Commemorative wall displaying former business district coming to Thomasville

THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WCTV) – A commemorative wall will be displayed on the corner of Stevens and West Jackson St. in Thomasville to share the history of a former Black business district.

Three years ago, a group of neighbors and city leaders sat down and shared memories and pictures from when the area was up and running. The group asked themselves how they could preserve and acknowledged the successes of the area, known as ‘The Bottom’.

“It didn’t take a whole army to convince the city, I think it just took time,” said James Hadley with the Black History Museum.

Hadley explained that years ago he took a trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma to visit his daughter. That’s when he first learned of the rise and fall of Black Wall Street.

While viewing the memorial in Tulsa where plaques signify where businesses used to be, Hadley said that’s when he got an idea.

“I said, ‘This is something I can take back home,’” he said.

Since then, over 30 plaques have…

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