Airport officially renamed for Carter

For more on the story, see Monday online for videos of the speeches and in Tuesday's print edition.

Underneath the shade of a large pine tree, around 75 assembled guests watched as Wally Summers, vice chairman of the Americus-Sumter County Airport Authority cut the black tarp and revealed the new sign, that read “Jimmy Carter Regional Airport.”

The renaming of the airport from Souther Field Regional Airport to its current moniker has not come without controversy. A group of citizens voiced their dissent to the renaming by starting a letter writing campaign stating that changing the name would be as if the history that the name Souther Field had held would be erased.

Frank Joiner, Chairman of the Americus-Sumter Airport Authority welcomed everyone to the ceremony, “I would like to welcome everyone to historic Souther Field, one of the oldest continuously operating airport in the country.” Joiner then went on to tell a little of the history of Souther Field and what the airport meant to him.

After an invocation given by Dan Ariail, Pastor Emeritus at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, comments on the renaming were given by gathered officials. Jamil Zainaldin, the President of the Georgia Humanities Council, was first to step behind the podium, and he remarked on the history of the airfield.

“I’ve wondered if all of the emphasis on Lindbergh is not a little misplaced,” said Zainaldin. “ I’m not saying that he is not important. He was one of the top aviation figures in the country and he soloed here. Four years later he crossed the Atlantic. I think what really deserves the tribute is that this airport was opened in 1918. It is still operating. I think that Souther Field is the only civilian airport that can make this claim. It is the longest continuously operating airport in the United States that hosted military flight operations for two world wars.”

Zainaldin also remarked on the history of the renaming, and some coincidences that he found interesting when he thought about it. “One thing that I think is very harmonious is that Henry Souther, as a Major in the Army, would have had a field named after him, which then would be renamed commemorating his commander and chief, and I think that he would be honored that his name would be associated with that of a former commander and chief. A third thing, was that this is a Georgia thing. President Carter grew up in the shadow of this airport. The man who pushed the United States into World War I was Woodrow Wilson, who grew up in Augusta, Georgia. There is another harmony here, these two presidents, Carter and Wilson are once again connected through Souther Field.”

Zainaldin concluded his comments saying, “As I look at Souther Field today I think not only of an airport that stands for freedom and democracy, I think of the President that also stands for freedom and democracy who grew up in the shadow of that field. It’s an honor for me to be here on this day, commemorating this president, and commemorating that sacred ground for the United States.”

U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop said, “ This airport has a rich history. From its beginnings in 1918 as a training airfield and an aviation supply depot, to its association to one of America’s most noted aviators, Charles Lindbergh. The airport has been a significant landmark for over 90 years in Sumter County. It’s only fitting that we re-name it today, after Sumter County’s most famous figure, former President Jimmy Carter.”

Senator George Hooks said, “In 1967, Mr. Jimmy Carter, and his Uncle, Mr. Alton Carter had the graves of his great grandmother, and great grandfather moved from out here to Oak Grove Cemetery. If they had not done that then we would have not been able to extend the runway out here.”

State Representative Mike Cheokas remarked about how much the airport meant to him and his family, saying “my father got his pilot’s license out here. I got my pilot’s license and training out here. This past August, my son got his private pilot’s license out here. This airport means a lot to my family as you can see, and President Carter’s service means a lot to this family.”