Contributed

“This history found me”, explained Dr. Tony B. Lowe when talking about his work regarding the Story of Postmaster Isaiah H. Lofton.  During a meeting with African American elders at a local café in Hogansville, Lowe was first told about the embattled service of town’s Postmaster Lofton from the late 1890s. His efforts to substantiate their claims has become a journey of rediscovering his community and open new questions about its national significance.

“This has also led me to believe that there are other untold stories of strength in our community,” explained Lowe. Lofton’s story is about struggle, sacrifice and standing-up for what is right, even when local, state civic and political forces are opposed. By doing so, his refusal to resign and be “run out” of town made him a local symbol of civil rights and captured national attention. The story is widely known as “That Hogansville Affair”.

Lowe’s comprehensive search through the Troup County Archives, University of Georgia Historical Newspaper Collections, The Library of Congress Digitized Newspaper Collection, Howard University Law Library Archives, and National Archives in Washington, D.C., and accessing Lofton family members has helped him detail this once loss story.

The public is invited to attend community forum and lecture on Sunday, Oct. 22 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Main Street Special Event Center on West Main Street in Hogansville.