Barbara Asher

(1938 - 1995)

A native of Wisconsin, Barbara Asher moved to Atlanta after marrying Norman Asher in 1963. Influential in Atlanta's civic affairs and The Temple, Asher helped open the Grady Child Care Center and was active within the Atlanta Women’s Network.

In 1974, Mayor Maynard Jackson appointed her to the city’s Zoning Review Board. Three years later, in 1977, Asher was elected to the Atlanta City Council and served for three terms. She was deeply engaged in zoning issues and helped with the Fairlie-Poplar area in Downtown Atlanta, which affected Five Points. In addition, she negotiated a zoning change for the building of the new Ebenezer Baptist Church and played a critical role in bringing the 1996 Olympics to Atlanta.

Barbara Asher Square, located off Marietta Street and directly behind the Five Points MARTA station, houses a statue in her honor. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 57.