Pvt Rufus Graham

Our Hometown Heroes

Rufus Graham

Served Less Than Five Months

Living on E. Central Avenue in Griffin with his wife, Mattie Lovet Graham, Rufus Graham was inducted into the U.S. Army as a private. Born on October 8, 1895,Graham would serve as a private in the U.S Army less than five months. Pneumonia would claim Graham’syoung life on November 13, 1918.

From this point Graham’s service to his country in, “the war to end all wars,” remained largely forgotten. Rufus was black and was not listed on the World War I Monument, forgotten until now.

This changed during the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, 2016 as Graham and other, “Lost and Forgotten,” World War I soldiers were honored with individual plaques and their names on the Veterans Memorial Park “Doughboy” statue. Thanks to efforts of Griffin Archivist Cynthia Barton, the Veterans Military Affairs and Honor our KIA committees, Pvt. Graham is now remembered as one of Griffin-Spalding’s Hometown Heroes.

An individual plaque honoring Rufus Graham will be installed in Griffin’s Historic District sponsored by local attorneys Galloway and Lyndall.