Historic Macon will host the first Annual Jordan Massee Lecture of Southern History and Culture at the Sidney Lanier Cottage (935 High St.) on Sunday, January 29 at 4pm.

Author Rick Hutto gathered and organized support to establish an annual lecture series known as the Jordan Massee Lecture on Southern History and Culture. Many private individuals contributed to create the endowment managed by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia that will support this lecture series. Funds from the Foundation will enable an annual presentation to take place in perpetuity. The goal of the series is to draw regional and national experts in Southern history and culture to Macon to speak on their expertise.

“We are always excited to host leading scholars for talks about history, but we are particularly thrilled to host the inaugural Jordan Massee Lecture on Southern History and Culture,” said Kim Campbell, Preservation and Education Coordinator at Historic Macon. “Rick Hutto's research into Macon's history is, forgive the pun, well-documented, and we are honored to serve as the first venue in this series.”

Hutto will present the first lecture of the series, titled “Macon’s Other Johnston Family: A Forgotten Heritage.” Most Maconites know about the William Butler Johnston family who built the Hay House. Hutto will focus on the other Johnston family that was integrally invested in Macon's development at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and had close ties to the great New York City families of the Gilded Age.

“Jordan Massee, who was one of Macon's true renaissance men, would have been delighted to know there is still so much interest in local history and culture,” said Rick Hutto on the origin of the lecture series. “He was fascinated with the Johnston family and intended writing about them but never had the opportunity. I'm pleased that I have a few of his notes to include in this presentation.”