{"id":60828,"date":"2021-05-27T15:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T15:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mixedracestudies.org\/?p=60828"},"modified":"2021-05-27T15:00:50","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T15:00:50","slug":"permanent-marker-augusta-plaque-honors-19th-century-black-female-millionaire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mixedracestudies.org\/wp\/?p=60828","title":{"rendered":"Permanent marker: Augusta plaque honors 19th century Black female millionaire"},"content":{"rendered":"

Permanent marker: Augusta plaque honors 19th century Black female millionaire<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The Augusta Chronicle<\/a>
\nAugusta, Georgia
\n2021-05-21<\/p>\n

Joe Hotchkiss<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>
\nCorey Rogers<\/a> (center), historian at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History<\/a>, and Elyse Butler (second from left), marker manager for the Georgia Historical Society<\/a>, unveil the marker at 448 Telfair St. in Augusta<\/a> commemorating the former home of Black millionaire Amanda America Dickson Toomer<\/a>. At far left is building owner John Hock, who funded and supervised the home’s exterior renovations. Rogers (center), historian at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, and Elyse Butler (second from left), marker manager for the Georgia Historical Society, unveil the marker at 448 Telfair St. in Augusta<\/a> commemorating the former home of Black millionaire Amanda America Dickson Toomer. At far left is building owner John Hock, who funded and supervised the home’s exterior renovations. JOE HOTCHKISS\/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE<\/em><\/small><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Harrell Lawson grew up in Hancock County<\/a> in the 1960s, listening to tales about the old plantation across the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to hear stories about how a Black woman used to own it, but I didn\u2019t know my relation to her at the time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

More people know now. On Friday, a Georgia<\/a> historical marker was unveiled in downtown Augusta<\/a> to mark the home at 448 Telfair St.<\/a> where Amanda America Dickson Toomer<\/a> \u2013 perhaps the richest Black woman of the 19th century \u2013 spent the last seven years of her life.<\/p>\n

Lawson, who maintains homes in Stone Mountain<\/a> and Sparta<\/a>, joined about a dozen other Toomer descendants at the marker ceremony in front of a renovated exterior that took months for John Hock, the house\u2019s owner, to complete with a team of subcontractors.<\/p>\n

While the outside has been repainted, refitted and repaired to match its original appearance, the inside has more modern features and will continue to be used as an attorney\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis whole project was to commemorate the life of Amanda, and I think we did it,\u201d Hock said…<\/p>\n