725 N. Dawson Street, Thomasville, Ga 31792

Gregory Mixon and Kurt Piehler will offer a broad overview of the African American history of Thomasville and how it relates to the wider community. The Thomasville History Center is located in the Flowers family home, The Flowers were a prominent white family that owned the Flowers Baking Company and whose home became the headquarters for the Thomas County Historical Society’s museum in 1969. In her presentation, Anne McCudden will discuss recent changes to the exhibits in 2021 which were done to provide a more inclusive history of Thomasville. She will also give an overview of the artifact and manuscript collections and offer a behind-the-scenes tour.

In a discussion led by Dr. Piehler and Rhonda Grim, the K-12 Educator, we will have attendees view several material objects and images from the holdings of the Center and discuss strategies for interpreting and using them in the classroom. We also will ask workshop attendees, as they go through the museum, to select objects and images on display that should be added to the History Center’s Website so they can be accessed by their classes when they return home.

(Attendees purchase lunch at their own expense). Since most downtown restaurants are closed on Monday, the bus will take attendees to an area where they can walk to several casual chain restaurants.

Dr. Mixon will discuss how the African American community in Thomasville intersects with broader trends in U.S. History, focusing on the themes of Reconstruction, Redemption, Populism, and Disenfranchisement. Dr. Mixon will examine African American efforts to secure and protect the hard-won gains made during Reconstruction. The loss of political rights after the end of Reconstruction with Redemption was a gradual one. Even after 1877, Black voters continued to participate in electoral politics in the 1880s and 1890s in Thomasville and throughout much of the South. In Thomasville and Thomas County, Republicans continued to win elections during this period. He will show that white elites in Georgia and other southern states moved to systematically strip Black citizens of the vote, mostly as a reaction to the threat posed by the Populist movement. 

Session will be moderated by Dr. Piehler and attendees will discuss Mr. Mixon’s scholarship focusing on the Black militia in Georgia. 

Since most downtown restaurants are closed on Monday evenings, the bus will take attendees to an area where they can walk to a number of casual chain restaurants.

Since most downtown restaurants are closed on Monday evenings, the bus will take attendees to an area where they can walk to a number of casual chain restaurants.

Workshop Concludes For the Day