Georgia Historical Society

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Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia and American history.

“Character is not built in crisis, it is revealed in crisis.” — Ed BastianJoin us in celebrating the birthday of 2018 Ge...
06/06/2026

“Character is not built in crisis, it is revealed in crisis.” — Ed Bastian

Join us in celebrating the birthday of 2018 Georgia Trustee Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines. He has helped shape one of Georgia’s most influential global companies while making a lasting impact on our state and beyond. His leadership and dedication have left an indelible mark on Georgia's history and “Delta Skies." Today, we honor Mr. Bastian and wish him a smooth take off, clear skies, and a happy birthday!

06/05/2026

Thank you to Genteel & Bard Savannah Ghost & History Tours for sharing this glimpse of our Research Center! We are proud to welcome researchers, students, educators, and visitors who come to explore our collections and discover Georgia history.

Georgians might have been speaking with a different accent had it not been for a key Patriot victory in Augusta during t...
06/05/2026

Georgians might have been speaking with a different accent had it not been for a key Patriot victory in Augusta during the American Revolution on this day in 1781. In 1778, the British launched their southern campaign, hoping to break the stalemate in the northern states and rally loyalists to their cause. Savannah fell and later, Charleston. Augusta became hotly contested, changing hands several times until captured in 1780 by Thomas Brown, a fierce Loyalist. But in 1781, General Nathanael Greene sent Andrew Pickens and Lieutenant Colonel "Light Horse Harry" Lee to assist the Georgia Patriots in recapturing Augusta. The Loyalists finally surrendered after a two-week siege – a critical victory for the Patriots. Since Savannah remained in British hands, even after their surrender at Yorktown, the taking of Augusta gave American peace negotiators leverage to insist that Georgia be part of the new United States. Learn more about Today in Georgia History at https://www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/.

Pictured: Nathanael Greene, GHS 1360-PH-25-09-15. Andrew Pickens and Henry Lee courtesy of the Library of Congress.

S9E21 Podcast: George Washington, Slavery, and American MemoryStan’s guest this week is historian John Garrison Marks, d...
06/04/2026

S9E21 Podcast: George Washington, Slavery, and American Memory

Stan’s guest this week is historian John Garrison Marks, discussing his new book, Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory (University of North Carolina Press, 2026), which tells the story of Americans’ long struggle to come to terms with Washington’s legacy of slavery. He traces how politicians, abolitionists, educators, activists, Washington’s former slaves and their descendants, and others have remembered, forgotten, and manipulated slavery’s place in Washington’s story, and how they have wielded versions of that story in the political and cultural fights of their time. Marks shows how generational struggles over our collective memory of Washington and slavery have always been part of a bigger conversation about defining the United States and its people.

Listen at https://www.deatonpath.georgiahistory.com/s9e21-podcast-george-washington-slavery-and-american-memory/

Few objects in our collection connect so directly to a pivotal moment in the American Revolution as this grapeshot. Tra...
06/04/2026

Few objects in our collection connect so directly to a pivotal moment in the American Revolution as this grapeshot.

Traditionally said to have mortally wounded Count Casimir Pulaski during the 1779 Siege of Savannah, it serves as a tangible reminder of one of the largest and most significant Revolutionary War battles fought in Georgia. Donated to GHS in 1841 alongside a rare Revolutionary War drum, it was among the earliest artifacts to enter our collection.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, artifacts help connect us to the people and events that shaped the nation's history. Explore more resources: www.georgiahistory.com/georgia-commemorates-america-at-250/

Pictured: Grapeshot that Killed Casimir Pulaski, GHS 0509-AF-052-002.

“Be kind and caring to one another, even when it’s not easy or comfortable.” — Alana Smith ShepherdToday, we celebrate t...
06/04/2026

“Be kind and caring to one another, even when it’s not easy or comfortable.” — Alana Smith Shepherd

Today, we celebrate the birthday of Alana Smith Shepherd, a 2015 Georgia Trustee and co-founder of the Shepherd Center a world-renowned rehabilitation hospital specializing in spinal cord and brain injury treatment, research, and rehabilitation.

Her compassionate leadership and enduring commitment to helping others have transformed countless lives and continue to inspire us all. Join us in recognizing her remarkable contributions to healthcare and wishing her a very happy birthday!

In June 1980, media pioneer Ted Turner launched the Cable News Network—better known as CNN—the world’s first television ...
06/04/2026

In June 1980, media pioneer Ted Turner launched the Cable News Network—better known as CNN—the world’s first television channel devoted to 24-hour news coverage.

From its debut, CNN transformed how people received information, delivering around-the-clock coverage of wars, natural disasters, politics, and major cultural moments from across the globe.

More than four decades later, the network Turner founded continues to shape how the world watches history unfold in real time.

Curious to learn more as we approach America’s 250th anniversary? Explore featured items from the GHS Collections: https://www.georgiahistory.com/resource/georgia-at-the-us250-exhibit

Pictured: Ted Turner at CNN Center, GHS 1361-PH-43-54-01.

06/03/2026

What brings scholars from across the country to the GHS Research Center in Savannah?

This May, three researchers joined us as part of the 2026 Dooley Distinguished Research Fellowship program, using GHS collections to explore topics ranging from the story of Jane DeVeaux—a free Black woman in Savannah who secretly taught enslaved children to read and write for decades—to the history of dissenters in the Confederacy and refugees during the Civil War.

Hear directly from this year’s Fellows about their research, discoveries, and experience at the Georgia Historical Society.

North of this marker, in the center of Lake Hartwell, once stood an important Native American town, Tugaloo. The area no...
06/01/2026

North of this marker, in the center of Lake Hartwell, once stood an important Native American town, Tugaloo. The area now marked by a small island was settled around 500 CE and occupied by Cherokee Indians around 1450. Traders were coming to the town by 1690. In 1716, while British Colonel Maurice Moore negotiated a treaty with Cherokee leader Charity Hagey, a group of Creek ambassadors arrived. The Creek Indians, supported by Spain and France, wished to drive the British from the Carolinas in the Yamasee War (1715-1717). The Cherokees killed the Creek ambassadors and joined the British. By 1717, Colonel Theophilus Hastings operated a trading center at Tugaloo where gunsmith John Milbourne maintained Cherokee fi****ms. Indian agent Colonel George Chicken visited Tugaloo in 1725 and described it as “…the most ancient town in these parts.” Because the Cherokee in Tugaloo were British allies during the Revolutionary War, the town was destroyed by American patriots in 1776. Start exploring Georgia’s historical markers at https://historicalmarkers.georgiahistory.com/.

More than 45,000 soldiers were held at Andersonville Prison during the Civil War in Andersonville, Georgia, making it on...
05/29/2026

More than 45,000 soldiers were held at Andersonville Prison during the Civil War in Andersonville, Georgia, making it one of the most infamous prison camps in American history. But how do we separate fact from legend when studying places remembered through generations of stories?

With Georgia Uncovered: Investigating Our State’s Legends, you can step into the role of a historical investigator using primary sources, interactive activities, videos, and more to explore the real history behind Andersonville Prison.

Examine evidence, ask questions, and uncover how historians work to better understand the past through this free online resource: www.georgiahistory.com/resource/georgia-uncovered-andersonville/

Pictured: A sketch of the Andersonville prison, by John B. Walker, 1864. Georgia Historical Society.

Address

501 Whitaker Street
Savannah, GA
31401

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+19126512125

Website

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