Black History
OP-ED: Talking About Death Won’t Kill You
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Part of the reason African Americans are often overtreated at the end of life relates to our experiences being denied care by a racist healthcare system. We may ask for and receive far more intensive and invasive treatments at the end of life, because we fought for the right to receive care and we demand access to it. While this is understandable, it can also be counterproductive if it prolongs suffering instead of preventing it.
By Rep. Rena Moran, Minnesota State Representative
As we celebrate Black History Month, we are confronted with the ongoing injustice that African Americans are more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as our white counterparts. While some have treated this fact as if it was a new phenomenon, many of us know this is just another example of the disparities in healthcare outcomes that the Black community has historically and continually experiences.
Whether we’re wealthy or working class, we are often diagnosed later, live sicker, and die sooner.
And we suffer more at the end of life, often from invasive treatments and lack of adequate pain relief. Our elders in nursing homes also receive feeding tubes at a higher rate and undergo more unnecessary surgeries in the final months of life.
Part of the reason African Americans are often overtreated at the end of life relates to our experiences being denied care by a racist healthcare system. We may ask for and receive far more intensive and invasive treatments at the end of life, because we fought for the right to receive care and we demand access to it. While this is understandable, it can also be counterproductive if it prolongs suffering instead of preventing it.
Systemic racism accounts for much of the problem, but we also have the opportunity to save ourselves from this overtreatment and the suffering that goes along with it, when we have the knowledge about how to plan for an end-of-life experience that is aligned with our values and beliefs.
We’ve all heard the phrase “knowledge is power,” and it is absolutely true when it comes to advocating for our care and our family’s care at the end of life. Although death is inevitable for all of us, there is often a stigma around talking about it at our dinner tables. We don’t talk with our family about what they would want when they are close to death, and we don’t bring it up with our doctors. My mother and sister passed away from ovarian cancer, and we didn’t speak about death until it was imminent, and therefore too late to know what their end-of-life wishes were and take appropriate steps with their doctors. In both cases, I now believe, planning ahead would have provided an easier and more peaceful death.
My family’s situation is similar to many others: Fewer than half of all African Americans have spoken with their families about their end-of-life care priorities, and only one in three has a documented advanced directive that ensures they get the medical care they want at the end of life. An advanced directive is a simple document that you can fill out online and give to your doctor. It provides peace of mind by explaining what healthcare you want to receive or decline if you become severely injured or terminally ill.
African Americans also rarely use hospice, a Medicare benefit that provides comfort care services for the terminally ill. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 76 percent of hospice beneficiaries are white, while only 8 percent are Black. There is a common misconception that choosing hospice means giving up hope. But this isn’t true. Those who use hospice experience less suffering, have more time with loved ones, and can have the dignified death we all want.
That’s why I am proud that the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women adopted a resolution at this year’s annual conference to advance education about end-of-life care issues like hospice and advanced planning; I also co-authored a bill last session to increase funding for that education in our own community.
Talking with our families about death and making a plan might seem difficult, but with the right support, the experience can bring families closer. These are important questions: What makes life worth living? What’s most important to us as we grow older? What do we want our loved ones to know when we can no longer speak for ourselves? And how do we want our final days to reflect the values and priorities of a lifetime? These conversations are a gift. Documenting specific answers to these questions will help protect your family from the confusion or conflict that can easily arise otherwise.
Talking about death won’t kill you, but not preparing for it can cause quite a lot of pain and suffering. Visit compassionandchoices.org/end-of-life-planning to learn how to start your own conversation.
Rep. Rena Moran represents District 65A, which includes parts of St. Paul. She chairs the Ways and Means Committee and is Midwest Region Coordinator for the National Association of Black Elected Legislative Women.
Art
Capturing Black Life’s Beauty
THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY — Deana Lawson is an acclaimed American photographer and visual artist whose work explores Black identity, family, and spirituality through powerful portraiture. Born in Rochester, New York, in 1979, Lawson developed a distinctive aesthetic that blends carefully arranged compositions with emotionally compelling subjects.
Deana Lawson is an acclaimed American photographer and visual artist whose powerful portraits explore Black identity, family, spirituality, intimacy, and the complexities of everyday life. Born in 1979 in Rochester, New York, Lawson has developed a distinctive approach to photography that combines carefully arranged compositions with emotionally compelling subjects. Her images often resemble scenes from family photo albums, yet they possess a theatrical quality that encourages viewers to look beyond the surface. Through her work, Lawson challenges conventional representations of Black people and presents images that celebrate their humanity, individuality, beauty, and cultural richness.
