Undocumented history: Leona Ivey helped bring change to Sears during Civil Rights Movement

Black History Month stickers are plastered all over a room on the floor of The Palms at Lake Spivey, a senior living community in Jonesboro. For many, it would just signal a celebration of the month-long holiday, but beyond the door is 78-year-old Leona Ivey, a resident at The Palms who is being honored for her community service and local fights for injustice during the Civil Rights Movement.From volunteering at The Palms to chairing the finance department at her church and organizing Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, Ivey said she loves giving back but doesn’t crave the recognition of her good deeds.78-year-old Leona Ivey (above) fought to desegregate a local Sears in the 1960’s. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice“It feels good to be honored, but I’m not one that likes to be honored; I do it from my heart. I do a lot of stuff, but it’s because of the leadership of my father, which is God. He just guides me to do things,” Ivey said. “I don’t like to be around a lot of people, but I love people. Ever since I was a little girl, I used to give away everything, but that’s the way I...