New Garden Planned for Evergreen Cemetery

Plans for a new garden at honoring several of Chicago's religious and civic leaders will be announced at a faith-based community breakfast Saturday, April 28, officials announced this week.

Details about the "Gatekeepers Garden" will be shared at the 8 a.m. Chicago Faith-Based Community Breakfast on Saturday at the Chicago Hilton and Towers International Ballroom, 720 South Michigan in Chicago.

The garden will be unveiled in August 2012. According to a press release, the term "gatekeepers" has been bestowed upon seven influential leaders in the community. The garden will feature a monument honoring the seven leaders and a new community leader nominated by the original seven will be added each year to a plaque on the monument.

The "Gatekeeper" honorees are:

• Apostle R. D. Henton –founder of the R. D. Henton Breakthrough Ministries and executive producer of the Breakthrough Telecast
• Dr. Mildred C. Harris – founder and president of God First Ministries and Chicago Housing Authority commissioner
• Rev. Clay Evans– founder of the Fellowship Baptist Church, who aided in the launch of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition
• Dr. B. Herbert Martin –  Progressive Community Center pastor and civil and human rights activist
• Bishop Cody Marshall– founding pastor of Freedom Temple Church Of God In Christ (COGIC)
• Father George Clements – Catholic priest and leader of the civil rights movement
• Rev. Willie T. Barrow – pastor and Rainbow PUSH Coalition chairperson and civil rights activist

The honorees will also receive a certificate. Saturday's breakfast is expected to be attended by several state and city dignitaries, including Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Chicago Police First Deputy Supt. Al Wysinger.