We Shall Rise

I appreciate the Commercial Appeal writing this story. It seems they publish more and more fluff lately. This is a story about a man, who went against the grain. He was a Black Republican, surrounded by Black Democrats. I didn't know him personally. I heard about his many ventures though. This is what the newspaper said.

Dobbins was a 'trailblazer'

By Alex Doniach
Contact
October 15, 2006
Memphis businessman and activist George Dobbins wasn't afraid to take risks.
Though he watched three of his businesses soar and sink, Mr. Dobbins never hesitated to pick himself up and move forward.


Mr. Dobbins died of heart failure Friday at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis. He was 66.
"He was a trailblazer in the African-American community," said daughter Alandas Dobbins.

"He became an entrepreneur at a time when many blacks didn't think they could do it," Dobbins said.

He was also one of the first black men to run as a Republican for state Senate in recent history and had served as treasurer of the Shelby County Republican Party.

Mr. Dobbins was a networker, from his early years as a successful football coach in Hernando, Miss., to his later years as a Memphis businessman and chairman of the regional chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors.

"He was very articulate and had the flavor of a football coach," said Nesby Blanchard III, Mr. Dobbins' son-in-law and former business partner. "When you met George, you remembered him."

Mr. Dobbins, who moved to Memphis in 1960, started a cleaning service in 1981, a business that eventually folded. He then developed his own line of cleaning products called "New Rise" that sold in every Mid-South Kroger. His latest venture was a communications company, Southern Communications Inc., that went bankrupt in 2004.

Mr. Dobbins inspired black youth with his proactive and tireless spirit.

"He had a big presence in the business world during a time when you didn't see a lot of black folks out there doing what he was doing," Blanchard said.

His message was one of empowerment.

"George was the eternal optimist," Blanchard said. "His message was, 'let's not just cut hair and wash cars, but let's sell telephone systems and diamonds. Let's build our own houses and do what it takes to be independent.' He had big aspirations for the black community."

Mr. Dobbins was well known among Memphis politicians and businessmen for his "shrewd" and "calculated" business sense, according to Memphis City Councilman Rickey Peete.

"He was a pioneer at a time when it was not popular to be a pioneer," Peete said. "And as a result of his commitment to economic growth for African-American businesses, we have made significant progress in that area."

Mr. Dobbins graduated from Mississippi Industrial College.

Mr. Dobbins, the husband of Jean Dobbins, also leaves a son, Gordon Ashley Dobbins of Arlington; two sisters, Fannie Dobbins Ward of Memphis and Retha Dobbins Partee of Hernando; six brothers, John Dobbins, Mike Dobbins, Debloyce Dobbins, Jerry Dobbins, Jimmie Dobbins and Earthie Dobbins, all of Memphis; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday at M.J. Edwards' Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 767 Walker, where he was a member.