Lawson’s interest in photography developed partly through her family’s relationship with the medium. Her father was an enthusiastic family photographer, and the photographs he collected helped shape her understanding of how images preserve memories and communicate identity. Growing up surrounded by family pictures gave her an appreciation for the significance of documenting everyday experiences. She recognized that family photographs do more than record appearances; they capture relationships, traditions, aspirations, and moments that become part of a family’s history. These early influences would eventually become central to her artistic practice, inspiring her to examine how photographs shape our understanding of ourselves and the people around us.
Her formal education provided the foundation for a successful career in the visual arts. Lawson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Pennsylvania State University in 2001 before completing a Master of Fine Arts degree at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2004. During her studies, she developed the technical and conceptual skills necessary to create photographs that communicate complex ideas. Rather than concentrating exclusively on conventional documentary photography, Lawson explored the possibilities of staging, portraiture, lighting, and composition. Her work demonstrates that photography can occupy a space between reality and imagination, documenting actual people while constructing carefully considered scenes that communicate broader emotional and cultural truths.
One of the most recognizable characteristics of Lawson’s photography is her attention to detail. She carefully considers the positioning of her subjects, the arrangement of furniture, the colors within a room, and the relationship between people and their surroundings. Bedrooms, living rooms, and other domestic spaces frequently become important settings in her photographs. Everyday objects, including mirrors, religious items, toys, clothing, and household decorations, help establish a sense of personal history. These details give viewers the impression that they are entering an intimate environment, while the deliberate composition encourages them to consider what the image communicates about family, identity, and belonging.
Lawson frequently photographs Black individuals, couples, and families in poses that communicate dignity, confidence, vulnerability, and emotional complexity. Her subjects often look directly into the camera, establishing a powerful connection with the viewer. Their expressions may appear serious, mysterious, or quietly contemplative. This direct gaze gives the people in her photographs a strong visual presence, making it difficult to treat them as passive subjects. Instead, they appear self-possessed and fully aware of their place within the image. Lawson’s approach challenges stereotypes that have historically influenced the representation of Black people in photography and popular culture, replacing simplistic narratives with images that emphasize individuality and humanity.
Her photographs also explore spirituality, a theme that adds another dimension to her artistic vision. Religious imagery, symbolic objects, unusual gestures, and carefully controlled lighting sometimes give her compositions an almost sacred atmosphere. Lawson’s images may resemble familiar domestic scenes while simultaneously suggesting something mysterious or otherworldly. This combination encourages viewers to consider the spiritual dimensions of ordinary life and the ways people seek meaning through relationships, traditions, and personal beliefs. Her photographs do not always offer clear explanations, allowing ambiguity to become part of their emotional power. The viewer is invited to interpret the scene and consider how visible appearances may conceal deeper experiences.
Although Lawson is deeply interested in African American life, her artistic vision extends throughout the African diaspora. A Guggenheim Fellowship in 2013 supported travel that included destinations such as Haiti, Jamaica, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These experiences expanded her perspective on the relationships connecting Black communities across different countries and cultural traditions. Her photographs explore similarities and differences in how people express identity, beauty, family, spirituality, and social belonging. Rather than suggesting that Black experiences are identical everywhere, Lawson’s work acknowledges the richness and diversity of Black life. Her international perspective places individual portraits within a broader conversation about history, migration, ancestry, and cultural connection.
Among her notable works is Roxie and Raquel, New Orleans, Louisiana (2010), a portrait featuring twin sisters positioned together on a bed. The carefully arranged composition emphasizes both their resemblance and their individuality, while the surrounding furnishings and colors contribute to the photograph’s visual balance. Another important work, Nation (2018), demonstrates Lawson’s interest in constructing images that carry symbolic and cultural significance. Her photographs often invite extended examination because their meaning emerges through the relationship between the subjects, their gestures, and the surrounding environment. These images illustrate her ability to transform seemingly ordinary moments into compositions that feel monumental, mysterious, and emotionally resonant.
Lawson’s achievements have brought her work to some of the most respected institutions in the art world. In 2020, she became the first photographer to receive the prestigious Hugo Boss Prize, an award recognizing significant contemporary artistic achievement. The recognition led to Centropy, an exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2021. Her work has also been presented at the Museum of Modern Art, MoMA PS1, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. In 2022, she received the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. Beyond her exhibitions, Lawson has contributed to art education through her work at Princeton University, where she serves as the inaugural Dorothy Krauklis ’78 Professor of Visual Arts.
