John Rushing Howell[1] (November 7, 1933, Durant, Mississippi – June 28, 1988, Atlanta) was an Atlanta, Georgia grassroots civic activist, well known for his strong support of human rights, civil liberties, neighborhood preservation, and the arts.
[2][3] As a resident of the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of northeast Atlanta, Howell was highly instrumental in stopping the construction of Interstate 485 through the neighborhood, thereby preserving one of Atlanta's vibrant and architecturally intact intown communities.
Employed by the Veterans Administration, Howell also served as chapter president of the Georgia American Civil Liberties Union, and on the city License Review Board.
Professionally, Howell was a social worker in the area of alcohol and drug abuse.
It occupies the site of 11 houses that were demolished to make way for the planned freeway.