Born into slavery in South Carolina, Peter Postell went on to become a respected businessman in Hopkinsville — owning property, operating a grocery, and rebuilding after a devastating fire in the 1880s.
The city recently unveiled a Kentucky Historical Marker in his honor at the site where his store once stood.
Peg Hays, chair of the Local Development Corporation, says the project has been years in the making.
click to download audioThe marker was made possible through partnerships with the Kentucky Historical Society, the City of Hopkinsville, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Hopkinsville Mayor James R. Knight Jr. says Postell’s life embodies courage and opportunity.
click to download audioDr. Charles Welsko with the Kentucky Historical Society says the state’s historical markers are more than roadside signs — they’re tools for learning.
click to download audioFor Postell’s descendants, the event was deeply personal. Donna Jackson, one of his great-great-granddaughters, traveled from New York for the ceremony.
click to download audioJackson says seeing her ancestor’s name permanently recognized brings her family’s research and memories to life.
click to download audioHer daughter, Zuri Jackson, says she’s proud to see how her family helped shape the Hopkinsville community generations ago.
click to download audioAnd Zuri’s sister, Layla Jackson, says the trip gave her a new connection to her family’s past.
click to download audioDr. Welsko says that kind of connection is exactly what the historical marker program aims to create — keeping local stories alive for future generations.