Ultimately, Deana Lawson’s significance lies in her ability to make photography a powerful vehicle for cultural affirmation and artistic exploration. Her portraits challenge viewers to reconsider familiar assumptions about Black identity while celebrating the beauty, complexity, and emotional depth of Black communities. By combining elements of documentary photography, family albums, staged portraiture, and symbolic imagery, she has created a visual language that is unmistakably her own. Her work reminds audiences that photographs are never simply records of what appears before a camera; they can also express dreams, histories, relationships, and aspirations. Through her remarkable vision, Lawson continues to expand the possibilities of contemporary photography and ensure that the lives and experiences of Black people occupy a central place in the visual record of our time.
Based on reporting by The Positive Community.
Black History
Oakland Faith Leaders Gather to Revitalize the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Oakland
Oakland faith leaders and civic officials recently gathered at the Church of All Faiths to revitalize the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Oakland and Vicinity. Led by convener Pastor Mark Anthony Clifton, Sr., the meeting aimed to unite clergy around civic engagement and community restoration. The event featured a call to action for the upcoming election and presentations on workforce development, drawing support from prominent figures including Mayor Barbara Lee and local school officials. Organizers shared their vision for the alliance’s future as they prepare for new collaborative initiatives. read more.
Pastors, civic leaders, and community members in the Bay Area gathered Thursday, Oct. 8, at Church of All Faiths in Oakland for a meet-and-greet marking a renewed push to revitalize the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) of Oakland and Vicinity.
A highlight of the evening was the “Souls to the Polls: Our Voice, Our Vote!” segment, led by Pastor Damon Owens of Genesis Church in Antioch, which urged congregations to turn out for the election. Organizers also announced a proposed joint pre-Thanksgiving worship service for Nov. 17, with the location to be announced.
Pastor Marcie Hodge of Prayer Mission Church called the program to order, and Rev. Michael Wakefield Wallace of Mt. Zion M.B. Church led the opening devotion. Pastor Cubie Finley III of Parks Chapel AME read Nehemiah 2:17-18, the passage behind the event’s rallying cry, “Let us rise up and build.”
COGIC National Evangelist Dr. Lucinda Taylor, principal of Westlake Middle School, delivered the opening welcome.
Dr. L.J. Jennings of Kingdom Builders Church gave a brief statement of purpose, explaining the alliance’s mission of ‘Voice, Vision, and Values.’ Pastor Terry Benjamin of Restoration Evangelistic Ministries then introduced the convener, Pastor Mark Anthony Clifton, Sr., who is in his 26th year leading East Oakland Church of God in Christ. Clifton has been reorganizing the alliance to unite clergy around civic engagement. He noted that IMA’s national roots in 1926 in Galveston, Texas, and honored the Oakland leaders who came before him, including his grandfather, the late Bishop Martin J. Clifton, Sr.
“The work of the IMA of Oakland is just a continuation of the work done before us. Today, working together we can continue to solve many of the issues our community faces,” said Clifton.
Members were invited to share testimonies, challenges, and ministry needs.
Other participants included Dr. Billy Dixon of At Thy Word Christian Center and Pastor Raymond Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry (OPIC) Council who shared information on the organization’s workforce development programming.
Public officials in attendance included Mayor Barbara Lee, Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, and Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Denise Saddler, strengthening the ties between the faith community and local government.
“We are better together and our city is stronger when we partner with our faith leaders,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.
Bishop Brondon Reems of Center of Hope Community Church provided the closing prayer and Rev. Dr. Jeffrey M. Parker, Sr., host pastor, gave final remarks and thanked attendees for coming.
“It’s an honor to serve the community and bring everyone together,” said Parker.
Dozens of pastors from Oakland, Antioch, and the greater Bay Area were recognized as supporters.
“I want our partners and attendees involved to help rebuild the city they love and this is only the beginning of a larger movement to restore our great city,” said Clifton.
Black History
Oakland Honors 60 Years of the Black Panther Party at the All Power to the People Gala
Oakland recently gathered at the Scottish Rite Center for the All Power to the People gala, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party. Presented by the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, the event brought together movement veterans, community leaders, and elected officials to honor the organization’s history of radical love and community service. Attendees enjoyed performances by youth arts groups and heard testimonials regarding the Party’s enduring influence on local housing and healthcare. The evening featured a keynote address exploring the moral clarity required for activism, click to read more.
