Editing Americus, Georgia (section)

===Into the 20th century===
For the local minority community, Rev. Dr. Major W. Reddick established the [[Americus Institute]] (1897–1932). [[Booker T. Washington]] was a guest speaker there in May 1908. Rev. Alfred S. Staley was responsible for locating the state Masonic Orphanage in Americus, which served its function from 1898 to 1940. Both men engineered the unification of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia in 1915, the former as president and the latter as recording secretary. The public school named in honor of A.S. Staley was designated a National School of Excellence in 1990.

Two other colleges were also established in Americus, the Third District Agricultural and Mechanical School in 1906 (now [[Georgia Southwestern State University]]), and the South Georgia Trade and Vocational School in 1948 (now [[South Georgia Technical College]]). South Georgia Technical College is located on the original site of Souther Field.<ref>[http://www.souther-field.com/ Souther Field]</ref>

In [[World War I]], an [[United States Army Air Service|Army Air Service]] training facility, Souther Field (now [[Jimmy Carter Regional Airport]]), was commissioned northeast of the city limits. [[Charles A. Lindbergh]], the "Lone Eagle", bought his first airplane and made his first solo flight there during a two-week stay in May 1923. Recommissioned for [[World War II]], Souther Field was used for [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] pilot training (1941–1942)<ref>Gilbert S. Guinn, ''The Arnold Scheme: British Pilots, The American South and the Allies Daring Plan'', History Press, 2007</ref> as well as US pilot training before ending the war as a German [[prisoner-of-war]] camp. The town was incorporated in 1832, and the name Americus was picked out of a hat.<ref>{{cite book|title=Weird, Wacky, and Wild Georgia Trivia|last=Watson|first=Stephanie|author2=Lisa Wojna|year=2008|publisher=Blue Bike Books|isbn=978-1-897278-44-4|page=59}}</ref>

[[Shoeless Joe Jackson]] served as the field manager for the local baseball team after his banishment from professional baseball. A plaque at Thomas Bell Stadium commemorates his contribution to the local baseball program.