Submitted photoThe Imperial Hotel, shown here in a undated photo, is the subject of the Thomasville History Center’s “Do You Remember?” set for February 19 at the Jack Hadley Black History Museum’s Perra Bell library.

The Jack Hadley Black History Museum and the Thomasville History Center is asking for the community’s help with the second installment of “Do You Remember?” this time focusing on the Imperial Hotel. 

The Imperial Hotel was owned and operated by Harvey and Dorothy Lewis Thompson. The brick masons who built the hotel were five African American men trained in masonry. The The Lewis brothers, as they were known, built the hotel and were the brothers of Dorothy Lewis. 

The hotel opened in 1949 and closed in 1969. It was listed in the “Green Book” (the basis of a major motion picture released in November 2018), which tells the narrative and what people had to endure during the era of segregation. The “Negro Traveler’s Green Book the Guide to Travel and Vacations,” also known as the Green Book, guided African Americans traveling throughout the southern United States from 1936 to the 1960s. The Imperial Hotel was listed in the “Green Book” beginning in 1954 as one of the many business establishments built by and for African Americans. 

This collaboration between the two local museums and Thomasville Landmarks for the purpose of capturing and saving history that may be forgotten otherwise. Local residents are being asked to visit the event — February 19 from 7-8 p.m. at the Jack Hadley Museum’s Perra Bell library — and tell their stories of what they may know about the Imperial Hotel.  

There are local people who can help the two museums obtain more history about the Imperial Hotel as each museum has very limited historical information about it. The Jack Hadley Black History Museum is the owner of the Imperial Hotel, and the museum board of directors has plans for its use after the renovation is completed. 

The Imperial Hotel building still stands and work is beginning to start on the construction very soon.

“We need and want to hear your stories regarding what you know about the Imperial,” Jack Hadley said. “If you have pictures, we would like to borrow them to make copies for documentation purposes as we pursue continued state and national recognition for the Imperial Hotel.” 

The Jack Hadley Black History Museum and the Thomasville History Center are working with the City of Thomasville on a sidewalk marker project, with the names of formerly black-owned businesses, including the Ritz Theater.

“This will enable our current, future generations and tourists to know that this area was once a bustling black business community for African Americans where they had all the economic resources for shopping,” Hadley said. “Some of the businesses consisted of insurance companies, entertainments venues, restaurants, drug store, African American doctors’ offices, and other professional services, to name a few.” 

Hadley said they believe there are many senior citizens in the community who can help provide history about both historical sites.

“We are willing to make arrangements to assist senior citizens that do not have transportation to the event contact us to arrange your travel to the event to tell your stories,” he said. “Feel free to give us a call and we will get you to the event. You are welcome to come to either museum and tell your stories or write it up and mail it to either museums. For whatever reason you are unable to attend, we will schedule a time to visit your home and interview you. We are very hungry for your story and information.”

Since the Imperial Hotel still stands, there is an opportunity to nominate it to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hadley pointed out.

“This is where we really need your information about the Imperial Hotel,” he said. “We are begging you, please come forward and tell us all you can about the history for the Imperial Hotel. We need the stories, pictures and any artifacts you have for the ‘Do You Remember? the Imperial Hotel.’ Community, we need to secure this history for our children and our future generations to come. Now is the time we need to save it, so please give us a call and try to attend our upcoming event.” 

The Jack Hadley Black History Museum is at 214 Alexander St.