Alcorn Village

Alcorn Village was established in the 1960s as a “Colored Subdivision” in Collierville, Tennessee. It was built upon the 5 acres of land that were once Rev. James Alexander Alcorn's family farm--the same five acres he bought from the children of his cousin, Charlotte Lucas. Read more about Charlotte and Joe Lucas here.

 

After the death of Rev. Alcorn and his wife, real estate man Homer Wilkins aimed to make home ownership accessible to Black families in Collierville by selling lots in Alcorn Village for only a $50 deposit to any Black person with a stable job. He didn’t ask about credit or savings, and once the lots were purchased, he built 3 bedroom 1 bath homes for about $8,000. 

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Prior to the development of Alcorn Village, Black home ownership in Collierville was uncommon. Many of the homes in Alcorn Village are still owned and occupied by the same families that purchased them all those years ago. To listen to audio recordings of residents of Alcorn Village collected by Collierville Community Justice, click here.

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Sadly, neither James or Mattie were alive to witness the ceremony in their honor when the subdivision was dedicated on November 15, 1964. The event was attended by residents of the neighborhood, developer Homer Wilkins, and Collierville’s mayor, A.G. Neville, Jr. They declared November 15th “J.A. Alcorn day"! (see Commercial Appeal story below).

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