The Bottom was the all-black district in Thomasville, Georgia. In this area of the city, black owned businesses and communities thrived. The district had over 20 different black owned businesses throughout the 1920’s and 1960’s, such as a theatre, restaurants, clothing stores, pool rooms, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, life insurance, coffee shop, candy shop, bakery, dry cleaning and barbers.
The Bottom was the all-black district in Thomasville, Georgia. In this area of the city, black owned businesses and communities thrived. The district had over 20 different black owned businesses throughout the 1920’s and 1960’s, such as a theatre, restaurants, clothing stores, pool rooms, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, life insurance, coffee shop, candy shop, bakery, dry cleaning and barbers.
The Bottom was the all-black district in Thomasville, Georgia. In this area of the city, black owned businesses and communities thrived. The district had over 20 different black owned businesses throughout the 1920’s and 1960’s, such as a theatre, restaurants, clothing stores, pool rooms, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, life insurance, coffee shop, candy shop, bakery, dry cleaning and barbers.
The Bottom was the all-black district in Thomasville, Georgia. In this area of the city, black owned businesses and communities thrived. The district had over 20 different black owned businesses throughout the 1920’s and 1960’s, such as a theatre, restaurants, clothing stores, pool rooms, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, life insurance, coffee shop, candy shop, bakery, dry cleaning and barbers.
Dr. Alfred Benjamin Dockett, Sr., was the first black Pharmacist to operate Dockett’s Pharmacy in Thomasville Georgia. He operated his Pharmacy from the early 1920’s through the 1960’s. After his death in 1965, His wife, Mrs. Rose Floyd Dockett, the First Black Female Pharmacist to graduate from Florida A&M University school of Pharmacy, returned to Thomasville to carry on the business until her death in 1974.
Doby Flowers followed her dream of opening up her own bed and breakfast, and moved from New York after a long and successful 20 year career to Thomasville, Georgia. The Magnolia Leaf is a turn of the century mansion turned into a bed and breakfast business establishment located on East Washington, and is focused on housing businessmen and women while they are in Thomasville.
Stephanie Brunner Tillman is the Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Flowers foods in Thomasville Georgia. She was the first African American from Thomasville to be featured in the Georgia Trend Magazine in 2003. She was featured as one of the “Best and Brightest young Georgian” She manages the legal department and designs training programs and initiatives within the Flowers company to keep it in compliance with state and federal laws.
James Ernest Wright Sr. was the first African American architect in Thomasville, Georgia. He received his degree in architecture and brick masonry from the Tuskegee Institute during the tenure of Booker T. Washington. When he arrived in Thomasville in 1916, he drew plans for Mount Olive Primetime Baptist Church, and helped build the barns at Pebble Hill Plantation.
Mr. Charles Wallace, 49 years old in 1981, the adopted son of share croppers from Thomasville, Georgia, who started a Multimillion-Dollar oil business in 1968 with a single antiquated 1949 International oil truck. Wallace & Wallace oil sales skyrocketed from $25.9 million in 1979 to $80 million in 1980. His fuel oil company advanced to second place on the 1981 black enterprise be 100 list from tenth place in 1980. Wallace is the first known black millionaire from Thomasville, Georgia. Mr. Wallace died at age 53 on June 5th 1986.
Mr. Charles Wallace, 49 years old in 1981, the adopted son of share croppers from Thomasville, Georgia, who started a Multimillion-Dollar oil business in 1968 with a single antiquated 1949 International oil truck. Wallace & Wallace oil sales skyrocketed from $25.9 million in 1979 to $80 million in 1980. His fuel oil company advanced to second place on the 1981 black enterprise be 100 list from tenth place in 1980. Wallace is the first known black millionaire from Thomasville, Georgia. Mr. Wallace died at age 53 on June 5th 1986.
