Dr George Louis Alphonso Pogue

Dr George Louis Alphonso Pogue was born to Samuel and Lucy (Bannister) Pogue"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPP8-TPB : accessed 25 May 2021), George L A Pogue in household of Samuel Pogue, Court House, Botetourt, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 58, sheet 2A, family 24, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1622; FHL microfilm 1,375,635. on January 31, 1888, in Fincastle, Virginia, Botetourt County, Virginia. Located in the Roanoke Region.
Samuel Pogue was a Baptist preacher in the Fincastle Area, and Lucy Bannister was a midwife.Woodcock, Noelle. “Dr. George Louis Alfonso Pogue – Pharmacist, Doctor & Civil Rights Activist in Bedford.” Bedford Museum & Genealogical Library, Find G Local, 1 Feb. 2021, www.findglocal.com/US/Bedford/311951041346/Bedford-Museum-%26-Genealogical-Library. 
== Early Life (1888-1911) ==
=== Plessy V Ferguson. ===
When George was 8 years old the supreme court established the “Separate but Doctrine” in the case Plessy v. Ferguson.Plessy vs. Ferguson, Judgement, Decided May 18, 1896; Records of the Supreme Court of the United States; Record Group 267; Plessy v. Ferguson, 163, #15248, National Archives. As a reaction to this ruling the Virginia state legislature began implementing Jim Crow laws|Jim crow laws and segregating schools in 1902.Holt, Wythe W. “The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901-1902: A Reform Movement Which Lacked Substance.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 76, no. 1, 1968, pp. 67–102. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4247370. Accessed 24 May 2021. This action also directly affected the Virginia state college, where George would later attend, curtailing the collegiate program and changing the schools name to the Virginia State University|Virginia Normal and industrial institute.
In the first decade of the 20th century Dr Pogue attained a 2-year degree from Virginia Normal and industrial institute. while he was at school, he waited tables at a local restaurant and worked his way up to head water. This was all to help him pay his way through the two years of schooling that he could take. Noelle Woodcock research assistant at the Bedford Museum and Genealogical library says “It was at Virginia State College that he met Ethel Paige, the future Mrs. Pogue. He pressed his suit, one gathers, by seeing that she got special favors from the kitchen at the meals."
So, while he was courting his wife, we was also working hard to ensure a bright future. Woodcock goes one to say, “Extra classes were offered privately, and he took them all enabling him later to transfer to Shaw University to study medicine.” He worked and studied hard and long to ensure that he could conquer the walls of his life.
In 1911 George Graduated with a Doctor of medicine from the Leonard Hall (Shaw University)|Leonard Medical SchoolElizabeth Reid Murray, “Leonard Medical School,” Encyclopedia of North Carolina, North Carolina Press, 2006, accessed February 17, 2021, https://www.ncpedia.org/leonard-medical-school. from Shaw University“Thirty-Second Annual Catalog of the Officers and Students of the Leaonard Medical School.” Forgottenbooks.com, 2016. and in March of 1912 he was married to Ethel Page"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRW1-6H7 : 29 January 2020), George L. A. Pogue, 1912 they moved too Bedford Virginia where he opened a pharmacy and medical practice that was integrated. In 1912. He specialized in skin ailments. It was likely on 111 s bridge street because Woodcock’s article states that it is in the same building that has since become Reynolds Clothing.
== Life in Bedford Virginia (1911-1947) ==
the NAACP was incorporated in 1911Snowden-McCray, Lisa (February 13, 2019). "The NAACP Was Established February 12, 1909". The Crisis. Retrieved July 28, 2020. with a mission outlined in their charter “To promote equality of rights and eradicate caste or race prejudice among citizens of the United States; to advance the interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, education for their children, employment according to their ability, and complete equality before the law” Dr Pogue Physically Joined the NAACP around the time that his family moved to Bedford.“Integrated 50 Years Ago Through Service,” Bedford Museum & Genealogical Library.
Dr Pogue joined the army and served as leutenent of the 430th infantry Medical Corps.“Alphabetical List and Directory.” Army Medical Bulletin, United States Army, 1927, pp. 501–501."United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6CY-J6P : 23 February 2021), George Louis Alfonso Pogue, 1917-1918.
=== Letter to W.E.B. Dubois ===
In 1918 Dr Pogue assisted a cooperative of persons of color get their canned Tomatoes and snap peas sold in Baltimore. He reached out to W. E. B. Du Bois|W.E.B. Dubois. To ask for assistance. Below is the complete letter.
Bedford Virginia Dec. 21. 1918
Editor of crisis.
