
On October 29, Alabama Street between Arkansas Street and Old Bainbridge Road will be designated as Clausell Family Memorial Way. A ceremony to unveil the new sign will take place at 10 a.m. at the Lawrence-Gregory Community Center, 1115 Dade Street. The Tallahassee City Commission approved this designation during its meeting on September 17.
The Clausells lived in the Griffin Heights neighborhood. In 1958, they used their own funds to build Calvary Baptist Church at Joe Louis and Arizona streets. Rev. Dr. James Clausell served as a pastor, while Rev. Dr. Bernyce Clausell worked as a schoolteacher and earned degrees from Florida A&M University. The couple had two daughters and were known for bringing neighborhood children to Sunday School and church.
Both played roles in the Civil Rights Movement. Rev. Dr. James Clausell held leadership positions in the Baptist State Convention (Florida) and collaborated with Rev. C.K. Steele on Operation Breadbasket, which aimed to improve economic conditions for Black communities across the country. After his retirement in 1978, Rev. Dr. Bernyce Clausell became the first female Missionary Baptist pastor in Florida, succeeding her husband after his death in 1979 and serving until her own retirement in 1996.
Rev. Dr. Bernyce Clausell continued her community work until her death in 2015 at age 98. In 2009, she received the Oasis Center for Women and Girls’ Trailblazer Award.
The City announced that a video of the ceremony will be posted on YouTube.com/CityofTLH after the event.
