Honoring Family This Juneteenth

Extending Juneteenth celebrations and honoring my third great-grandfather, former enslaved American and architect Horace King.

Born into slavery on a South Carolina plantation in 1807, he became an American architect, engineer, and bridge builder. Horace King, my third great-grandfather, constructed dozens of bridges in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi; he's considered one of the highest respected bridge builders of the 19th-century Deep South.

I grew up learning about Horace King's greatness, visiting his remaining bridges, and seeing his incredible floating staircase at the Alabama state capitol.

Portrait of bridge builder and third great-grandfather Horace King

View of a bridge crossing the Chattahoochee at Eufaula, Alabama designed by King in 1839. Image courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History

View of the spiral staircase designed by King at the Alabama capitol. Image courtesy of The Library of Congress.

Marker located in LaGrange, GA
Inscription: Born a slave, Horace King became a master builder who constructed covered bridges over every large river between western Georgia and eastern Mississippi. King gained his freedom in 1846 through the Alabama legislature with the aid of his master, John Godwin. King placed an obelisk on Godwin's Phenix City, Alabama grave in 1859 which noted his love and gratitude. After the Civil War, King served two terms in Alabama's Reconstruction legislature. The political and business leader moved with his family to LaGrange about 1873. Horace and his son Marshal Ney King are buried just west of here.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, April 29, 2017

I've also visited Horace King’s gravestone, an experience most descendants of enslaved Americans find impossible to do.

It's difficult not to be astonished at his accomplishments, especially in a world designed to enslave him. His creativity and craftsmanship, determination to be more than what society expected of him, and ingenuity toward building a better community in the face of discrimination continue to inspire me to this day.