THE JAMES E. WRIGHT HOUSE

A Guest Blog by Christopher Linton —

The James E. Wright house is a new member of the neighborhood on Fletcher Street.  This home once occupied the lot at 431 E. Jackson Street where James built his home back in 1912.  James E. Wright Sr. is regarded as Thomasville’s first Black architect, but his presence served even more as a statement about the desire for equality that spanned generations.

James was born near Brunswick, GA in 1887.  He had numerous siblings both born and adopted by his parents.  His later ambition was sparked by their work to build a legacy for the family mirrored in James’ father becoming a day laborer after emancipation until saving enough money to purchase land and become an independent farmer by the time James was thirteen years old. 

Thirteen was a pivotal year for James.  On July 3, 1900, one of the most famous Black educators, Booker T. Washington, visited Brunswick to deliver three speeches at various churches there. Booker was the leader of what was becoming an elite college of the South, the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School in Alabama. 

James would later become a part of the 1912 class at Tuskegee where he studied under the tutelage of an instructor named Robert Robinson Taylor.  Robert Taylor was the first Black student to enroll and graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the first accredited Black architect when he graduated in 1892.  He was an early and influential member of the Tuskegee Institute faculty who would be second-in-charge under Booker and go on to design and build Booker’s home at Tuskegee.

After graduating with degrees in architecture and brick construction in 1912, James returned to Brunswick briefly before making the decision to seek a career in the resort community of Thomasville, GA.  Arriving in Thomasville, he did several rather astonishing things for the time in which he lived.  He advertised his new degree and abilities in the local newspaper, taking out ads that appeared alongside those of the white businesses in Thomasville.  I know of no other Black business that did this during this time.  James also built his home on Jackson Street outside of what would have been the segregated portions of Thomasville that existed until the 1960’s, again in 1912 something that no one else undertook.  Take a moment and contemplate living in a strongly segregated community when an educated stranger arrives to build a home and business in defiance of everything.  There is no reality in which a person like this does not serve as a beacon and inspiration.

There are many buildings designed by James still in existence here and in surrounding communities.  His home was recognized in 2019 with a plaque from Landmarks and steps taken by organizations like Landmarks and Thomasville Community Development Corporation will ensure James’ story will continue to inspire for decades to come.     

Christopher Linton tells stories from places such as Pebble Hill to the humble grave of a dog who rode fire engines for a decade, each story is special and could be lost if we don't collectively make the effort to record them for those who will follow.  He shares his hobby with his wife and others he calls friends. Thank you, Chris, for keeping the stories of our neighborhood alive!