Black History in
Columbuss Columbu A timeline of prominent people and events in Columbus Black history
Horace King
T
oday, you can choose from a few different bridges to cross over into Phenix City from Columbus, but that was not always that case. In 1832, a contract for the construction of the first public bridge over the river, Dillingham Bridge, was given to John Godwin. When Godwin began building the bridge, he had Horace King at his side. King was born into slavery in South Carolina in 1807, but became known as a master builder in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. By the late 1870s, King had built his famous bridges over the Chattahoochee river, as well as the Flint River and the Oconee River. King was also known as a political figure later in life, having served in the Alabama legislature as a state representative from Russell County. After Godwin’s death in 1859, King erected a monument over his grave in Phenix City that reads: “This stone was placed here by Horace King, in lasting remembrance of the love and gratitude he felt for his lost friend and former master.” King’s name is still celebrated in southeastern architectural history.
Thomas Wiggins
Born in Columbus in 1849, Thomas Wiggins spent his childhood as a slave on the Columbus plantation of General James N. Bethune. Blind at birth, “Blind Tom” became capable of hearing an intricate musical composition and reproducing what he heard on the piano, seldom making a mistake. He was even more impressive as a musical prodigy, considering he had no musical instruction of any kind. “Blind Tom” was only eight years old when he started performing in the Columbus area. During the Civil War, he toured Europe as a young adult and is rumored to have performed for royalty. After the war, he performed across America and eventually came back to thrill audiences at the Columbus Springer Opera House. A state historic marker stands nearby on Warm Springs Road as a memorial to his talent.
10 | The Uproar | SPRING 2021
VIVIAN DUNCAN
