THOMASVILLE — The Thomasville Public Library hopes to honor the work of a beloved pillar of Thomas County’s history and community through a new name for their boardroom.

Staff of the library and the friends and family of the late Reverend Dr. I.L. Mullins gathered together the morning of Feb. 21 to commemorate the facility’s newly developed boardroom and christen it under the name of the reverend, local leader, and community champion.

The boardroom, now known as the “Rev. Dr. I.L. Mullins, Sr. Boardroom,” comes as a result of a major renovation project for the library conducted over the last few months, which has also included upgrades to the facility’s technology, lighting, and flooring, among others.

Library director Derek Kolb reported the boardroom’s dedication will serve as a tribute and a testament to Mullins’ long and storied legacy within the community.

In addition to serving as pastor for the First Missionary Baptist Church of Thomasville and in the Air Force during the Korean War, Mullins was active in the community on both a personal and political level, serving his fellow residents of the county in several local government positions, including the vice-chair of the Thomas County Board of Commissioners, chairman of the board’s Personnel Committee and Finance Committees, a member of the ACCG Board of Trustees, and vice-chairman of the Thomasville Library Board of Directors.

During the renaming ceremony dedicating the new boardroom in his memory, Reverend Jeremy Rich, pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church, asserted Mullins had been a champion of every person in Thomas County, working tirelessly even when facing heavy opposition to ensure a better future for whoever he could.

“We celebrate his legacy, we celebrate the work that he’s done in the past, and we cherish and challenge future generations who sit at that table to look at him as a guiding agent,” Rich said. “As a compass to direct us, and a place to build a better Thomasville, a better Thomas County, and thus building a better world—for not only us here, but for the entire human race.”

Rich recounted that Mullins had often encouraged him to succeed him in positions such as pastor of First Missionary and on the county board of commissioners, and felt grateful to be able to follow in his footsteps and honored to remain a part of his legacy.

Elaine Mays, President of the Friends of Thomas County Public Library System and the overseer of the renaming ceremony, reported that a portrait of Mullins, painted by artist Suzanna Winton, will be hung within the boardroom to honor his memory, and expressed pride for being able to recognize the pillar of the community Mullins was.

She asserted that the family of the late reverend will be gifted with a print of the portrait, which was on display during the ceremony as a stand-in for the genuine article hung in the boardroom.

Mays invited Mullins’ wife Josephine up to speak on the ceremony and dedication, where she admitted she was greatly moved by the gesture from the library and thanked them for honoring her husband.

“I’m just too overwhelmed,” Josephine said. “Thank all of you that have participated in this wonderful, wonderful dedication.”

Chiquita Mullins, the reverend’s daughter, also offered thanks to the library, both for herself and on behalf of her siblings who were unable to attend the ceremony.

Afterward, the assembly moved to the site of the boardroom, where the ribbon before the entrance was cut to officially commemorate the renaming. Attendants of the ceremony were invited to tour the boardroom or stay for lunch provided by the library.