Robert Holton is the owner of Holton’s Auto Service and body Shop. He attended Monroe Vocational Area School in Albany to study automotive mechanics. He got his first mechanic job 12 months before graduating, working for a foreign automotive specialist for Titus Cadillac Co. From there he began he working for the Flowers company as a diesel mechanic. In 1970, through his determination to own his own shop, opened Holton’s Auto Service and Body Service Shop.
Robert Holton is the owner of Holton’s Auto Service and body Shop. He attended Monroe Vocational Area School in Albany to study automotive mechanics. He got his first mechanic job 12 months before graduating, working for a foreign automotive specialist for Titus Cadillac Co. From there he began he working for the Flowers company as a diesel mechanic. In 1970, through his determination to own his own shop, opened Holton’s Auto Service and Body Service Shop.
Zeke Johnson owned the Thomasville based Johnson Institutional Service located on the corners of Martin King Drive and Campbell Street. He operated with a staff of more than 50 employees and was one of the largest black owned businesses in the Thomas County area. Johnson Institutional Service provided his clients with a diversified cleaning service for the commercial, industrial and private sector.
Charlie Dunbar started selling BBQ as a way to raise money for his church, however seeing how profitable it was becoming decided to try to start his own restaurant. In 1990, he converted his truck into a mobile Kitchen and began selling BBQ. In 1992, he found the perfect location to house his restaurant, and began his family owned and operated business. 3 Generations of Dunbar’s operated the business, Charlie Dunbar, his son Charlie Dunbar III, and his Grandson Paul Dunbar.
Charlie Dunbar started selling BBQ as a way to raise money for his church, however seeing how profitable it was becoming decided to try to start his own restaurant. In 1990, he converted his truck into a mobile Kitchen and began selling BBQ. In 1992, he found the perfect location to house his restaurant, and began his family owned and operated business. 3 Generations of Dunbar’s operated the business, Charlie Dunbar, his son Charlie Dunbar III, and his Grandson Paul Dunbar.
Guite Hadley was a business man, and ran the Hadley Funeral Home from 1918 to his death in 1953. He purchased the funeral home from Paul Rawls and Hilliard Mitchell, who were the undertaker and embalmers at the time. Additionally, Guite Hadley was a brick layer and helped lay the bricks at Pebble Hill Plantation when it was built.
Moses Gross is the owner and operator of Gross Vault and Monument Company, WHGH 840 AM Radio Station, and M.L. Gross Trucking Company. He is the first African American to own a Radio station in Thomasville, Georgia. His radio station reached a 60 mile radius, and his Vault and Monument Company was the largest from Macon, Georgia to Jacksonville, Florida. In 1989, Former Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris issued a proclamation honoring Moses Gross for his many contributions to the Thomas County Community and for continued success.
Joe Watkins was a barber who began cutting hair back in the 1930s. Serving Thomasville's all black district, "The Bottom," Joe Watkins served his community for over 45 years.
First Chair: Wilburn Bern, (Sparkley) Andrews Charlie Hammond
Second Chair: Alforna Wright, James Bailey
Third Chair Joe Watkins (owner), Willie Sampson
Rosetta James Hadley operated a beauty parlor for 28 years in Thomasville. Rosetta studied Beauty Culture at the La Charm Beauty School in Thomasville under the direction of Gertrude Horne. She passed the state board examination at the Washington Beauty School of Albany, and later took an extension course at the Madam Cargo school of Savannah where she earned her diploma.
Members of the Thomasville beauty Culturist League seated left to right: Ralphine Hadley, Lillian Moneroe, Gertrude Horne, Sarah Robinson, Dora G. Wilson and Willie Maude Cone. Standing left to right: Mary George, Almeta Rollins, Allene Denegaul, Vera D. White, Mary Anderson and Frances Hill. Not Shown: Rosetta Hadley, Erna Lee Holland, and Bernice Hopkins
Mrs. Gertrude Horne is the First Black Woman to open a Beauty Culture School in Thomasville, Georgia in the late 1940’s. She was president of the Thomasville Beauty Culturist League in 1954. She was a pioneer that insured to all her students that they would pass the State Board test after the completion of her school and would receive their State License.
