August 21, 1739

1739 James Oglethorpe and Creek chiefs signed the Treaty of Coweta Town at Coweta on the Chattahoochee River. The treaty confirmed--but more clearly defined--the Creeks’ earlier 1733 treaty identifying areas open to British settlement.

August 21, 1905

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on August 21:

1905 Rentz (Laurens County)

August 21, 1906

1906 Gov. Joseph Terrell signed an act appropriating $15,000 for erection of a monument to Georgia founder James Edward Oglethorpe in Chippewa Square, half to be disbursed in 1907 and half in 1908. Terrell signed a second act appropriating $15,000 for an equestrian statue of John B. Gordon to be placed on the capitol grounds.

August 21, 1906

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on August 21:

1906 Center (Jackson County), Crosland (Colquitt County), Dillard (Rabun County), Enigma (Berrion County), Junction City (Talbot County), Lawson (Gwinnett County), Marshallville (Macon County), Milan (Telfair and Dodge counties), Naylor (Lowndes County), Saint George (Charlton County), Senoia (Coweta County), and Summertown (Emanuel County).

August 21, 1907

1907 Gov. Hoke Smith signed an act proposing to amend Georgia’s constitution by imposing a literacy test as a requirement for registering to vote. Hoke had campaigned for office in 1906 on a platform to disfranchise black voters in Georgia. The Constitution of 1877 had imposed as requirements for voting that the voter be a male citizen of the U.S., be at least 21 years of age, and be a resident of Georgia for one year and of the county for six months prior to the election. Additionally, a voter must have paid all taxes owed since 1877. The 1907 proposed constitutional amendment, however, added literacy, good character, and a citizenship test as additional requirements to register. Also, the proposed amendment restricted participation in party primaries or party conventions to qualified voters. Georgia voters would approve the disfranchisement amendment in the general election on Oct. 7, 1908.

August 21, 1907

1907 Gov. Hoke Smith signed an act making it illegal to fish in any waters in the state on Sunday. Violation of the ban was made a misdemeanor offense.

August 21, 1911

1911 Gov. Hoke Smith signed an act reducing the maximum number of hours textile mill workers could be required to work from 66 to 60 per week.

August 21, 1911

1911 The Georgia General Assembly adopted a joint resolution calling on Georgia’s congressional delegation to vote to terminate the U.S.’s 1832 treaty with Russia allowing citizens of each country to travel to the other enjoying the same rights and protections as the natives of the country being visited. Specifically, the resolution charged that Russia declined to honor U.S. passports held by American Jews and refused to give American Jews in Russia the same rights and protections as afforded non-Jewish Russians.

August 21, 1911

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on August 21:

1911 Alvaton (Meriwether County), Denton (Jeff Davis County), Inman (Fayette County), and Woodville (Greene County)

August 21, 1913

1913 On the twenty-second day in the trial of Leo Frank. Final arguments began this day, with aides to the two main attorneys (Hugh Dorsey for the prosecution and Luther Rosser for the defense) speaking first. The prosecution portrayed Frank as a Jekyll-and-Hyde character who could mask his deviant tendencies from his family and friends. The defense contended that Jim Conley was the murderer and concocted his story to save his own neck.

August 21, 1916

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on August 21:

1916 Chester (Dodge County)

August 21, 1921

1921 Gov. Thomas Hardwick signed an act authorizing a uniform county manager form of county government for Georgia counties. The law specified the respective powers and duties of the board of commissioners and the county manager, as well as the procedures for adopting this form of government.

August 21, 1929

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on August 21:

1929 Montrose (Laurens County)

August 21, 1929

Other acts affecting Georgia towns and cities approved on August 21:

1929 Rockledge (Laurens County) charter repealed

August 21, 1938

1938 Singer -- and former Athens-area resident -- Kenny Rogers was born in Houston, Texas.

August 21, 1961

1961 The city of Atlanta argued in federal court that it no longer practiced segregation in city parks.

Atlanta Office:
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Atlanta, GA 30318
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MAY
21

Today in History

1917 What began as a warm, windy day would end with the most fire destruction to Atlanta since Sherman burned the city in 1864. In a strange set of circumstances, … read more