The Hubert Family was honored on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives on February 22, 2024. After attending an unveiling of a new historic marker of the Hubert family, Georgia State Representative Mack Jackson (Georgia’s District 128) learned of the family history and was very impressed with the Hubert Family history. He shared the history on the floor of the Georgia House.
The marker in Hancock County is inscribed: “Zack Hubert, a former Warren County slave, moved here [to Hancock County, Georgia] with his family in 1871. The Huberts were among the first African-American landowners in central Georgia and played influential roles in the area’s African-American community. They named their homesite Springfield. Zack Hubert married Camilla Hillman in 1873. Hubert donated land and helped with construction for Springfield Church and its school, an early provider of technical education to African Americans in Georgia. All twelve of the Huberts’ children were college educated, and two became college presidents. The site includes the Log Cabin Center, maintained by the Association for the Advancement of Negro Country Life. Camilla and Zack Hubert are buried beside Springfield Church.” This marker is located on Springfield Road, just north of Spingfield-Log Cabin Road in White Plains, Georgia.
“Today we are honoring the Hubert family of Hancock County, Georgia, of which I am a proud member. You can find out more about my family at the AUC’s Woodruff Library,” stated Atlanta’s Donnie J. “D. J.” Smith, Jr.
Recalling brief parts of the history of his ancestors, “Paul, a slave in 1832 married Jincy, the daughter of Hiram Hubert and a slave girl named Phillis. After the Civil war, and newly emancipated, Paul and Jincy left the plantation in 1865, were gifted one bail of cotton, sold it to rent a small farm and buy a mule. In all, they had 11 children. Among them: Zack, David Crockett, Floyd and others.”
D. J. Smith, as he is affectionately known by his family and close friends, continued, “The Hubert family legend began with believing in yourself and pouring into your community. Zack was te first of his siblings to leave his parents’ farm. He met Camilla Hillman and married her in less than a year. They started renting their own farm from a white man and made an agreement with the owner to buy 165 acres of the farm land to split amongst Zack and his brothers.”
“The owner of the land reneged on the deal, forcing Zack to do the unfathomable; sue a white man. Against all odds, in 1876 Zack won, which made him the first black man to successfully sue a white man in Georgia, as well as the largest black property owner in Middle Georgia.”
“Zack and Camilla eventually had twelve children. Once again, against all odds, all twelve of them graduated college, becoming the President of Savannah State and Jackson State Colleges, executing director of the New York Urban League, school principals, ministers, educators and other community service professionals.”
“The Huberts took what was given to them during an intolerable time, worked hard, filled their proverbial cups and poured into their communities, bringing us to today.”
“Today we are in much more tenable and prosperous times. Our cups runneth over with opportunity, access and freedoms that our ancestors wouldn’t even begin to imagine. We have the ability, time and resources to improve our communities by pouring just a little of ourselves into them.”
“Help a neighbor you don’t know. Inspire a child to be great. Challenge yourself to make yourself proud of who you are and what you did today, what you will do with this year AND with the rest of your life.”
“Remember the people that have helped and inspired you along the way. Remember the Hubert family of Hancock County. Think about how they’ve spread far and wide; how they’ve taken their small cups, filled them to the brim and poured into communities in Atlanta, in Georgia and around the world.”
“Be like the Huberts of Hancock County. Challenge yourself to give of yourself and be great. Thank you for recognizing and honoring my family.”
Georgia State Representative Mack Jackson
Georgia State Representative Mack Jackson (Democratic Party) represents Georgia’s District 128. He took office on January 12, 2009. He works as a partner with Benchmark Partners, LLC, pastor of St. James Christian Fellowship, Inc., office manager with the Sandersville Probation Office, and in the Georgia Department of Labor. He is on the following Georgia House Committees: House Appropriations Committee, House Health and Human Services Committee, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, House Rules Committee, Small Business Development Committee, State Planning and Community Affairs Committee, and House Transportation Committee.
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