Lemon Street Classic Tournament to showcase High School basketball talent while honoring Black History in Cobb

The Lemon Street Classic is set for a three day tournament to spotlight high school basketball talent while paying tribute to Black history in Cobb County. Organized by the City of Marietta, this annual event, now in its fourth year, will take place on December 21, 22, and 23.This event will celebrate young athletes and pay homage to the historic Lemon Street community in Marietta.

The event’s name reflects its roots in the Lemon Street School, the area’s only school for minorities during segregation. The school was once a center of pride and community for the Black population in Marietta and Cobb County until its closure in 1966 due to integration with Marietta High School and other Cobb County Schools. Recently added to the Georgia Registry of Historic Places, Lemon Street School’s legacy is a poignant reminder of the community’s history.

The community is invited to attend the tournament, which will feature high school-level basketball and aims to be a catalyst for positive change. Over 25 schools from around the state, including five from out of state, are scheduled to participate. The Marietta High School Boys Basketball team will play as Lemon Street High School, paying tribute to the school’s history and legacy.

The event, initiated to honor the history of Lemon Street, has grown into a significant tradition. Recognizing Lemon Street alumni and showcasing high-level high school basketball, the Head Coach Markus Hood for the Marietta Blue Devils notes, “It’s a great sense of community when you are able to honor someone for who they were, when they may feel their voice was taken away from them with the demolition of their high school.”

”Director of the Lemon Street Classic, John Silvey, expressed his joy of having the community come together to remember and celebrate, stating, “I love seeing their faces or the joy in their family’s faces when they are recognized, and they realize they haven’t been forgotten.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit lemonstreetclassic.com and download the app from your device’s app store.”