As Black History Month comes to a close, we’d like to recognize the iconic people and places that have become a part of Macon’s rich Black history. From musicians and civil rights activists to restaurants and churches, here are just a few faces and places that make Macon what it is today.
Otis Redding
In any article or conversation about Macon, it’s impossible to not bring up Otis Redding. Considered to be one of the most well-known, if not the most well-known Macon icon, Otis Redding was nicknamed the “King of Soul” for a good reason. With a memorable stage presence and soulful singing voice, Redding released chart-topping hits such as “These Arms of Mine”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “Hard to Handle”, and “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay”. Throughout his career, Otis Redding made himself known in several Macon hotspots, including Tic Toc Lounge, Macon City Auditorium, and the Douglass Theatre. After his passing in 1967, his widow, Mrs. Zelma Redding, formed the Otis Redding Foundation in 2007, which would offer opportunities for youth to discover and hone their musical abilities. Otis Redding’s legacy lives on in Macon through the local music and arts scene, the Redding family, and the efforts of the Otis Redding Foundation and Otis Redding Center for the Arts.
Little Richard
Little Richard, like Otis Redding, is known to be one of the most iconic historical icons to come from Macon. Raised in the Pleasant Hill district, Little Richard grew up surrounded by soul, singing gospel and playing piano at his local church. When he was 13, he moved in with Tic Toc Lounge owners Ann and Johnny Johnson, and gained his footing as a musician from performing in venues like Tic Toc Lounge and Macon City Auditorium. Little Richard’s discography includes hits like “Tutti Frutti”, “Long Tall Sally”, “Rip It Up”, and “Good Golly, Miss Molly”. Little Richard’s legacy has left a lasting impact on his hometown; in 2017, on his 85th birthday, Macon proclaimed December 5th to be “Little Richard Day”.
Hamp Swain
Both Otis Redding and Little Richard could not become the legends they are without the help of Hamp Swain, a Macon-born DJ who became the city’s first Black DJ in 1954 when he worked with WBML AM 1350. Nicknamed “King Bee” after the Slim Harpo song “I’m a King Bee”, Hamp Swain had a knack for finding great music before the rest of the world discovered it. In 1956, he gave James Brown his big break by being the first DJ to play “Please, Please, Please” on the radio, and he also hosted “The Teenage Party”, a talent contest on the radio that a young Otis Redding won multiple times. Swain was also a musician, and he played saxophone in his own band, The Hamptones, with the occasional appearance of Little Richard on vocals. Swain was inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame on September 13, 2008, and continues to be one of the most important figures in Georgia music history.
Inez Hill & Louise Hudson
For those who have never been to Macon or who haven’t gotten a chance to explore the city’s downtown offerings, if someone recommends you try H&H, you shouldn’t take their suggestion lightly. H&H, a soul food restaurant founded in 1959 by Inez Hill and Louise Hudson, is one of Macon’s oldest independent restaurants, founded in the historic Cotton Avenue business district during a time where segregation was still prevalent in Macon. H&H was a place where anyone, no matter what their background was, could come in and enjoy delicious Southern comfort food. “Mama” Inez and “Mama” Louise were also well-known for their connections to Macon’s music scene, particularly their friendship with a newly-discovered Allman Brothers Band, who came to visit while recording up the street. The band could barely afford to buy two meals with their money, and “Mama” Louise gave them their own meals and told them to pay her back whenever they had the money. This sense of Southern hospitality remains a core H&H value, making the restaurant a great spot if you’re looking for delicious food and the friendliest staff.
Albert Billingslea
Albert Billingslea knew how to give back to his community when it needed help the most. As a Black man growing up in Depression-era Georgia, Billingslea noticed his community lacked basic facilities such as paved roads, recreational centers, and integrated school systems, and he dedicated his time to fighting for his fellow citizens’ human rights. Billingslea owned a successful construction company, which allowed him to build neighborhoods and churches for the population. He was the first Maconite to hold a lifetime membership in the NAACP, and in 1972, he became President of Macon’s chapter. In 1980, Billingslea turned to politics and ran successfully for election to the Bibb County Board of Commissioners, where he served for 16 years. He worked on multiple projects that sought to improve the wellbeing of his community, such as his work to obtain the reservoir that continues to serve Macon today, and even received the AME Church’s Award for Exceptional Community Service in 1987.