Oakland gathered on Oct. 17 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party (BPP), the movement Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded in the city six decades ago.
The “All Power to the People” evening gala, at Oakland’s Scottish Rite Center, brought together Panther veterans, families, community leaders, and younger generations for a night of history, music, and recommitment.
The festivities, presented by the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, began with a black carpet entrance up the staircase to the center. Each side was lined with servers holding trays of champagne for guests to retrieve while walking in.
An energetic U.S. Congresswoman Lateefah Simon opened the program as emcee. Charlotte Hill O’Neal offered libations, and 16-year-old Abayomi Lewis, a Haitian American high school junior from San Francisco, performed BBP’s anthem, “The Meeting.” Young Gifted & Black, a performing arts program that has served Bay Area youth since 2010, followed with an inspirational performance of stepping and speaking truth to power.
During dinner service by Chef Michele McQueen, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee shared how instrumental the Black Panther Party was to her as a young single parent of two boys. “The Party provided food and lots of support and Fredrika Newton’s mother, a prominent real estate broker and housing rights activist, helped me navigate purchasing my very first home.”
Lee also shared lots of Panther history, including that she was the finance chair for Black Panther Party co-founder, Bobby Seale when he ran for Oakland mayor.
Dr. Xavier Buck, executive director of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, spoke of how being held at gunpoint by six New York City police officers in Jamaica Queens, reading the autobiography of Assata Shakur, and learning from Fredrika Newton inspired his life’s work.
“I’ve been poured into by Black Panther Party members throughout the country and what I’ve learned the most from them is “radical love.” The same love that created free breakfast programs, free ambulance services, and free sickle cell anemia testing for the Black community.”
Marvel’s Black Panther author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates delivered the keynote address.
“The legacy of the Black Panther Party lives on,” said Coates noting the presence of BPP veterans. He further remarked that people often focus narrowly on how to win, but real moral clarity comes from reflecting on what principles you are willing to stand for—and what you are willing to lose for—even in the face of steep odds.
Fredrika Newton, co-founder and president of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, thanked Panther veterans for “all you gave” and expressed hope that attendees would leave with a renewed commitment to the work that remains.
“Seeing Panther veterans, younger generations, and the community united to honor the Party, reminds me why this work has mattered so much,” said Newton.
Everyone in the room joined in song in tribute to Bobby Seale, wishing the 90-year-old well and took pictures with him.
Cyril Innis Jr., known as “Bullwhip,” addressed the issue of political prisoners and fighting for their freedom. The program booklet listed the dozens of imprisoned Panther members who passed away and honored the sacrifices of those still incarcerated.
A Legacy Award, was presented to Charlotte Hill O’Neal, known affectionately as “Mama C.”
“Mama C” has continued the Party’s work from Tanzania, where she and her husband, Pete O’Neal, founder of the Kansas City chapter, have lived in exile since 1970. Together they established the United African Alliance Community Center and the Leaders of Tomorrow Children’s Home which cares for orphans.
“Mama C” ceremoniously circled each table honoring the ancestors of the movement and encouraged guests to call out the names of loved ones who had passed away.
Marc Philpart of the Black Freedom Fund supported the anniversary and pledged to keep investing in the people and organizations carrying the work forward.
Trust for Public Land also marked the occasion, recalling its collaboration with the Panthers and Oakland residents who turned vacant lots into neighborhood gardens in the 1970s.
The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation opened the Black Panther Party Museum in January 2024, and the museum has since held multiple exhibitions and welcomes more than 30,000 visitors a year on the newly named Black Panther Party Boulevard in downtown Oakland. For more information, go to HueyPNewtonFoundation.org
Black History
Practitioners of African Traditional Spirituality Offer Ancestral Reverence Ritual Oct. 31
The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence will host “Ancestral Souls Rising” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, featuring a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion. Led by elders and priests across the African diaspora, the seventh annual ritual honors those lost without traditional rites while addressing current social challenges. This year’s event connects ancestral wisdom with contemporary issues, including a two-day conversation inspired by Afro-Beat music focused on Black community solidarity and the sacred importance of voting. Read more for details on the ritual schedule and participants.
