An ABG Holiday

Even Little Aleck is in the holiday spirit.

Most of the world spent the day trying to get their way through a regular Wednesday with silly overplayed camel jokes or some other hump day cliche.

But not ABG. No, all staff offices were closed today and no official activities were undertaken outside of this update. This is effectively an activity to document a lack of activity. 

The occasion? It's the 203rd birthday of Alexander Hamilton Stephens. So, we celebrated

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The cake with research project photos.

And while many people might find it odd to celebrate the birthday of a 203 year old dead guy, the post office will be closed on Monday.

Our celebration wasn't a blowout, which suits the quiet man we were remembering. We had one of our favorite meals, and then lit candles on a cake, and sang "Happy Birthday" which presented a challenge once were were trying to keep tempo while trying to get in his entire name. But we got it done, blew out the candles and enjoyed a piece of cake. And we remembered Little Aleck. And we remembered him for the good things he did. We remembered him in context of the time he lived in.

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The tomb of A.H. Stephens, Crawfordville, GA

We remembered "The Great Commoner". The boy orphaned as a child. The statesman that plead for wisdom, justice, and moderation. The attorney that represented slaves. The landowner that took in tramps. The orator that spoke against secession but refused to stand against his neighbors and countrymen when he didn't get his way. A man so complex he was good friends with both Robert Toombs and Abraham Lincoln. We remembered the man who remembered where he came from, and who took in benefactors like he was taken in as a child. Numerous men and women, including the children of freed slaves, received a college education which the funding Stephens supplied. He was a true Georgian, s true man of the people. And we remembered him today.

And so tomorrow, it's back to the salt mines. Back to scouring the Earth, looking for pertinent, funny, meaningful, frivolous, boring, and, most importantly, Southern, things to write about, take pictures of, preserve, and remember.

We can't wait.

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