Reverend Hillary James Hawkins, affectionately known throughout the community as “Brown,” dedicated most of his adult life to providing spiritual guidance to blacks in Evergreen and surrounding communities. From 1921 to 1988, he served as minister of ten churches in Evergreen and surrounding communities, often serving two churches simultaneously. For 37 years, he served as Dean of Christian Education for the Evergreen District Missionary and Educational Association, and in 1971 he was elected president of the Southern Region of the Progressive National Baptist Convention. He also served as director of the Negro Division of the United Fund Drive in Conecuh County. In cooperation with the county extension agent, he helped area black farmers implement advancements in agriculture and achieve homeownership. In 1945, he bought a 120-acre farm and started constructing a house for his wife, the former Mamie Calhoun, and their eight children. A successful farmer, he produced Conecuh County’s first bale of cotton in 1953. In 1959, Tuskegee Institute recognized him for his progressive methods in church management and community organization. In 1964, he received his Doctor of Divinity degree from the Inter-Baptist Theological Center in Houston, Texas. As a tribute to his outstanding service to the community, Brown Hawkins Road was named in his honor. On March 20, 2003, the Alabama Historical Commission added the Rev. Dr. Hillary James Hawkins House to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.