The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence (C4GAR), a group of elders who practice African traditional spirituality, will lead a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion from Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
Called ‘Ancestral Souls Rising,’ the council members and 21 priests will lead the prayers from many parts of the African diaspora: Africa, Portugal, and across the U.S. from Maryland to the Bay Area.
Now in its seventh year, the annual ritual began during the 2020 pandemic when hundreds of thousands of people died alone and were buried in mass graves without rites and rituals according to loved ones’ traditions.
This prayer event was and is intended to give peace to the departed and comfort for the living who still mourn. Each year, we gather names of new ancestors from living elders to elevate them into the “Great Hall of the Titans.”
In ensuing years, C4GAR added themes to the prayer gathering that referenced current events. In 2024, before the consequential presidential election, C4GAR called on people to vote, invoking the memory of Civil Rights Movement heroes and heroines like John Lewis, who urged “Good Trouble,” and Fannie Lou Hamer, who famously declared that she was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
The day of global Prayer on Oct. 31 will be followed by a two-day conversation inspired by “The Blueprint,” an Afro-Beat song by UyiosaEl, to write our new blueprint that supports solidarity and action in the Black community.
“Our elders have, for many generations, known the power of prayer, ritual and breath,” the council said in a statement.
It was and is their intention, then, to use the cultural wisdom, the gift of prayer “and the most sacred thing we have, our breath, to send energy into the world that invokes and honors our ancestors,” the council statement continued.
“Doing this creates a vibration that protects us and employs their ancient wisdom for the well-being of our communities,” the elders said.
The councilmembers, all over the age of 60, recognize that what is now history for so many was once their lived experience. And that history, those joys and sorrows, are now in their bodies.
To them, the uttered prayer and the sacred breath are oaths to an unfolding future that people can still shape.
The council members are Dr. Iyabeji Cathy Royal, Iyalocha Jennifer Dillard, Manbo Charlene Desir (Florida), Nana Sula Spirit (Louisiana), Baba Obafemi Feyemi, Ohen Nedra T. Williams, and Iyalocha Wanda Ravernell-Stewart Emeritus (Oakland).
This year, they also encourage everyone within their reach to VOTE because it is not only a secular and political act, but a sacred one. Remember, the ancestors were denied that right and died for it.
For tickets, go to:
Black History
COMMENTARY: BIG MAMA SAID: Don’t Throw Away the Gift Just Because It Came Wrapped Wrong
TEXAS METRO NEWS — Journalist and mentor Terry Allen reflects on the profound wisdom of his grandmother, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen, who believed that a person’s mistakes do not represent their total identity. Allen argues that many behavioral issues seen in young men are actually symptoms of undeveloped gifts that have been applied to the wrong environments.
Big Mama had a way of seeing something in you before you could see it in yourself.
My grandmother, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen, came from a generation that believed in correction. I grew up in a household where somebody might tell you, “Go get me a switch.” You knew what that meant.
But age has taught me something: correction without direction can stop behavior, but it doesn’t always develop the person.
Sometimes what we call a young man’s problem is really an undeveloped gift.
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I learned that through mentoring.
I once worked with a young man who was gambling and running numbers. Now, I wasn’t going to celebrate the behavior. Wrong is wrong. But I also refused to believe his mistakes represented the totality of who he was.
I looked underneath the behavior.
This young brother understood numbers. He understood money, calculation and risk. His gift wasn’t gambling. His gift was his mind. So I introduced him to another image: Mansa Musa, the legendary African ruler whose name became synonymous with extraordinary wealth, commerce and economic power. to The message was simple: You already have something inside you. Now what are you going to do with it? That young man redirected his abilities. What had been operating in the wrong environment found purpose through education, accounting and legitimate business. Today, he has built a leading Bookkeeping firm in California’s East Bay.
That is what mentoring can do. It is also why I created programs like City MenTor and why, for 25 years, City Men Cook has celebrated fathers, mentors and men who show up. Mentoring isn’t creating somebody in our image. It is helping somebody recognize what God already placed inside them. I thnaks GOd for allys ike Pastor Keith Lofton who helpe me keep the programs grunded in Faith.
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Scripture tells us to “fan into flame the gift of God.” — 2 Timothy 1:6.
Somebody reading this has a gift that survived mistakes, disappointment, rejection, bad decisions and maybe even your own attempts to bury it.
But it survived.Now comes the question Big Mama might ask
Baby, if God restored your gift, who are you using it to restore?
Don’t just celebrate your comeback. Reach back. Find somebody whose gift came wrapped wrong—and help them unwrap it.
