The Founding Colonies – Geogria
So below are the Georgia facts.
Georgia
Capital: Atlanta
Size: approximately 59,441 square miles with 100 miles of coastline
Size Rank: 10
Bird: Brown Thrasher
Admitted to Statehood: January 2, 1788, 1st Constitution
Population: 8,196,453
Presidents (birth): Jimmy Carter
The list of famous residents is like reading a cultural history text: Ray Charles, Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter, Martin Luther King, Joanne Woodward, Julia Roberts, Trish Yearwood, Jackie Robinson, Flannery O’Connor, Jim Brown, Doc Holliday (my favorite), Kim Bassinger, Deforest Kelly (Bones in Star Trek), Bobby Jones (the golfer inspired the movie), Lawrence Fishburne, Jeff Foxworthy, Oliver Hardy (of Laurel & Hardy fame), Charles Coburn, Ossie Davis, and Paula Deane just to name a few.
I believe the French gave the famous Southern towns of Georgia, like Savannah, and Macon elegance and flair and set the standards for gracious living, focusing on art and culture. However, this state adamantly supported slavery and slave owners practiced torture as a mundane part of their daily life.
Do you need grandeur to be able to rationalize abject poverty? Can wealth validate the ownership of human beings? Beauty both physical and spiritual to justify the ugliness of the soul that separates families, encourage rape?
So many contradictions even today. Yet for me Ray Charles musical tribute captures the spirit of this state, and I’ll end with the lyrics of the song.
“Georgia On My Mind”
Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
Talkin' 'bout Georgia
I'm in Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear as moonlight through the pines
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you
Georgia, sweet Georgia, no peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back
It always leads back to you
I'm in Georgia, Georgia, sweet Georgia
No peace, no peace I find
Just this old, sweet song
Keeps Georgia forever on my mind
Just an old sweet, sweet song
Keeps Georgia forever on my mind
Cheers,
JC
Jianne, a very interesting blog which makes me homesick, especially the words "Still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you." Haven't been back to my home in 34 years! Let's not forget those other three other (not so)famous residents of Georgia: myself, Icy Snow Blackstone, and Tony-Paul de Vissage, respectively from Macon and Savannah. Also, while I'm sure Georgia would like to lay claim to the beautiful creole city of New Orleans, I'm certain it lies in the state of Louisiana. Georgia's creole city is Savannah.
Oops, I goofed, you can see I have a long way to go with Geography. I will correct that right away.
JC
Jianne,
Very, very interesting blog. And--clever message, Toni.
Thanks, Jianne. I enjoy these posts a lot. It's a good education for me.
It's a good education for everyone. Thanks for giving the facts to us all. We could all learn about every state. As much as people who become citizens at least.
Jianne, I know you're giving a bird's eye view about the states. You will be taking that citizenship test alone.
FYI
You will likely hear from those of us who would never own slaves or practice torture and don't condone such.
Many slaves worked on plantations all over the South, raising crops that produced cotton and tobacco and food.
Did you know the slaves arrived on ships owned by people from up north and those people sold the slaves? They even kept a few slaves. Folks all over this country and others wore clothes made from our cotton.
Thanks, Jianne! During the laser show at Stone Mountain Park, Georgia, the song you quoted is always part of the music (at least, always when I've gone there), and they play versions by both Ray Charles and Willie Nelson. It's very moving.
Thanks, Jianne, for another insight into the colonies. We lived in Georgia for eleven years and loved the state and the people there. I still miss some aspects of it.
I'm always interested in anything to do with early America and the founding colonies. Great post.
Very interesting list of Who's Who!
Jianne,
Thanks for the insight into Georgia. I live in a suburb of Atlanta and while I think it's beautiful here, the weather is too hot for my taste.
Hi Jianne,
I came here to comment on Mona's blog and saw this one on GA. too. A few other musical greats from Ga are The Allman Brothers and Otis Redding (Sitting on the dock of the bay...)
I didn't understand Toni's comment at New Orleans, but I did have a comment about Savannah. We don't call our "culture" creole. The mixed culture here is called Geechee Gullah and it's quite something to behold.
Take care!
Maggie
author of romance and mystery