Ruth Hartley Mosely
Ruth Hartley Mosely—a civil rights activist, philanthropist, nurse, businesswoman, and licensed mortician—wore many hats. In her studies as a nurse, Mosely worked at the Georgia State Sanitorium in Milledgeville, where she became the first Black female head nurse of the “Colored Females Department”. She married Richard Hartley and moved to Macon, where they opened a funeral home, and later, she earned her mortician’s license and became one of the first women to be licensed as an embalmer. Like Albert Billingslea, Mosely was a prominent leader in Macon’s NAACP chapter, where she also served as a member of the Booker T. Washington Community Center. When Mosely passed away, she left behind money to establish the Ruth Hartley Mosley Memorial Fund and the Ruth Hartley Mosley Memorial Women’s Center.
Cotton Avenue District
If you’ve ever found yourself by Cotton Avenue, that quiet one-way street that runs diagonally through downtown, you should know that this street was once part of the Cotton Avenue District, which historically has been referred to as Macon’s “Black Wall Street”. In the early 1900s, segregation in the city pushed Black residents away and forced them to create their own economic infrastructure. With the creation of the Cotton Avenue District, Black Maconites had their own pharmacies, doctors, banks, churches, and restaurants. Some notable establishments in this district include the Walton Building, the Mitchell Building, H&H, and Washington Avenue Presbyterian Church, the oldest African-American church in Georgia.
Douglass Theatre
During the 1900s, Macon’s population boomed, and out of this boom grew a rise in demand for arts and entertainment. However, because Macon was segregated, arts and entertainment were not accessible to everyone. That all changed in 1921 when Macon’s first Black billionaire, Charles Douglass, founded the Douglass Theatre, a place where Black residents could enjoy vaudeville, theater, music, and comedy. Over the years, the Douglass became part of what was known as the “Chitlin Circuit”, featuring iconic acts like Lena Horne, Bessie Smith, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. In later years, Otis Redding became a regular at the Douglass, where he competed in so many singing contests that he was eventually asked to quit competing because he was too good. The Douglass Theatre continues to be a staple in Macon’s arts and entertainment scene, where it hosts concerts, films with the Macon Film Guild and the Macon Film Festival, and unforgettable performances of any and all genres.
First Baptist Church
Have you ever wondered why there are two First Baptist Churches in Macon? When the church was first established in 1835, both Black and white people worshiped there, each led by ministers and deacons of their own color. However, by 1839, the Black congregation population outgrew the white congregation population, so due to lack of space, the Black congregation was forced to move their services outside to the parking lot. The black church members eventually moved to what would become the current location in 1897, and grew to almost 2,000 members before a portion of the congregation moved to form Tremont Baptist Church.
Steward Chapel AME Church
For over 160 years, the Steward Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church has served as “a beacon of light in a world of darkness”, in the words of Reverend Wanda S. West. The Church was founded in 1865 by a congregation of formerly enslaved people, and experienced key moments in Macon’s history, from the growth of downtown Macon to the Civil Rights Movement. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the Church played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement, welcoming several influential guests. Some of these guests include Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, who spoke on the significance of Brown v. Kansas Board of Education, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune on appreciating womanhood, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who delivered a famous speech that declared “there is no East and no West, no North, no South but one great fellowship of love.”
Grant’s Lounge
Grant’s Lounge, founded in 1971 by Ed Grant Sr., was Macon’s first integrated bar. Located between Capricorn Records and the Capricorn executive offices on Cotton Avenue, it was no surprise that Grant’s Lounge quickly and successfully became one of the biggest music hotspots in the South, eventually staking their claim as “the original home of Southern rock”. Over the years, Grant’s Lounge has helped launch the careers of musical icons like the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many more. Grant’s Lounge started as a place where people of all races and backgrounds could enjoy themselves, and to this day it has remained as one of the most welcoming and culturally rich spots in Macon.
Tubman Museum
As the largest African-American history museum in the Southeast, the Tubman Museum has been crucial to educating the community on Black art, history, and culture since 1981. The museum was founded by Father Richard Keil, the pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, after community and congregation members helped donate money to transform a former warehouse and nightclub into a place where people could learn more about Black history. The museum contains items from important Black Macon icons, such as Little Richard’s piano from the Tic Toc Lounge and James Brown’s red sequined shoes. The Tubman Museum continues to be an important resource and historical landmark for Maconites and people all across the Southeast.