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Big Mama said: Don’t throw away the gift. Redirect it. Develop it. Then give it away.
Terry Allen is an NABJ award-winning Journalist, DEI expert, PR professional, and – Vice President at FocusPR, founder of the charity City Men Cook, and Dallas Chapter President of NBPRS.org
Based on reporting by Texas Metro News.
Black History
Columbus’s Oldest Businesses Still Open: 10 That Have Lasted 75+ Years
COLUMBUS TIMES — Columbus, Georgia, traces its commercial roots to the early 19th century, when the Chattahoochee River and local cotton mills fueled a burgeoning regional economy. While the city has transformed into a modern hub for banking and manufacturing, a select group of businesses and institutions have managed to survive for more than 75 years.
The historic Springer Opera House in downtown Columbus, Georgia, opened in 1871 and stands as one of the city’s oldest surviving cultural institutions.
Some Columbus businesses have been around longer than the automobiles, shopping centers and neighborhoods that now surround them. A handful date back to the 1800s, when cotton mills powered the local economy and the Chattahoochee River carried goods between communities. Others survived the Great Depression, two world wars, economic downturns and decades of changing consumer habits.
While hundreds of businesses have opened and closed across Columbus over the generations, these 10 have histories stretching back at least 75 years. Some remain family-owned, while others have survived mergers, ownership changes or major transformations. Together, their histories tell the story of how Columbus grew from a riverfront trading town into a regional center for banking, manufacturing, commerce and culture.
This list includes businesses, commercial institutions and their surviving successors with documented Columbus roots before 1951. It is not a definitive ranking of every surviving business, and several entries have changed ownership, names or operating models over time.
1. Columbus Ledger-Enquirer — 1828 (198 Years)
One of Columbus’s oldest surviving commercial institutions is its longtime newspaper, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Its history began in 1828 with the founding of the Columbus Enquirer, the same year Columbus was established. The Columbus Ledger followed in 1886, and the two newspapers eventually became a single publication in 1988.
Over nearly two centuries, the newspaper has documented wars, elections, industrial expansion, economic downturns and major changes throughout the Chattahoochee Valley. Its ownership changed again in July 2026, when the Georgia Trust for Local News purchased the Ledger-Enquirer from McClatchy. The newspaper continues operating, although the modern publication is the product of mergers and transformations rather than an unchanged business established in 1828.
2. Willcox-Lumpkin Co. — 1848 (178 Years)
Insurance agency Willcox-Lumpkin traces its history to 1848, making it one of Columbus’s oldest documented commercial enterprises. Historical city directories identify the business as an insurance agency that protected homes, businesses and property long before automobiles became common. The company remained associated with generations of the Willcox and Lumpkin families.
Its history is supported by advertisements appearing in Columbus directories more than a century ago. Georgia Secretary of State records currently list Willcox-Lumpkin Co. as active and in compliance, with its corporate registration dating to December 1923. That distinction matters because the business’s claimed operating history is considerably older than its present corporate registration.
3. Springer Opera House — 1871 (155 Years)
The Springer Opera House opened in 1871 and became one of the city’s most important entertainment destinations. Built by businessman Francis Joseph Springer, the theater attracted nationally recognized performers and helped establish Columbus as a cultural center. Its ornate Victorian architecture remains one of downtown’s most recognizable landmarks.
The Springer nearly disappeared during the 1960s after declining attendance and years of deterioration. Preservationists rescued the building, and theatrical performances returned in 1965. Although it has not operated continuously in the same form, the Springer remains an active performing arts institution and an example of how historic properties can find new economic life.
4. Schomburg’s Jewelers — 1872 (154 Years)
Few Columbus retailers can claim a family history as long as Schomburg’s Jewelers. Carl Frederick Schomburg established the jewelry business in 1872 after working as a clockmaker, and the company gradually expanded into watches, jewelry and other luxury goods. Five generations of the family have been associated with the business.
Today, Schomburg’s operates on Rollins Way and identifies itself as Georgia’s oldest fifth-generation jeweler. Its longevity reflects a business model built around specialized craftsmanship, customer relationships and family continuity. While many traditional jewelry stores have disappeared or become part of national chains, Schomburg’s has maintained a recognizable local identity.
5. Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Co. — 1882 (144 Years)
Two brothers, Theodore and J. Poitevent Golden, established Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Co. in 1882. The company began as a small foundry and machine shop during an era when Columbus was expanding rapidly as a manufacturing center. Its products helped supply the machinery and industrial equipment needed by businesses throughout the region.
