HOBSON CITY: A TOWN BUILT BY FAITH
In the hills of northeast Alabama, just outside Anniston, sits a small town with a remarkable story: Hobson City. It is not large, and it rarely appears in history books, but its existence is a testimony. Hobson City was built by people who refused to disappear. They had been pushed aside, but they would not be pushed out of history. With faith in God and courage in their hearts, they built a place where dignity could stand upright.
After the Civil War, formerly enslaved families began settling together in a community called Mooree Quarters near Oxford, Alabama. They built modest homes, planted gardens, raised children, and established churches. Life was simple, but it was full of purpose. The church stood at the center of everything. People gathered there to pray, sing, and hear the Word of God preached with power. Faith was not just a Sunday ritual. It was the strength that carried them through every hardship.
Trouble came when political power shifted in the nearby town of Oxford. When a Black man was elected justice of the peace, white leaders reacted by changing the city boundaries. Mooree Quarters was deliberately pushed outside the limits of the town. The move was meant to silence the growing influence of the Black community. Instead, it gave them a new idea.
If they could not belong to someone else’s town, they would build their own.
In 1899, one hundred and twenty-five residents petitioned the county government to form a new municipality. Their request was granted, and on August 16, 1899, Hobson City was officially incorporated. It became the first town in Alabama governed entirely by African Americans and one of the first in the entire United States. What began as exclusion turned into independence.
The first mayor of Hobson City was S. L. Davis. He helped guide the young town through its earliest years and establish the foundations of local government. Working alongside him was James Duran, the town’s first police chief, who helped keep order and protect the community. Another important leader was Newman O’Neal, who later served as mayor and worked to strengthen the town during difficult and often hostile times. These men were not famous, but they were steady, determined builders who believed their people deserved dignity and self-governance.
Through all the challenges, the church remained the heart of Hobson City. Before there were paved streets or public buildings, there were sanctuaries filled with prayer and song. Under simple wooden roofs, preachers opened the Scriptures and reminded the people that the God who delivered Israel from bondage still watches over His people. Hymns of faith rose from those congregations, carrying hope through years that were often uncertain.
Hobson City also became known as a stop along what was called the Chitlin’ Circuit. During segregation, Black musicians traveled a network of clubs and halls across the South where they could perform for Black audiences. Music filled the community. Blues, rhythm, and gospel sounds echoed through the night. One musician connected to the town’s legacy was Charles “Cow Cow” Davenport, a boogie-woogie piano player from nearby Anniston who recorded a lively piece called “Hobson City Stomp.” The music reflected something true about the town itself—joy rising in the middle of struggle.
Today Hobson City remains small, but its story is large. It reminds us that faith can build communities, that courage can change history, and that dignity is something worth standing for. Leaders like S. L. Davis, James Duran, and Newman O’Neal helped lay the foundation, but the strength of the town came from generations of ordinary people who refused to give up.
Hobson City still stands as quiet proof that when people trust God, work together, and refuse to surrender their hope, even a small town can become a powerful testimony.
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Lord God, we thank You for the faith of the men and women who built Hobson City. We thank You for leaders like S. L. Davis, James Duran, and Newman O’Neal who stood firm when standing was difficult. Give us the same courage and the same perseverance. Help us to build lives and communities that reflect Your truth and Your justice. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BDD
