These are the people who hauled Georgia up from its poor, agrarian roots, making it among the most diversified, prosperous states in the country. They fought for freedom and served in the statehouse and White House. They excelled at sports, founded institutions that shaped countless lives and inspired through art and lives lived artfully. They are famous, obscure, colorful, outrageous and saintly, all with fascinating stories and all consequential, sometimes in ways felt the world over. They include Martin Luther King Jr., Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, Alice Walker, Juliette Gordon Low, Hammerin' Hank Aaron and Vince Dooley. Many here are no-brainers, while others may surprise. But all deserve recognition among the most influential Georgians of the twentieth century. Join author and longtime journalist Neely Young on this journey through the lives of these significant men and women.
About the AuthorYoung, Neely: - Neely Young is a native of Cedartown, Georgia, a graduate of the University of Georgia and a proud journalist. In 1968, he joined his family-owned newspaper, the
Valdosta Daily Times, working in the photography department. After leaving
Valdosta, he worked in various positions, and as both editor and publisher, for Georgia newspapers in Valdosta, Marietta, Canton, Dalton and Clayton County. In 1986, he became CEO of Morris Newspaper Corporation, which owned and operated forty newspapers in six states. He has served as a curator on the Georgia Historical Society and often wrote about historical figures in his columns for
Georgia Trend magazine. This book is a continuation of his long-standing interest in Georgia history and historical figures.