Huntsville family still fighting for compensation for land now part of UAH campus

By Scott Turner, The Lede

Five Jones siblings are seeking to recover or be compensated for land they claim was stolen from their family to build the Univer- sity of Alabama in Huntsville and the city’s water system. They are Billy Jones, left, Brenda Jones, Michael Jones, Willie Jones Jr. and J.T. Jones. (Scott Turner)

The Jones family has not given up its fight for compensation for land it claims was stolen to help build the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

To draw attention to their efforts, the five surviving Jones siblings donated seven turkeys to Manna House in Huntsville, one for each of their parents’ children. The family said in a statement it wanted to set an example of giving back to the community.

The Jones siblings said they want to inspire others to give as well and have initiated a TikTok challenge to encourage others to contribute in sevens. The challenge calls on participants to donate in multiples of seven, whether it is seven dollars, seven hours of volunteer work, seven items, or any other meaningful contribution. The family hopes to create a ripple effect of generosity and community support.

To join their cause, people are invited to use the hashtag #jonesfamilywell when sharing their involvement on social media. They said number “7″ in the challenge symbolizes each of Willie Jones’ children, five of whom are actively engaged in advocating for their father and his land.

Five Jones siblings enlisted the services of Where Is My Land in their effort to reclaim or be paid for the land that belonged to their parents, but that is now part of the UAH campus.