New York. N.Y.
“Gentlemen
I am writing to ask your assistance. We have a cooperative Negro Cannery for packing tomatoes and snaps. We have sold our entire pack to the government. Our pack was small 1 carload. The government inspector gave us an excellent report when he examined them at the factory, but I hear unofficially that the government is turing down a great many car loads of tomatoes, and while we expect ours to be accepted we want to be prepared to have some one handle them if they are not. I thought that your office could put me in touch with a commission merchant in or near Baltimore, that is where we shipped. So that should we be turned down we can sell at as small a lost as possible.
I am a little worried as several want our cannery and one of the several has a brother who is a government inspector in Baltimore and if he ever sees our brand we are turned down. Any assistance will be appreciated.”Pogue, G. L. A., and W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois. Letter from G. L. A. Pogue to W. E. B. Du Bois. Bedford (Va.), 21 Dec 1918. Web. 24 May 2021. <https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth-oai:9s166f821>.
== Late Life ==
=== Susie G Gibson School ===
In 1946 Dr and Mrs. Pogue put themselves in the middle of a local controversy to ensure a placement which was viewed as optimal for a new school meant to serve children of Color. They wrote letters and gathered signatures for petitions.“National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Susie B Gibson School” United States Department of the Interior
Dr Pogue was advised by a real-estate agent that the school board couldn’t purchase the land for the town location, for the asking price of 10,000$ that it was valued at, so he lowered the asking price to 3,000“Dr. Pogue,” Bedford Villages, Lost & Found, I, 193.. After much debate, on February 8, 1951,“Board Votes Again for Site On 460 for Negro School,” The Bedford Democrat, July 27, 1950, the new high school was granted primacy in the utilization of battle school construction funds.Dr. G.L.A. Pogue,” Bedford Museum & Genealogical Library And in March of 1951 the school board voted unanimously to build the school on the site that Dr Pogue fought for.“Town Site Favored for Negro School,” The Bedford Democrat, August 3, 1950.
The Pogue” s recommended Susie G Gibson to be the Jeanes Supervisor in Bedford and on that recommendation, she was appointed. The school would later be called the Susie G Gibson school.
Sometime in his later life George lost both legs. But he still saw patients, right until he physically couldn’t anymore.Journal and guide (Norfolk, Va. : Virginia-Carolina ed.) Journal and guide. Virginia-Carolina ed. Norfolk, Va. : Guide Pub. Co., 1952-1956. Vol. 52, no. 41 (Oct. 11, 1952)-v. 56, no. 18 (May 5, 1956)
=== Death ===
George Died March 6, 1956 from complications of Diabetes mellitus|Diabetes Mellitus"Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVYL-2DPX : 16 August 2019), George Alphonso Pogue, 06 Mar 1956; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Roanoke, Roanoke, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
George and Ethel had four children. George Jr died two years after he was born."Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVYK-GP2N : 1 March 2021), George Louis Alphonso Pogue Jr, 11 Dec 1912; from Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : n.d.); citing , Bedford, Virginia, United States, certificate 21443, Library of Virginia, Richmond. Jacqueline Bernice,"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJFN-9V2 : accessed 25 May 2021), Jacquelin Pogue in household of George L Pogue, Bedford, Virginia, United States; citing , sheet , line , family , NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll ; FHL microfilm Elbert Hugo"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJFN-9VL : accessed 25 May 2021), Elbert Pogue in household of George L Pogue, Bedford, Virginia, United States; citing , sheet , line , family , NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll ; FHL microfilm , and Barbara"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C8VN-XMM : accessed 25 May 2021), Barbara Poague in household of George L A Poague, Bedford, Bedford, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 9, sheet 5B, line 69, family 127, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2436; FHL microfilm 2,342,170.. 
His son Elbert earned a doctor of medicine as well"United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKWG-LVC2 : accessed 25 May 2021), Dr Elbert H Pogue, Newark, New Jersey, United States, 28 Dec 1998; from "Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 - Today)," database, GenealogyBank.com (http://www.genealogybank.com : 2014); citing Star-Ledger, The, born-digital text.. He also completed military service in World War 2 and served his own community in Elizabeth New Jersey for 50 yearsCourant, Hartford. “POGUE, Mildred (Houser).” Courant.com, 30 Sept. 2018, www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2009-11-26-obit-2343769v1d1126-story.html.. George’s grandson also became a Dr who practices in New Britain, Connecticut who specializes in hematology and has served his community for 50 years. 
Category:1956 deaths
Category:1888 births
Category:American Baptists