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cool! maybe the the largest accumulation of bounced checks in the country, should be historic.
Augusta State University has acquired one of the nation's largest sets of documents related to a black business.
The papers are from the Pilgrim Health and Life Insurance Co., founded in Augusta in 1898 by Solomon W. Walker, Thomas Walker, Walter Hornsby and James C. Collier. The company issued tens of thousands of policies in the early 20th century and served as a major employer for black Augustans at that time.
According to Carol Waggoner-Angleton, ASU's special collections assistant, the insurance company employed many of Augusta's emerging black leaders, including Ed McIntyre, the city's first black mayor. "I can't even express how much material is there," she said.
Because of the delicate nature of the information within the insurance records, the restoration staff emphasized that privacy will be maintained.
"A lot of these folks are still alive," Ms. Waggoner-Angleton said. "The information is being protected."
The collection had been housed in a building owned by Delores Crawford, a local business owner. When Mrs. Crawford acquired the building, she discovered the documents and donated them to Augusta State University's Reese Library for care and restoration.
"This was a very generous thing for Mrs. Crawford to do," Ms. Waggoner-Angleton said. "The easy thing would have been to bulldoze it all."
Augusta State University has the funds to store the documents until May. Employees will apply for grants to pursue restoration and organization of the collection.
Reach Gracie Shepherd at (706) 724-0851 or t.gracie.shepherd@augustachronicle.com.
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cool! maybe the the largest accumulation of bounced checks in the country, should be historic.
That's prejudiced and rude smartie.
and probably a very large collection of canceled welfare checks also
Of what historical significance are the vital statistics of policy holders and the day to day balance sheet of any insurance company? The fact that it was a long term successful business isnt any more note worthy than any other Augusta enterprise. Why are ASU funds being used to house a lot of insignificant ledgers, etc? Especially in this time of school cutbacks?
Just Nuts is a full blown idiot.....(tearing up) I'm gonna miss him.......(loud crying) BBBUUUUAAAAHHHHHH I WILL MISS YOU ALL BBBUUAAAHHHH
high crime, high property rates, poor garbage collection, poor roads, boondoogle projects, racial dis harmony.....BBBUUUUAAHHHHH I will miss you ALL!!!!!!
There isn't another one horse town or "Mayberry on Steroids" anywhere else in this country like DISGUSTA!!!!! Can't wait to read on line about it when it goes down in flames when its taken over by the state for poor mismanagement and corruption.......
Build it all!!!!!! the water park, the TEE center, the race track, the trolley, the ellis street water canal, the zoo..........spend Disgusta into an abyss
I think these documents are very historically important and should be carefully cataloged and preserved. They prove that at one time there was a portion of the minority population who took responsibility securing health care insurance for themselves.
Just_Another_Day, how sad is your existance that you feel the compulsive need to trash the city and its people in four consecutive posts? Augusta may not be perfect, but there are a lot of hard-working people in this city who enjoy being here. If you don't like it, you certainly have the right to leave. But your lack of maturity and childish insults won't be missed by me, that's for sure. Good riddance.
Just Another Day is lame. Please stop posting. Especially since you don't know what you're talking about. The Augusta area crime is low compared to other areas in the state and country.
Walrus, you don't understand the value of vital statistics to the history of a city and a region? You don't understand that there aren't nearly as many records for blacks as there were for whites, and this collection is invaluable?
And there's justnuts, who doesn't even comprehend that he's complaining about an all-black, historically important company. Some days I don't even think Justnuts can understand simple English.
my question is why were these documents not donated to paine college??????????????????????????????
That company has always interested me as does the black part of Augusta flourishing during the strict segregation era. They had wealthy, educated and poweful blacks living in a Harlem type community. How did they deal with the powerful white power structure in the other part of town? Maybe these papers will shed light on the anomaly that was black Augusta in the era of segregation.
Joe, just saw your post. I get it...totally. That company was a rare entity in the history of America.
The papers of Paine College, itself, will be preserved as examples of anomalies in the future. Which brings up a point. Since we fund various ventures at Paine like the coming gym with county money, why not make it a state institution and part of ASU? The state has set precedents by taking over other private colleges. Oh well...my musings tonight....and I know it will never happen.
JM88= I have said it before and I will say it again......AUGUSTA SUCKS!!! This little old article called the Constitution gives me that right and I will be here forever reminding you of that!!!!
justanotherday, you must just be mad because you don't have any money and not a part of the good things in Augusta. Move on to another city or are you still living with your mother or another relative and can't go to where you think its great. Best of luck but with your attitude I think it probably will never come to you.
Commissioner Bowles, you are better than that. I am very surprised that you would say such a thing. It was her property to give to whomever she wished. I can think of several reasons why ASU would be preferable to Paine College. What a distasteful remark.
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