Hosea Williams - Again on the Back of the Bus

Date June 3, 2008

Hosea Williams is known in Atlanta and around the world as a famous civil rights leader who was unfortunately arrested some 125 times for things like drinking at “whites only” water fountains or sitting in the front of a bus. Today his picture is stamped on a the back of Atlanta Marta bus. I find this a bit sad since his image is now hawking a bail bonding business for those imprisoned at the Fulton or Dekalb County Jails and the tag line is “still setting em free.” I almost hit this bus today trying to get these pictures.

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13 Responses to “Hosea Williams - Again on the Back of the Bus”

  1. Rusty said:

    Wow, this is messed up on so many levels.

  2. Hosea Williams’ legacy? | Atlanta Metblogs said:

    […] Random Atlanta has the details on the unintentionally ironic Marta bus ad. […]

  3. Rashid Z. Muhammad said:

    There is another company called “Free at Last” bail bonding. I find the name clever, but equally distasteful.

  4. ashley said:

    Rashid, I posted a picture of that a while back on this blog…i think all these names for bail bonding businesses are pretty shameless.

  5. atlpaddy said:

    If I’m not mistaken, I believe that Hosea owned or lent his name to these companies (at least I think that’s the case with “Free at Last” over near the Dekalb Co. jail). Ashley, you also forgot to mention the several times he was pulled over for drunk driving or carrying a non-permitted handgun. Hosea Williams did a lot of good but he was definitely a character and ‘country.’

  6. David K. said:

    Scoff if you will, but Hosea Williams Free at Last is the only company in town that will accept a car title to secure a bail bond. :)

  7. Nina Simone said:

    Hosea Williams Bail Bonding Company is a family owned business. It is operated by his daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. The business was started by Hosea Williams in 1998.

  8. Lauren Williams said:

    i dont understand why anyone would be offended by our marta buses. my grandfather, hosea williams, started this business when he was alive and it was him who made the motto “still settin’ em free”. FREE AT LAST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOSEA WILLIAMS AT ALL. he started hosea williams bonding and we, his family, own and run the company efficiently.

  9. Brenton Williams said:

    I am Rev. Williams’ grandson and one of the current owners of Hosea Williams Bail Bonding Company. We decided to use his picture on the Marta bus not to mock my beloved grandfather, instead to honor his memory. So if anyone has a complaint or disagrees with what we have done then feel free to come by the office and tell us so. We are located at 3500 Kensington rd Decatur, GA 30032. When you get here ask for Brent.

  10. Brenton Williams said:

    Also the bail bonding company “Free At Last” is not affiliate with Rev. Williams.

  11. Masdevallia said:

    I guess you don’t want them set free. Who do you not want to be bailed out? Is is the poor…blacks…hispanics…what is it? Does the image of someone setting them free look like a mockery of what makes you feel safe?

  12. sonia nicholas said:

    all i know is that this family buz has saved me and my family thanx alot to the williams family .p.s. janice is wonderfull god bless all

  13. The Bondswoman said:

    I work for a bonding company in Dekalb county. Hosea Williams Bonding is a very reputable bonding company. Everyone that works there are cool and efficient. Especially my homegirl that rides her motorcycle to bond people out. - That’s what’s up! I would give anything to work for Hosea Williams Bonding instead of the rednecks i work for, who dont care about the actual people or the dekalb community. They only care about the dollar dollar bill. Hell they dont even care about their employees. I feel so mad that I made them so much money the past month- when their clientele is majority black and they dont like black people. Go figure! Gotta work though.

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