Dr. John H. Carter Donates His Book To The Upson Historical Society

Dr. John H. Carter donated a copy of his book, Hold My Mule: There is no such word as “Can’t to Ms. Jamesan Gramme, Director, the Thomaston-Upson Archives.

Dr. John H. Carter, a native of Thomaston and the first Black graduate of the Robert E. Lee Institute, is donating a copy of his first book to the Upson Historical Society. In 2010, Dr. Carter established a collection in the society’s library to preserve his family’s history. 

This book documents the first fifty years of his life, which began in Upson County. "Hold My Mule - There is No Such Word as Can’t" is more than the life story of a man who rose to success from a humble beginning. It is a guidebook on navigating the complex world where race, education, ambition, religion, the desire to make a change, and the maze of corporate America all collide. “Hold My Mule” details the experiences of Dr. John H. Carter. He reflects on the miracles in his life that led him from his lowly circumstance to managing a nearly billion-dollar budget for one of the nation's largest communications companies. He was a confidant to some of the most influential leaders in the country and served as project manager for the $120 million memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Carter said, “I am proud to present this book to the institution that has been preserving the history of the Thomaston and Upson County community since 1968. It is the town that taught me how to turn obstacles into opportunities.”

John is available for book signings, school visits, and other public appearances. To learn how to obtain your copy of the book, please visit www.johnhcarter.info or the Upson Historical Society at Thomaston-Upson Archives at 301 S. Center St., Thomaston, GA 30286.

About Dr. John H. Carter

Dr. John H. Carter, a Thomaston native, is a retired Vice President of AT&T (formerly BellSouth Corporation). He also managed the Human Resources and Corporate Services $900 Million-dollar budget and coordinated the corporation’s $34 Million contingency fund for environmental remediation. After retirement from the Bell System, he managed a successful consulting firm, Carter & Carter, LLC, which offered management consulting, facilitation, and executive coaching for ten years. He also served as an adjunct professor at Strayer University