More than 140 years later, the business remains associated with descendants of its founders. Goldens’ continues manufacturing industrial castings while also developing consumer products through its Goldens’ Cast Iron brand. Its survival is especially significant because many of the textile mills and industrial operations that helped create its original market have long since closed.
6. W.C. Bradley Co. — 1885 (141 Years)
The W.C. Bradley Co. traces its origins to 1885, when William Clark Bradley entered the cotton business in Columbus. Over time, his growing enterprise expanded into groceries, fertilizer, transportation, manufacturing and financial services. The company eventually became one of the most influential business organizations in the Chattahoochee Valley.
Its business interests helped shape the development of modern Columbus, including the city’s banking and manufacturing sectors. The company also became closely associated with Char-Broil, the nationally recognized outdoor cooking brand. Today, W.C. Bradley Co. maintains its corporate headquarters near the Chattahoochee River, continuing a business legacy that began when cotton dominated the regional economy.
7. Synovus Banking Legacy — 1888 (138 Years)
The banking institution that became Synovus began in 1888 with the establishment of two Columbus banks. According to company history, the idea developed partly from the need to provide textile workers with a safe place to keep their earnings. Those early banking operations eventually evolved into Columbus Bank and Trust and later Synovus Financial Corporation.
A major change occurred in January 2026 when Synovus merged with Pinnacle Financial Partners, ending its existence as an independent corporation. The combined organization continues serving Columbus customers under the Synovus name during the transition to Pinnacle branding, which is scheduled for 2027. Pinnacle also announced plans in June to expand its downtown Columbus workspace, reinforcing the city’s continued importance to the banking operation.
8. Dinglewood Pharmacy — 1918 (108 Years)
Dinglewood Pharmacy opened on November 13, 1918, and became one of Columbus’s most recognizable neighborhood businesses. While generations of customers have visited for prescriptions and pharmacy services, the business is equally famous for its traditional lunch counter. Its signature scrambled dog has become closely associated with Columbus food culture.
The pharmacy celebrated its centennial in 2018, an achievement relatively few independent neighborhood businesses reach. Its ability to combine traditional pharmacy services with a popular local dining experience has helped preserve its reputation across generations. Dinglewood remains an especially visible example of a business whose appeal extends well beyond the original service it was established to provide.
9. Striffler-Hamby Mortuary — 1923 (103 Years)
Striffler-Hamby Mortuary traces its business history to 1923, when David Abraham Striffler opened his own funeral establishment in downtown Columbus. Striffler had entered the local funeral industry in 1908 before eventually establishing an independent operation. In 1930, he moved the business into a building constructed specifically for funeral services.
The mortuary became an established name as generations of Columbus families turned to it for funeral arrangements. Today, the business operates as part of the Dignity Memorial network, showing how a longstanding local institution can continue under different corporate ownership. Its history also offers a look at how funeral services evolved from small undertaking establishments into modern funeral homes.
10. WRCG Radio, Originally WRBL — 1928 (98 Years)
Columbus entered the broadcasting era on May 10, 1928, when WRBL began transmitting radio programs to local listeners. The station was established through the efforts of early radio pioneer Bill Lewis and became the city’s first radio broadcasting operation. Its original programming helped bring news, entertainment and live events into Columbus homes.
The station eventually changed ownership, frequencies and call letters, becoming WRCG in 1977. Historical research by Columbus State University and Historic Columbus confirms the connection between the original WRBL radio operation and its later identity. Today, WRCG represents a surviving broadcasting legacy that predates television’s arrival in Columbus by approximately 25 years.
What These Businesses Reveal About Columbus
The survival of these institutions reflects the major industries that shaped Columbus over nearly two centuries. Banking, manufacturing, retail, insurance, entertainment and communications all played important roles in the city’s economic development. Several businesses adapted to changing markets, while others survived by maintaining relationships with generations of local customers.
Their histories also demonstrate that longevity does not necessarily mean remaining unchanged. Some businesses were acquired by larger corporations, others moved into new industries, and several preserved their names despite major changes in ownership. For Columbus residents, these institutions provide a tangible connection to the city’s past while continuing to influence its economic and cultural identity.
Source: Historic Columbus Foundation; Columbus State University Archives and Special Collections; Georgia Historical Society; New Georgia Encyclopedia;
Based on reporting by Columbus Times.
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